LONDON, 20 FEBRUARY 2024: Amidst demand from consumers for greater flexibility on monthly payments, there is an opportunity for utility providers to unlock greater customer loyalty by investing in payment methods that offer more control and transparency.
That’s according to new research of more than 2,000 UK consumers by Tink, a market-leading payment services* and data enrichment platform. Findings reveal that amidst the ongoing cost of living crisis, an estimated two thirds (66%) of UK consumers believe that utilities providers have a duty to support customers struggling to pay their bills.
Consumers need greater control and support with monthly payments
With uncertainty around further energy price cap increases, one in five (18%) surveyed UK consumers are currently struggling to keep on top of changes in their regular payments, including increases in monthly utilities bills.
Nearly one in five (18%) respondents have defaulted on their regular bills and gone into a debt collection process. While one in five (21%) surveyed have also forgotten about a bill and been charged for going into their overdraft.
The research reveals that consumers want greater control when dealing with their monthly payments, as over half of Brits (51%) say they would welcome more control over how and when they pay their utility bills.
A business opportunity for utility providers
As competition starts to heat up again in the energy market and people search for the best deal, there’s an opportunity for providers to improve the payments experience – to serve their customers in a way that better fits the flow of incomings and outgoings from their account.
An estimated one in five (21%) consumers would switch utilities providers if offered the flexibility to change the amount they pay each month, while 17% would consider switching providers if offered the opportunity to change the date of their bill payments.
Utilities providers who invest in payment methods that offer more control and transparency have the potential to reduce churn, and enjoy greater customer acquisition and retention.
Andrew Boyajian, VP of Product for Payments & CX at Tink comments: “During the colder months, when energy and utility bills typically rise, consumers are under increasing financial strain - meaning growing demand for utilities providers to offer more support with managing their bills. With payment flexibility a particular sticking point, investing in data-driven financial services enables utilities providers to give customers greater control over their payments – which is especially important during difficult economic times.
“Open banking solutions like VRP (Variable Recurring Payments) can help utilities providers offer support to customers struggling to stay on top of monthly outgoings, with features such as agreed maximum payment amounts and automated retries meaning both parties can have more peace of mind and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. More flexible payment methods can also be powered by VRP, for example, an agreement with the utility provider to split bills into multiple payments.”
- ENDS -
Notes to editor
Consumer research was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Tink in September 2023, amongst 2,000 nationally representative UK respondents.
* Tink is an authorised payment institution licensed by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) and UK Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:988456) to provide PIS and AIS in the EEA and UK.
Case studies, comparisons, statistics, research and recommendations are provided “AS IS” and intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for operational, marketing, legal, technical, tax, financial or other advice. Visa Inc. neither makes any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the information within this document, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information. The Information contained herein is not intended as investment or legal advice, and readers are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent professional where such advice is required.
About Tink
Tink is a market-leading payment services and data enrichment platform. Through more than 6,000 connections to banks, Tink provides payments, banking, and lending solutions that power the new world of finance – whether that’s making account-to-account payments, onboarding new users, making better risk decisions or creating engaging money management tools. A wholly owned subsidiary of Visa, Tink was founded in Stockholm in 2012 as a pioneer of open banking.
Today, Tink is present in 19 markets with an enhanced fintech platform that goes beyond its open banking beginnings, to serve many of the world’s largest financial institutions. Tink enables its partners to take processes that are filled with friction and replace them with data-driven experiences that helps eliminate complexity for millions of consumers across the globe. For more information visit tink.com.
Contact details
Linda Winder, PR & Communications Director, press@tink.com, +44 (0)7809 265941