Boosting final debt payment from 4% to 19% for utility provider e-on next

e-on next came to Esendex to seek out a solution with the following prerequisites:

• A strategy which promoted friendly, fair, non-intrusive customer contact.
• The solution should use mobile-focused, intelligent, self serve technology adding convenience for the customer, and reducing the cost to serve.
• The new workflow should work to replace any reliance on outbound activity from e-on next’s voice broadcast centre resource.
• The solution should use the most cost-effective communication channel, based on the contact details available, with the ability to switch between communication channels as required.

• 19% of customers approached for payment through the new workflow made a payment, compared to 4% with the previous workflow.
• 82% of payments were for the full amount owed.
• When compared to the cost of sending a paper letter, notification of overdue payment through SMS broadcast was 16%, Email 1%, and automated voice messages 50%.
• Receiving a payment through the Esendex platform costs just 30% of the cost of receiving a payment via a call.

How was this achieved?

Esendex worked with e-on next to create a solution which employs a combination of communication channels including text marketing, email, outbound voice blasts and Esendex’s bespoke mobile web app, Mobile Journeys.

A decision engine determines the best channel and message to send to each customer based on available contact details, amount owed, and reason for leaving.

The customer is given several self-serve payment options, including a dedicated mobile payment portal (pictured).

If a message sent via SMS doesn’t elicit a response, another channel such as email will be automatically deployed. Equally, messages automatically stop once a successful outcome is reached.

A detailed set of reports inform e-on next about payments taken and the status of contacted customers.