E-BILL PUSH

Telecom service providers can't force their customers to move toward electronic bill payment and presentment if they don't change the value of what is being provided. But the anthrax threat in the U.S. has changed how we value our mail service, and it may be the motivating factor that pushes consumers toward electronic bill payment and presentment services. Though the U.S. Postal Service is taking measures to prevent further contamination, bioterrorism is forcing people to consider and adopt alternative methods of communication and bill payment — a bright spot for e-billing vendors and the carriers that have had trouble convincing business and consumer customers alike to adopt the technology. Electronic billing has been slow on the uptake for numerous reasons: culture, the economy and security among them. Carriers have spent large sums of money finding the right demographics. They've promoted the economic benefits of eliminating paper bills — though they've largely ignored the environmental benefit as a marketing tool — but they still haven't won customers over. While service providers may be reluctant to use recent events to promote e-billing, they can't deny the marketing potential. Now that they have users' attention, carriers can take the opportunity to drive home all the other benefits.