The services that local governments and public-sector bodies offer need to be as flexible as possible, given the wide scope and variety of people that rely on them. Unlike other businesses, who have a target market for whom they can intelligently tailor their offering to suit, public sector organisations need services that are useful and useable for all demographics. It’s therefore necessary to partner with service providers that have flexibility as a core pillar of their business, in order to create a fantastic user experience for each and every customer.
There are several different types of payment that local governments accept from the public, including:
- Parking permits
- Speeding fines
- Council tax
- Business rates
- School meals
- Real estate rentals
Local governing bodies need to offer payment solutions that are simple to use no matter who the paying party is. There are different factors that need to be considered when creating a payment system that can be navigated by all:
- Computer literacy
IT capabilities in any given area in the UK will range from people who don’t know how to use a mouse to computer scientists; as such, public sector companies need to create payment systems that are simple to use and won’t create confusion for the customer. Additionally, it’s useful to be able to accept payments offline as well as online. An example of this would be offering MOTO payments, whereby details can be given over the phone to make the payment. As for their eCommerce platform, local governments need to ensure that it is as user friendly as possible to avoid any possible confusion.
- Payment frequency
Local governments offer a variety of services that require different frequencies of payment. The convenience of setting up a Direct Debit payment is essential for people having to pay their local authority on a regular basis, as it saves the hassle of having to enter their payment information again and again, and removes having to remember to pay certain bills, as the money is automatically transferred. Payment providers working with public-sector companies need to have the flexibility to offer regular and one-off payments according to customer preference.
- Online payment methods
eCommerce platforms tend these days to involve several different payment methods, including various credit and debit cards as well as e-wallets such as PayPal and Apple Pay. These alternative options are offered for the customer’s convenience, as details are saved for a faster checkout. Including several payment methods within an eCommerce platform means that public sector companies give a choice to their customers, facilitating the whole procedure for them.
Trust Payments are experts in providing payment solutions to local governmental organisations and public-sector companies. Whatever the payment is for, we understand that the customer base will be diverse in payment preference, background and demographic. As such, we place a strong emphasis on creating flexible payment platform that is user-friendly and which gets payments paid on time with minimal hassle for any party involved.
To find out how your public-sector company can benefit from Trust Payments payments expertise, get in touch with our team today on 02036912697.