Water is one of the basic utilities at home and at the office. There are different ways to monitor water usage. Nowadays, software is used to compute water bills. There are many types of water billing software products available in the market today. Your local municipal corporation will most probably be using one these products. The software automates the whole water and sewer billing process.
You can view your bills online as well as pay them there to. You will receive reminders to pay your water bill. If water billing software provides IVR then you will receive voice reminders. Voice reminders have been shown to be superior to written communication. If there is a voice recognition feature in the water billing software the identity and the transactions of the customers will be secure.
Methods of Measuring Water Usage
A number of parameters determine water pricing. If water rates are to be increased these rates must be approved by the government. One of the specifications is the cost of water and the sewer system. Usually the systems are costly to maintain. As the communities grow, the systems have to be expanded and/or upgraded. Even if communities do not grow, scheduled upgrades and maintenance is necessary.
If the water rates are too low it affects the maintenance of water systems which include implementing water billing software. This will lead to adverse effects in the long run.
The cost of water may have to be hiked during shortages to discourage consumers from using water excessively. Seasons may also influence water rates. When there is enough water available the rates will be less. On the other hand, if there is a shortage of water, water prices will proportionally increase.
Defined Structure
There is also a defined structure which determines water price. There is a water consumption threshold defined for each house hold. If the water consumption is within the threshold the rates are fair.
On the other hand if the water consumption goes beyond the threshold, the price changes drastically and accordingly. This is to encourage water preservation. So you are punished if you waste water. On the contrary, you will derive financial benefits if you limit water use.
Features of Water Billing Software
Current water billing software comes with a number of beneficial features.
One of the major features is customer relationship management principles incorporated into the water billing software. In layman terms, the water utility billing software has access to customer data and preferences. It is able to provide superior customer service to existing customers. Thereby it ensures customer retention and expansion of the existing customer base.
Total Convenience
There are many customer friendly features incorporated. One of them is a simple and intuitive user interface. The water and sewer billing software also sends reminders to the customers warning them of the impending day of payment. Since the software is not dependent on the human operators, the water utility bills can be paid from the comfort of the customer’s home, at any time during the entire year. So you can pay the bill during the holidays or during remote hours of the day.
The software computes the water and sewer bill through an algorithm which is based on different criteria. It is also environment friendly since paper is not used.
Final Note
There is several outstanding water billing software products available in the market. They make the process of paying water bills and sundry services easy, convenient, and fast.