Paying utility bills can be a tedious task, especially when dealing with multiple providers and payment platforms. Fortunately, many utility companies now offer centralized billing services to consolidate and simplify payments. Utility billing services provide a one-stop portal for customers to easily manage and pay their household utility bills.
What are Utility Billing Services?
Utility billing services allow customers to view and pay their electric gas, water, sewer and other utility bills in one place. Major providers like Paymentus and Utility Billing Services (UBS) partner with utility companies to offer consolidated billing platforms.
With these services, customers can access and manage accounts from more than one utility company through a single login. Through the centralized billing platform, you can see and pay bills from all of your service providers. Instead of going to different utility company websites, you can access everything from one dashboard.
Utility billing services also offer different ways to pay, such as one-time payments, automatic payments, and payment plans. When people pay their bundled utility bills online, they can use credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, and other methods. These consolidated platforms aim to simplify utility payments for households.
Key Benefits of Utility Billing Services
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It’s easier to view and pay all of your bills in one place instead of on a bunch of different websites and portals.
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Organization – Keep track of all household utility bills and due dates on a single platform.
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Payment options – Make one-time payments, set up auto-pay, enroll in budget plans, etc.
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Account management – Update personal and payment information in one spot.
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Cost savings – Avoid late fees by managing due dates and payments conveniently.
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Paperless billing – Reduce clutter and go green by receiving electronic bills instead of mailed paper statements.
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Mobile access – Many platforms have user-friendly mobile apps for on-the-go account management.
Major Utility Billing Service Providers
Some top players in the utility billing services space include:
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Paymentus – Partners with over 1,500 utility companies to offer consolidated billing services. Customers can pay bills from multiple providers via the Paymentus platform.
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Utility Billing Services (UBS) – Owned by Water Systems, Inc. UBS lets you bill all of your utilities from one place, including electricity, gas, water, sewer, and more. Used by over 100 municipal utility companies.
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Doxo – Free mobile and web app allowing users to store, manage and pay bills from thousands of providers in one secure location.
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Plastiq – Digital payment platform enabling customers to pay any bill via credit card, even those that don’t normally accept cards. Charges a transaction fee.
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Prism – Bill payment app that consolidates bills into one place and notifies users of due dates. Can facilitate one-time or auto-payments.
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Kubra – Long-standing billing services provider working with utility, insurance, banking and other clients. Offers omni-channel payments via web, phone, etc.
These are just a few of the top companies providing streamlined utility billing and payment services. Large providers like Paymentus work with a vast network of utility companies while smaller players may focus on specific regions.
How Do Utility Billing Services Work?
The setup process is quite straightforward for customers to start using utility billing services. Here are the typical steps:
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Visit billing platform website – Customer goes to their utility billing service provider’s website or app. Popular platforms include Paymentus, UBS, Doxo, etc.
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Link account(s) – Customer logs into their existing utility provider accounts from the billing platform. This links accounts to the centralized dashboard.
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Review bills – Electric, gas, water and other bills from linked providers will be viewable on the unified platform.
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Select payment method – Choose a preferred payment option such as bank account, credit/debit card, PayPal, etc.
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Pay bills – Review due dates and amounts owed and make one-time payments or set up recurring automatic payments.
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Account management – Update personal details, payment methods, notification preferences and more in one place.
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Receive reminders – Get bill due, past due and other notifications so no bill gets missed.
Once set up, customers can log into the centralized platform anytime to quickly view, manage and pay their bills. It’s an easy way to simplify utility bill payments.
Case Study: UBS Bill Pay Platform
One example utility billing service is UBS, short for Utility Billing Services. UBS provides a consolidated online bill payment platform through a partnership with Paymentus. Over 100 municipal utility companies across the U.S. utilize UBS to offer customer-friendly billing services.
The UBS platform allows customers to:
- Access billing accounts from participating electric, water, sewer, gas utilities
- Make one-time payments or setup recurring automatic payments
- Pay bills via credit/debit card, bank transfer, check or other options
- View billing history and track monthly usage
- Receive bill notifications via email or text
- Go paperless with electronic billing
- Update account and payment information
- Securely store payment methods for future transactions
- Use web or mobile apps for convenient access
UBS also provides customer service for billing inquiries and disputes and offers payment plan options for customers needing flexible bill payment arrangements.
The UBS bill pay website and apps make it easy for households to view, manage and pay their routine utility bills all from one convenient platform. Signing up is free and only takes a few minutes to link existing utility accounts.
Tips for Managing Utility Bills
Utility billing services greatly simplify bill management for households. But customers can also implement a few additional tips for keeping utility payments organized and affordable:
- Review bills promptly to avoid missed due dates leading to late fees.
- Set payment reminders for upcoming due dates.
- Enroll in paperless billing and auto-pay to maximize convenience.
- Compare plans and providers annually to find potential cost savings.
- Keep track of monthly bills to identify unusual spikes in usage.
- Contact providers about possible payment arrangements if struggling with bills.
- Look into weatherization or equipment upgrades to improve energy efficiency.
- Take advantage of customer loyalty programs, new customer promotions and other perks.
The Future of Utility Billing Services
The utility billing services industry is expected to see steady growth as more households and providers adopt consolidated payment platforms. Driving this growth is the continued digitization of billing and payments along with customer demand for simplicity and convenience.
Emerging trends shaping the future of utility billing services include:
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Increasing mobile usage – More customers will manage accounts and payments via user-friendly mobile apps.
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Expanded bill aggregation – Platforms will integrate additional bill types like telecom, insurance, subscriptions.
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Advanced analytics – Providers will leverage customer data to deliver personalized usage insights and savings opportunities.
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New payment methods – Cryptocurrency, buy now pay later, and other emerging payment types will open up.
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Enhanced automation – More customers will embrace auto-pay and passive bill management.
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Rise of clean energy – Billing services will evolve to support home solar, electric vehicle charging and more.
As utility services continue adapting to meet the changing needs of customers, consolidated billing platforms promise to play an increasingly critical role in the future digital customer experience.
Utility billing services offer households a streamlined approach to organize, track and pay their monthly electricity, water, gas and other household utility bills. Top providers like Paymentus and UBS provide a single portal to conveniently view and manage bills from multiple participating utility companies.
Key benefits include simplicity, transparency, mobile access, budgeting control and avoiding late fees. With more utilities partnering with consolidated billing platforms, these services look to ease utility payment management for customers now and in the future.
Convenient ways to pay your bill:
- Pay Online –Utility Billing Services Login Page
- In-Person Utility Billing: You can visit our office at 324 Malvern Avenue, which is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. m. to 4:30 p. m. , Monday through Friday. Please bring your bill with you when you pay so that your account gets the right amount of money. We accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and check.
- On the Phone—You can pay by phone by calling 1-888-242-6632. You can pay your bills at any time, seven days a week. We accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover and eCheck. There is no additional charge to utilize this option.
- Send the payment (check or money order; do not send cash) and the bottom part of your bill by mail to: Utility Billing ServicesP. O. Box 3830Hot Springs, AR 71914-3830.
- Please do not pay with cash. You can use one of the three drop boxes below to pay by check. On the next business day, the money will be added to your account.
- Parking lot at 111 Opera Street near City Hall
- In front of the airport terminal building
- Lower parking lot entrance of 324 Malvern Avenue
The City of Weatherford Utility Billing Self Service Step-by-Step Instruction Video
FAQ
What are bill paying services?
With online bill pay, you can plan your payments and make payments from your computer, tablet, or phone. When you use an online bill pay service, a payment is taken out of your account and sent to the service provider. A bill pay service may be included as part of a checking account’s features.
What is a bill pay provider?
What is utility billing software?
Utility billing software is a system designed to help utility providers (water, gas, electricity, etc. ) manage billing, meter readings, customer information, and payments.
How do I pay my utility bill online?
The online payment system lets you make a one-time payment or set up an account and set up automatic payments. The online payment system accepts VISA, MasterCard or e-check using your bank’s routing and account number. To bring a past due account current, call utility services and speak to an account specialist.
What does the city of Lafayette utility billing office do?
The City of Lafayette Utility Billing Office strives to provide exceptional customer service in all facets of our operations and administration. Our personnel are responsible for billing and providing customer service to more than 29,000 customers, which equates to more than 375,000 utility bills issued each year. ATTENTION!
How do I pay my Tucson Water Bill?
Your Water Bill PLEASE NOTE: Tucson Water does not call customers demanding payment or solicit payments over the phone. If you have questions or would like to make a payment, please use one of the methods available on this page. Access your bill portal here and learn about Tucson Water’s wide variety of methods available to pay your utility bill.
How do I pay my water bill over the phone?
Paying over the phone is available 24/7. Accepted payment networks include Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and electronic checks. Access our Interactive Voice Response system at (520) 791-3242. Customers with delinquent accounts or interrupted water services may use this method but will need to contact Customer Service to verify their payment.
How do I pay my Brooklyn Park utility bill online?
You will be able to make an online payment using a: For your convenience, the City of Brooklyn Park offers Auto Pay for your quarterly utility billing. You can automatically pay your utility bill on a recurring basis through a checking or saving account.
Where is the utility billing office located?
View Utility Billing policies and procedures. The Utility Billing office is located on the first floor of City Hall at 50 West 13th Street. Hours of operation are: For questions or more information, please email or call 563-589-4144.
