Leading billing and customer care solutions provider CSG Systems announced that its CSG Care Express product, a solution for cable and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers that enables online customer self-service, is now available as an integrated, full-service retail kiosk solution that allows cable and satellite customers to manage their account, make payments and more through retail kiosks throughout the United States.
CSG Care Express allows consumers to manage their accounts, view and pay bills over the Internet and now, through retail kiosks. The solution provides an automated, alternative means to the traditional manual processes carried out by customer service representatives (CSRs) when taking orders and upgrading services. Care Express offers convenience for the consumer and saves expense for the operator as these customers do not have to contact the call center for routine business such as billing and account inquiries.
To position its cable and satellite customers to capitalize on this growing retail market channel, CSG has partnered with a leading kiosk management hardware supplier to integrate CSG Care Express into a comprehensive retail kiosk solution using distributed web technologies.
The solution will give consumers the ability to access statement summaries, make payments via credit card, debit card, checks, and cash as well as order new services, manage bundles and configure personal preferences and services.
During a trial of the CSG Care Express kiosk solution in two small markets over a four-week period, CSG accepted more than 1,100 payments totaling nearly $100,000 in revenue from cash, electronic funds transfers from bank or credit card accounts, and one-time credit card payments. CSG’s cable and satellite customers accept payments from multiple-thousands of consumers who walk into payment centers each month to pay bills, rather than turning to traditional mail-in methods or electronic methods.
“By enabling consumers to pay bills and manage their accounts through retail kiosks, cable and satellite companies are doing more than just providing convenience for their customers, they are reducing operational costs and improving the customer experience,” said Karl Whitelock, Senior Consulting Analyst for Stratecast Partners, a division of Frost & Sullivan. “This type of solution is essential for helping cable and satellite companies be more responsive to changing market conditions and in improving consumer loyalty through better support of customer needs.”
“Even in this age of digital-everything, the walk-up payment represents a significant revenue stream for our customers. This solution makes the payment process much easier for consumers and less costly for operators,” said Dwayne Ruffin, Senior Vice President of Product Management for CSG Systems. “We now enable communication, account management and bill payment from the field, through the Internet, the settop box, through portable devices, the kiosk and beyond, through intuitive solutions designed to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.”
Customers that purchase the Care Express Retail Kiosk Solution receive physical kiosks designed for customer self-care at retail locations and the ability to customize the kiosk to include corporate branding, signage, as well as a configurable user interface. The kiosk allows consumers to check serviceability, identify available offers, schedule service and receive confirmation through the same real-time interactions offered by call center agents and self-care Web sites. In addition, the kiosk allows cable companies to extend their brand image to new retail locations, allowing them to reach out to consumers and provide care in more venues than ever before.
Today, more than 5 million consumers have registered to manage their accounts, view and pay bills from cable and DBS providers nationwide, powered by CSG Care Express. Across its customer base, CSG and its customers are signing up more than 5,000 new Care Express users each day.
CSG’s Care Express powers self-care solutions for the nation’s leading providers of cable and satellite services including Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Bright House Networks and Mediacom.
About CSG® Care Express
CSG Care Express enables customers of cable services providers and direct broadcast satellite providers (DBS) to perform self-care functions such as viewing, managing and paying bills over the Internet. Care Express works with CSG’s ACP (Advanced Convergent Platform) core billing solution and offers three fully integrated options – an Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) module, an Online Ordering and Customer Service module and a Consolidator module, managed in CSG Systems’ state-of-the-art service bureau facility. Now, CSG offers a new kiosk option, available for retail locations. More than 5 million customers use Care Express on a regular basis to pay bills, manage account information and add or change services without interacting with a call center.
About CSG Systems
Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, CSG Systems International (NASDAQ: CSGS) is the leading provider of outsourced billing, customer care and print and mail solutions and services supporting the North American cable and direct broadcast satellite markets. CSG’s solutions support some of the world’s largest and most innovative providers of bundled multi-channel video, Internet, voice and IP-based services. CSG’s unique combination of solutions, services and expertise ensure that cable and satellite operators can continue to rapidly launch new service offerings, improve operational efficiencies and deliver a high-quality customer experience in a competitive and ever-changing marketplace. For more information, visit our website at www.csgsystems.com.
