HomeMy WebLinkAboutF-1. Report on Utility Payment Methods used by Customers C C?5-ent ct 1#7/I01
F-1
AZUSA
LIGHT R WATFR
INFORMATION ITEM
TO: HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE AZUSA UTILITY
BOARD
FROM: GEORGE F. MORROW, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
DATE: OCTOBER 27,2014
SUBJECT: REPORT ON UTILITY PAYMENT METHODS USED BY CUSTOMERS
At its September Utility Board, a request was made to provide the Board with a report on
payment methods used by utility customers.
Currently, Azusa Light & Water provides various options for customers to make utility
payments. Below summarizes each payment method:
1. Mail payments to Lockbox service provider. ALW contracts with RT Lawrence(RTL)to
process mail-in payments. RTL has equipment to efficiently process checks, correlate
payments to account nos.,make deposits, and provide ALW with payment files which are
uploaded to our billing system to update account records with payment status. Payments
made using this method account for about 36%of all amounts received.
2. Payments walked into our office by customers. A substantial amount of payments are
made in our lobby in the form of cash and checks. These account for about 22% of all
payment amounts received.
3. Mail payments to ALW. Although ALW has a Lockbox service provider, many
customers continue to mail in payments to our office at 729 N. Azusa Ave. These
account for about 19% of all payment amounts received, and are typically larger in dollar
amounts as they primarily come from commercial customers.
4. Internet ACH Payments. InfoSend is one of our electronic payment vendors, and has set
up a payment gateway on our website that allows customers to sign up for electronic
payments using a checking account. InfoSend processes both recurring payments and one
time payments using a checking account no. input by customers.These payments account
for about 8% of all payment amounts received by ALW.
5. Wells Fargo Ebox. Customers may initiate electronic payments through their own bank
online and a majority of these payments are received electronically by ALW through a
Wells Fargo clearing house service called Ebox. Payments received through Ebox
account for about 7% of all payment amounts received. If the bank is incapable of
UB-112
Utility Payment Methods Report
October 27,2014
Page 2
sending the payment electronically then a physical check will be sent and processed with
the daily mail or through RTL.
6. Credit Card Payments. Business entities are allowed to only have one credit card
processor. ALW uses Paymentus to process credit card transactions. Paymentus provides
this service online via our website, and by telephone. Credit card payments account for
about 3% of all payment amounts received.
7. After hours Drop Off. ALW maintains two drop boxes outside of our building at 729 N.
Azusa Ave. These Drops are used by customers to drop payments off after business
hours. About 2%of payment amounts are received from Drops.
8. Other Payment Methods. Some customers, i.e. those placed on cash only basis due to
credit issues, sometimes use money orders to make payments. These are usually walked
into our office. There is also one offsite payment location at Azusa Wireless at 630 E.
Foothill Blvd. This location has seen very little usage but accepts cash and credit card
payments which are processed by Paymentus. Low income assistance payments are
another payment method used by qualifying customers that apply for HEAP benefits.
These other payment methods account for the remaining 3% of payment amounts
received.
Attached are a couple of reports that display payment method details, one for fiscal year 2013-
14, and one for month of September 2014.
Staff is currently reviewing payment method arrangements and considering introducing certain
changes. One change would be to take credit card and debit card payments at the Cashier counter
in our lobby, and to consider a Kiosk in our Lobby. These options are being explored with
Paymentus and other partners of Systems& Software, our billing system vendor.
Ideally, electronic payments should be integrated with our billing system to provide a seamless
and instantaneous update of the payment record for each service account. This is particularly
important when the billing system is producing shut off lists. Many customers wait until last
minute to make their payments, and we are delayed in being notified in some cases about certain
electronic payments because the payment systems are not integrated with our billing system;
rather files have to be manually uploaded the next day to update customer records.
Staff received a proposal from Systems & Software on an integrated solution, and we expect to
bring a proposal to the Utility Board at an upcoming meeting regarding this subject. This matter
is timely as both the InfoSend and Paymentus contracts end in early 2015. The changes being
sought would provide for credit card and debit card processing in our lobby and include a Kiosk
option for those standing in line.
Prepared by: Cary Kalscheuer,Assistant Director- Customer Care& Solutions
Attachments:
1. FY 2013-14 Payment Methods Report
2. September 2014 Payment Methods Monthly Report
UB-113
Fiscal Year 13-14 Payment Amounts
Month Cash Checks M.O. Mail ACH Lockbox HEAP Drop Ebox Paymentus Infos end MfosendAP Total
Jul-13 $536,835.48 $889,401.50 $11,218.85 $780,837.45 $212,330.78 $2,326,481.93 $8,237.00 $131,770.42 $442,987.65 $146,206.25 $271,380.92 $168,759.82 $5,926,448.05
Aug-13 $510,048.45 $765,073.30 $10,804.34 $2,684,987.34 $185,186.15 $2,332,850.38 $4,223.00 $121,941.13 $483,895.11 $166,119.06 $331,938.34 $191,093.26 $7,788,159.86
Sep-13 $546,339.62 $745,841.98 $13,188.89 $1,015,775.79 $195,611.61 $2,247,693.42 $16,050.00 $123,488.86 $464,588.02 $169,366.86 $318,619.66 $172,404.00 $6,028,968.71
Oct-13 $684,805.47 $1,064,282.64 $15,655.03 $947,299.98 $242,001.24 $2,572,366.00 $13,842.00 $160,853.57 $551,777.08 $232,347.91 $424,261.08 $254,565.91 $7,164,057.91
Nov-13 $494,982.34 $618,181.03 $13,885.28 $948,249.54 $165,110.60 $2,115,609.44 $6,385.00 $112,250.25 $409,505.90 $189,309.73 $323,074.18 $165,442.35 $5,561,985.64
Dec-13 $499,240.54 $671,322.86 $12,441.54 $1,022,261.64 $181,138.22 $1,781,511.28 $11,131.00 $108,167.04 $403,747.68 $149,121.90 $283,391.56 $165,636.90 $5,289,112.16
Jan-14 $443,169.95 $494,502.49 $15,017.12 $557,395.92 $130,876.39 $1,758,375.37 $7,020.00 $93,960.64 $363,540.06 $145,656.50 $289,482.54 $148,053.75 $4,447.050.73
Feb-14 $450,561.32 $707,319.25 $19,151.17 $792,720.80 $159,682.62 $1,929,544.05 $6,847.00 $110,444.68 $367,503.60 $137,539.67 $274,721.02 $187,354.81 $5,123,389.99
Mar-14 $444,109.39 $625,964.18 $9,720.92 $921,639.69 $161,387.84 $1,773,936.13 $5,419.00 $92.781.69 $383,237.41 $133,413.65 $313,680.18 $170,382.50 $5,035.672.58
Apr-14 $449,845.27 $874,110.92 $53,828.09 $643,512.91 $92,954.88 $1,633,456.14 $1,604.00 $91,874.75 $363,830.15 $126,776.40 $272,030.08 $170,759.24 $4,774,582.83
May-14 $398,597.00 $467,365.93 $11,192.89 $854,354.62 $140,928.43 $1,760,293.04 $2,063.00 $100,562.42 $376,067.61 $120,376.33 $301,651.18 $173,200.36 $4,706,652.81
Jun-14 $445,172.75 $762,957.11 $17,079.71 $1,933,701.46 $198,523.68 $2,089,533.96 $2,808.00 $111,139.43 $437,714.04 $129,426.91 $323,260.72 $207,528.32 $6,658,846.09
Total $5,903,707.58 $8,686,323.19 $203,183.83 $13,102,737.14 $2,065,732.44 $24,321,651.14 $85,629.00 $1,359,234.88 $5,048,394.31 $1,845,661.17 $3,727,491.46 $2,155,181.22 $68,504,927.36
Total Payment Type Comparison by type Total Deposit —Total
Comparison by Month
$x,000,000.00 -I—
Cash, $7,000,000.00 — — — --
$5,903,707.5' •' M.O.,$203,183.83,
InfosendAP, 0% $6,000,000.00 •, — -- ------
$2,155,181.22,3% $5,000,000.00 - -- —
Infosend $4,000,000.00 , , , , , , , , r , ,
m m m m m m v Tr a v v v
$3,72'7,491.46, �491.46 5% . .- -I �. . '-I cl `-I a,71 .-4 71
4. b0 O. 1,�-' > U ro 1, C- ,- >. C
Paymentus, < U' O z o -, L.L. Co a co
$1,845,661.17,3% -- —
Ebox,
$5,048,394.31,7%
Drop,
ACH,
$1,359,234.88,2%
$2,065,732.44,3%
HEAP,$85,629.00,
0%
Fiscal Year 13-14 Payment Counts
Months Cash Checks M.O. Mail ACH Lockbox HEAP Drop Ebox Paymentus Infosend InfosendAP Total
Jul-13 0 2479 105 301 1005 7058 29 942 3208 1152 2344 1231 19854
Aug-13 0 2225 93 369 792 6220 14 735 3070 1184 2422 1151 18275
Sep-13 0 2259 99 243 848 6312 52 752 2912 1132 2404 1151 18164
Oct-13 0 2765 117 306 997 6894 44 934 3338 1434 2797 1458 21084
Nov-13 0 2051 106 379 723 6638 22 789 3048 1257 2722 1156 18891
Dec-13 0 2489 99 194 1017 6911 34 869 3511 1208 2637 1426 20395
Jan-14 0 2175 115 386 761 6449 24 720 3044 1204 2766 1223 18867
Feb-14 0 2112 108 403 856 6278 21 779 3025 1197 2684 1311 18774
Mar-14 0 2359 94 434 1034 7046 18 795 3535 1179 3213 1494 21201
Apr-14 0 2607 109 895 533 6267 5 780 3313 1176 2911 1562 20158
May-14 0 2069 80 554 807 6541 7 755 3224 1084 2942 1369 19432
Jun-14 0 2170 77 696 902 6140 9 821 3277 1074 2734 1472 19372
Total 0 27760 1202 5160 10275 78754 279 9671 38505 14281 32576 16004 234467
(771
1
MI
11
AZUSA LIGHT AND WATER
Method of Payment Reports
September 2014
SEPT 2014 PAYMENT COUNT
Date Cash Checks M.O. Mail ACH Lockbox HEAP Drop Ebox Paymentus Infosend Infosend AP Grand Total
Sep 01,14,Mon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 02,14,Tue 0 154 3 59 170 304 0 21 190 25 124 214 1264
Sep 03,14,Wed 0 241 6 36 39 427 0 184 381 77 138 62 1591
Sep 04,14,Thu 0 133 7 33 0 275 0 40 183 66 121 96 954
Sep 05,14,Fri 0 0 0 0 0 193 0 0 160 43 109 1 506
Sep 06,14,Sat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 07,14,Sun 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 08,14,Mon 0 130 5 0 109 241 0 26 150 89 294 90 1134
Sep09,14,Tue 0 162 4 168 45 355 0 147 215 92 110 127 1425
Sep 10,14,Wed 0 124 4 3 87 240 0 24 130 66 128 92 898
Sep 11,14,Thu 0 100 3 50 0 228 4 27 128 66 144 116 866
Sep 12,14,Fri 0 0 0 0 0 447 0 0 162 59 106 1 775
Sep 13,14,Sat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 14,14,Sun 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 15,14,Mon 0 141 0 1 274 320 0 32 129 96 350 391 1734
Sep 16,14,Tue 0 125 3 71 0 440 0 139 196 72 111 66 1223
Sep 17,14,Wed 0 82 3 0 0 481 0 17 94 22 96 0 795
Sep 18,14,Thu 0 72 2 18 0 395 4 12 81 45 85 0 714
Sep 19,14,Fri 0 0 0 0 0 172 0 0 113 47 93 1 426
Sep 20,14,Set 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 21,14,Sun 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 22,14,Mon 0 116 4 0 0 331 0 20 152 58 203 1 885
Sep 23,14,Tue 0 147 7 8 67 327 0 104 208 79 88 2 1037
Sep 24,14,Wed 0 131 4 82 53 283 0 21 119 74 88 97 952
Sep 25,14,Thu 0 104 1 10 0 260 0 16 97 48 75 91 702
Sep 26,14,Fri 0 0 0 0 0 244 0 0 140 53 91 1 529
Sep 27,14,Sat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 28,14,Sun 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
29,14,Mon 0 120 0 33 113 235 5 30 136 97 262 82 1113
0030,14,Tue 0 202 5 0 92 176 0 144 229 65 116 100 1129
1
FLYI 0 2284 61 572 1049 8374 13 1004 3393 1339 2932 1631 20652
CT