Utility Billing Service

Public utilities are meant to supply essential services, including water, gas, and electricity. All of these services are provided to renters, homeowners, and businesses across the United States. They allow us to have running toilets, fresh water, light in our homes, and a comfortable temperature inside when the weather outside is cold or hot.

Utility billing is a cumbersome process that is typically overseen by a small staff in local municipalities. Utility billers are responsible for preparing and mailing an invoice each month to all residents and building owners in the area for the cost of utilities. This is a very tedious process that typically must be performed over a period of days. In some cases, utility billers may be responsible for hundreds of thousands – or even millions – of utility invoices.

There are generally two busy periods in any billing cycle.  First, when bills are due, it’s usually all-hands-on-deck to lend a hand.  Then, as the due date approaches, the workload picks up again with an influx of paper personal checks and bank checks.  But outside of those two busy periods, the billing staff can frequently coast through their work day.  Even the busy payment processing period is tapering off as many people are making greater use of electronic payments.

The utility billing department is also responsible for managing disputes. Disputes are not unusual, especially with the rise in the cost of gas that has been seen over the past year. People are more likely to question the bills they receive, especially if they vary significantly from what they normally spend each month. This leads to the billing staff devoting time to explaining invoices.

Moving to Managed Municipal Utility Billing Services

What if you could avoid the costs of maintaining an on-site utility billing service and instead turn the process to an outsourced team that specializes in it?

While utility billing services have traditionally been considered to be a government task, they don’t have to be. Instead, you can turn your in-house billing team over to Diversified Technology. We have developed unique, proprietary billing software that can easily perform all of your utility billing services and functions.

What’s more, our team of managed utility billing specialists is trained to handle all types of utility billing. You will no longer need to depend on a team that has a few busy days each month, followed by a long period of time where there isn’t a whole lot to do.

Instead, our team works on multiple accounts that operate on different billing cycles. Thus, they’re always busy and 100% devoted to the utility billing process. We don’t have slack periods, and we know how to run utility billing in a smooth and streamlined manner.

To help ensure that our team meets deadlines and keeps the billing process running effortlessly, we have purchased equipment designed to automatically package invoices in envelopes and seal them appropriately. The entire process takes mere seconds. Instead of a team of employees forced to package every bill individually, a machine handles the folding and sealing of the envelopes. All that’s left to do is drop them off in the mail.

What Are the Advantages of Outsourcing Managed Municipal Utility Billing Services?

There are several advantages to outsourcing managed billing services. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

1. Access to a Skilled Workforce

You won’t need to rely on a few key employees to make the utility billing process run smoothly. Instead, you’ll have access to an entire team of workers whose entire business is ensuring the utility billing process is completed efficiently and on time.

While most utility billing departments have a handful of employees performing the work, an outsourced team can have several dozen. If a key employee leaves, we have others with similar skills and training who can step in and do the job.

2. Quick Deployment

Since we use our proprietary software, there’s not much required to get your utility customers transferred to our system. Once we complete the transfer, we can begin performing your billing processes quickly and easily. This allows for fewer headaches and an effortless procedure.

3. Flexibility

Since you’ll no longer need to rely on a team of a few people to manage the utility billing process, you may choose to reassign your employees to other positions that may be more beneficial to the municipality. This allows them to stay on as employees while learning new tasks. You can also choose how much you want to outsource. You may prefer to keep a few members on board to perform specific parts of the billing process as needed.

4. Access to Proprietary Software

We run billing services using our proprietary software, which is specially designed to manage billing from end to end. You’ll have access to key reports that show monthly revenue and payments collected. If utility billings are overdue, our team will follow up on the accounts to ensure they are collected. If collection efforts fail, we can notify the municipality so they can shut off services until payments are received.

5. Continual Training

We recognize the need for our staff to stay ahead of any changes that occur in the utility billing process. Common changes that occur include updates to technology and changes in the regulatory landscape. Thus, we ensure that our staff’s knowledge is kept up to date through regular training. In addition, we encourage them to pursue educational goals that keep their skills current.

6. Reduced Costs

If you decide to outsource your municipal utility billing, you’ll likely find that you have reduced your monthly outlay for employees. You won’t need to fund high salaries and benefits for your team. You’ll also be able to reduce the amount of office space that you pay for.

7. Maintain Control

Just because you’ll be outsourcing the billing process to a skilled team does not mean you won’t maintain control. You’ll still be able to approve the bills before they are mailed and see how the entire process functions. If you have questions that arise, all you’ll need to do is pick up the phone and speak to one of our trained staff members.

How Much Will Managed Government Utility Billing Services Cost?

The cost of billing services will vary depending on the number of customers serviced and the locality. All interested parties will receive a customized quote after we determine the scope of the services to be provided.

When comparing the cost of managed government billing services to your current in-house team, consider both financial and non-financial factors. Some of these may include:

• Cost of current employee team, including benefits packages
• Amount of work performed during a regular month
• Duties the team is responsible for handling
• Whether the team’s skills are transferable to other areas
• Savings on office space and equipment

Managed billing services may not be a fit for every municipality, but for those where the process is still manual and time consuming, it can be highly beneficial.

Are Managed Billing Services Available Across the Country?

Yes, managed public sector billing services are available across the United States. Diversified Technology is based in Central Pennsylvania but has over 350 clients around the country. We are considered utility billing experts, and our proprietary software has been used to generate over 7 million utility bills annually.

What’s more, our software is configured for each customer. While many businesses have moved to generic cloud accounting solutions, our software is specifically designed to meet each municipality’s needs. We know that every customer has their own requirements that won’t match with every other customer’s. Thus, we tailor our solutions to ensure they align with the expectations of our clients.

Will I Have Access to the Software Used to Bill the Utility Customers?

Yes, you will retain oversight of the billing process, even though it will be outsourced. You’ll still approve bills before they are sent to your clients. You’ll also have complete access to a customized dashboard that will allow you to keep a finger on the pulse of your outsourced billing operation.  You will be able to see the status each and every task in the billing cycle.  Is it completed?  In process?  Yet to be started?  Overdue?

You’ll also have access to important reports that give you key insights into your monthly revenues and billings. This can help municipalities to make adjustments to the billing process when they see the potential for greater value. Our software is one of the key features of the managed services, and we want you to fully understand its capabilities.

How Do I Get Started with Diversified Technology?

If you’re interested in seeing how Diversified Technology’s Managed Utility Billing Services can benefit your municipality, reach out to us for a free demo of our solutions. One of our trained consultants will work with you to understand the current scope of your public sector billing services, how they are performed, and the number of current customers that you have. We provide billing services for many utilities, including gas, electricity, water, and sewer. Our services are completely tailored to fit your municipality’s requirements. There are no out-of-the-box solutions with Diversified Technology!