BPAY Payments Q&A's for Billers
Who uses BPAY?
BPAY is Australia’s most widely used bill payment service which enables bill payers to transfer funds electronically from their bank accounts to billers. It is offered as a payment channel by over 170 financial institutions through their phone and Internet banking services.
Since BPAY’s launch in 1997 electronic bill payment in Australia has grown at a phenomenal rate. BPAY can be used to pay over 15,000 different bills Australia wide and each month BPAY processes over 18 million individual payments.
Over the last couple of years there has been a substantial increase in the number of people who have access to internet banking which has resulted in a large increase in the number of people using BPAY. Now 70% of the Australian bill paying population use BPAY* with 79% of BPAY payments being made via the internet.
*source: TNS Research Nov 2007
What are the benefits of offering BPAY as a payment method to my customers?
By offering BPAY, billers can improve cash flow, decrease costs and reduce administration time.
Cleared funds are deposited directly into your account each banking business day. Account reconciliation is made easy with a payment information file detailing all payments received.
BPAY is also quick and easy for your customers. It allows your customers to pay a wide range of bills with just one phone call or the touch of a computer key, seven days a week, day or night, within the security of their banking environment.
BPAY offers an efficient and user-friendly solution to payment collection that provides significant cost and time benefits for billers and consumers.
Can I set value limits for our BPAY Payments?
Yes, at a minimum you need to set upper and lower value limits for each biller code. You can also set value limit amounts for different payments methods. Details of the operational scheme requirements are included in the Biller Operations manual or speak to your financial institution.
Do I have to offer all payment methods if I offer BPAY to my customers?
No, you have the choice of which payment methods you offer your consumers through BPAY, these include debit account (saving or cheque accounts), Visa, Mastercard or other credit card accounts.
Who do I contact if I am experiencing any issues with BPAY?
If you experience any issues with BPAY please contact your financial institution immediately.
Am I required to promote BPAY as a payment option and what promotional material is available for me?
All you are required to do is clearly display the BPAY logo, your biller code, the Customer Reference Number and payment information on your bills or invoices. The BPAY logo and guidelines for use are available for downloading here.
However, we recommend additional promotion to fully explain the benefits of BPAY to your customers.
Marketing material and information about formats and logos can be found on the Marketing Support Page. Alternately contact your financial institution or the BPAY marketing department on (02) 8252 0500.
How does BPAY work?
Using BPAY for payment collection is simple:
- You send your customer an invoice or bill displaying a BPAY logo, your unique BPAY Biller Code and their Customer Reference Number (CRN).
- Your customer logs into their Internet banking site or dials their phone banking number and follows the prompts to make a BPAY payment.
- Your customer will be asked to provide your Biller Code, their Customer Reference Number and the amount they wish to pay.
- The customer’s financial institution validates the payment and gives the customer a receipt number.
- Your customer’s payment details are forwarded to your financial institution via BPAY.
- Your financial institution forwards a payment information file to you and deposits cleared funds into your bank account.
How do I become a BPAY Biller?
Participating financial institutions can explain how easy it is to become a BPAY biller. Simply call or email your preferred bank, building society or credit union.
Please note that not all financial institutions offer this service to billers. To find a financial institution that does, click here.
What does BPAY cost?
You'll need to contact your financial institution for more information on how much BPAY costs. To find contact details click here.
Am I required to reference BPAY on an Electronic bill?
Yes, electronic bills must include a payment methods section with a reference to BPAY. This section must include the BPAY logo.
Where can I obtain advice on implementing a check digit routine on my customer reference number?
Contact your financial institution who can assist with the implementation of check digit routines.
Can BPAY assist in achieving business objectives around environmental savings?
BPAY is an enabler for better environmental outcomes - for both Australian consumers and corporations.
By offering your customer the BPAY payment option, not only do they save paper by not writing a cheque or using an envelope, but a phone or Internet payment system eliminates the need to transport the cheque from their mailbox to yours, saving energy and reducing pollution.
However, the real environmental savings arise when companies offer their customers BPAY View.
- 50 tonnes of paper (1,045 trees)
- 1.35 million litres of water (21 large domestic swimming pools),
-
Reduced green house gas emissions by 80 tonnes (equivalent to 17 homes for one year)
Link to Paper Saver Calculator
Can BPAY help achieve our corporate environmental objectives?
BPAY is an enabler for better environmental outcomes – for both Australian consumers and corporations.
By offering your customer the BPAY payment option, not only do they save paper by not writing a cheque or using an envelope, but a phone or Internet payment eliminates the need to transport the cheque from their mailbox to yours, saving energy and reducing pollution.
