Can I Pay Online?

Getting customers to pay bills via the Internet is a cost-cutting measure for service providers. But does your customer-service department promote e-payment by providing customers with clear, concise information about how to pay bills online?

Sprint PCS Total Hold Time: 4 minutes

Transfers/IVR Layers: 3

CSR: Hi. This is (name). How can I help you?

WR: My dad is a subscriber and wants to know if he can pay his bills online.

CSR: Do you mind holding on for me for a second?

WR: Sure.

CSR: Thank you.

After about 30 seconds of hold music, the CSR returned.

CSR: Do you have the account number?

WR: No, I don't. I'm just getting information at this point.

CSR: Oh, you just want to know if you can pay the bill over the phone?

WR: No, on the Internet.

CSR: On the Internet. OK. Hold on just a second.

After a 1-minute hold (no music this time), the CSR returned.

CSR: As long as you know your password and your passcode, you can pay it over the Internet.

WR: How does he go about doing that? Does he have a passcode? How does that work?

CSR: Yes, he has a password. It'll bring his account up, and it'll ask for his password. Just key it in, and put in what type of payment he wants to make.

WR: But I don't understand about the password. Which password is he using?

CSR: I can't provide you with that information.

WR: I mean is it issued with his account?

CSR: Yes. He enters (his passcode) number or his account number.

WR: And the bill automatically comes up?

CSR: I don't have the Internet before me, so I can't really give you details. But I do know as long as he has his password and his code, he can access it.

WR: Is there a charge for that?

CSR: No.

Alltel Total Hold Time: 0

Transfers/IVR Layers: 2

CSR: Good morning. Thank you for calling Alltel. This is (name). How may I help you?

WR: My father carries your service, and he asked me to give you a call and find out if he can pay his bills online.

CSR: We do have that capability.

WR: How does he do that? Does he have to sign up for it?

CSR: He'll need to register online. Go to our Web site, and then there is a picture that he can click that says online billing. He will need his bill, and on the left-hand side of his bill is his PIN number.

WR: And does he have to pay extra for that?

CSR: No. There's no charge.

Cincinnati Bell Wireless Total Hold Time: 0

Transfers/IVR Layers: 0

CSR: Thank you for calling Cincinnati Bell Wireless. How may I assist you?

WR: My aunt is a subscriber and wants to know if she can pay her bills online.

CSR: You can make payments on our Web site. You just need your account number and your wireless number to make a payment either by check or credit card.

WR: How exactly does she do that?

CSR: Go into the billing option on the Web site, then go into what's called WebPay, and it'll walk you through all of the steps.

WR: Great. Is there an additional charge for that?

CSR: We don't charge you to make payments. That'd be something your bank might do. You'd have to discuss that with them.

BellSouth Mobility Total Hold Time: 2 minutes

Transfers/IVR Layers: 2

CSR: Thank you for calling BellSouth Mobility. This is (name). How may I help you?

WR: My grandfather carries your service, and he wants to know if he can pay his bills online.

CSR: Online with a home computer or online with me?

WR: With a home computer.

CSR: We don't actually have that system available yet, but it is coming. In the next two or three months or so, it will be available to where he can pay it online.

WR: And how would he do that?

CSR: Well, I don't know because the system is not set up to do it yet. So I haven't even seen it yet. But if he needs to make a payment, he can call us, and we can do it over the phone right now. But in the months to come, he'll be able to do it online, on the computer.