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2021 Annual Report

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Data Guide

You can utilize the filter options available in each chart to view the consumer survey data in a variety of ways. Many charts will provide side-by-side comparison tools so that you can compare one set of data on the left with another set of data on the right. While the filters may vary by chart depending on the data available, here are the different filters you may be able to apply:

  • Age Group: View the data specific to four key generations of respondents aged between 18 and 80. The data accounts for the specific age ranges of each generation as they vary across each Time Period.
    • Gen Z – Respondents aged 18-24 in 2021 (dating back to consumers aged 18-21 in 2018). This age range only reflects a partial segment of Gen Z-aged consumers.
    • Millennials – Respondents aged 25-40 in 2021 (dating back to 22-37 in 2018).
    • Gen X – Respondents aged 41-56 in 2021 (dating back to 38-53 in 2018).
    • Boomers+ - Respondents aged 57-80 in 2021 (dating back to 54-80 in 2018). This age range reflects the full Baby Boomer generation and a smaller portion of the Silent Generation.
  • Time Period: View the data specific to different timeframes when the data is available.
    • 1H = first half of the year
    • 2H = second half of the year
  • Industry: View data on consumers who have indicated they pay at least one bill relevant to the industry selected. For example, if you select "Utilities," you will see data related to consumers that have paid a bill in this category for the selected time period.

Data at Your Fingertips

As a premier authority in the billing and payments industry, ACI prides itself on keeping a pulse on the evolving needs of consumers, as well as the trends impacting the industry.

This interactive tool is designed to let you quickly view the billing and payment preferences of thousands of consumers over several years.

While exploring this site, you can interact with statistics and charts to see how the data changes based on your specific interests. Be sure to click on our Data Guide for more information and navigational assistance.

Monthly Billing 101

To begin, let’s explore the number of bills paid per month, as well as the bills consumers perceive as most important.

Total number of monthly bills per person

Question: How many bills have you personally paid on a monthly basis over the past 12 months?

Share of total bills per industry

Question: Please select all of the bills for which you personally have submitted monthly payments over the past 12 months.*

*Subscriptions and Higher Education began to be measured in 2020.

Most important bill

Question: If you could only pay one of these bills next month, which would you choose to pay?

Payment Channels

Next we’ll examine trends in payment “channels,” or the different ways a payment can be delivered or received.

Total number of channels used per person

Question: How many payment channels do you typically use to pay your monthly bills?

(Biller’s Website, Biller’s Mobile App, Phone via CSR, Phone via IVR, Mobile Wallet, Mail, In person at the Biller’s Office / Location, Bank’s Website, Bank’s Mobile App, In person at a Bank Branch, Third-Party Website, In person at a Third-Party Payment Provider, Virtual Voice Assistant, Text Message)

Percentage of consumers who use each channel

Question: Within the last 12 months, which of the following payment channels have you used to pay for each of your monthly bills?*

*Virtual Voice Assistant began to be measured in 1H 2020 while Text Message began to be measured in 2H 2020.

Preferred channel for one-time bill payments

Question: What is your preferred channel for making one-time bill payments?*

*Virtual Voice Assistant began to be measured in 1H 2020 while Text Message began to be measured in 2H 2020.
**Subscriptions and Higher Education began to be measured in 2020.

Preferred channel group for one-time bill payments

Question: What is your preferred channel for making one-time bill payments?*

*Prior to 2020, “Mobile/Smart Devices” was referred to as “Mobile Payments” because Virtual Voice Assistant only began to be measured in 1H 2020.
**Subscriptions and Higher Education began to be measured in 2020.

Preferred channel for setting up recurring bill payments

Question: What is/would be your preferred channel for setting up recurring bill payments?

Payment Methods

Now, we’ll take a look at trends in payment “methods,” or the forms of money or currency that can be used to pay bills.

Total number of methods used per person

Question: How many payment methods do you typically use to pay your monthly bills?

(Credit Card, Debit Card, Checking Account Deduction, Traditional Paper Check, Cash, Savings Account Deduction, Payroll Deduction, Money Order, Prepaid Card)

Percentage of consumers who use each method

Question: Within the last 12 months, which of the following payment methods have you used to pay for each of your monthly bills?

Preferred method for one-time bill payment

Question: What is your preferred method for making one-time bill payments?

*Subscriptions and Higher Education began to be measured in 2020.

Preferred method for recurring bill payment

Question: What is your preferred method for making recurring bill payments?

*Subscriptions and Higher Education began to be measured in 2020.

Billing Statements and Notifications

Let’s explore trends in how consumers prefer to receive their billing statements and notifications when a bill is due.

Preferred billing statement method

Question: How do you prefer to receive your billing statements?

*Subscriptions and Higher Education began to be measured in 2020.

Preferred billing notification method

Question: In general, which of the following do you prefer most when it comes to receiving your bill notifications/reminders?

*Subscriptions and Higher Education began to be measured in 2020.

COVID-Related Payment Trends

Let’s explore trends in how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted consumer payments.

Missed payments due to COVID-19

Question: Has the COVID-19 pandemic led you to miss any of your bill payments?

Learn more about how the Delay My Payment feature of ACI’s moBills solution helps consumers who may be experiencing financial difficulties due to COVID.

Learn More

Use of digital channels to pay bills during vs. before pandemic

Question: How would you characterize your use of digital channels (website, mobile apps, etc.) to pay bills during the pandemic as compared to before?

Digital channels used more frequently during pandemic

Question: Which digital channels have you been using more frequently to pay bills during the pandemic?

Currently have past due bills due to COVID

Question: Do you currently have monthly bills that are past due because of your financial situation during COVID?

Time to catch up on COVID-related late bills

Question: How long do you think it will take you to catch up on COVID-related late bills?

Last-Minute Payment Trends

Let’s now look at trends in how consumers prefer to make urgent payments when necessary.

Reasons for late bill payment

Question: When you pay a bill late, which of the following best represents the most frequent reason?

Last-minute payments made over past 12 months

Question: Over the past 12 months, have you had to make an “urgent” or same-day payment?

Preferred channel used for last-minute payments

Question: Assume you had to make an “urgent” or same-day payment tomorrow. Which channel would you prefer to use?*

*Virtual Voice Assistant began to be measured in 1H 2020 while Text Message began to be measured in 2H 2020.

Preferred method used for last-minute payments

Question: Assume you had to make an “urgent” or same-day payment tomorrow. Which method would you prefer to use?

Mobile Wallet Trends

Now we’ll explore trends related to the rise in popularity of mobile wallets for bill payment.

Use of mobile wallet payment methods

Question: Do you currently use mobile wallet payment methods to make any sort of payment?

Learn more about how the ACI moBills solution helps meet the needs of today’s mobile-savvy consumers who seek to pay their bills quickly and conveniently.

Learn More

Frequency of mobile wallet payments

Question: How frequently do you use mobile wallet payment methods to make a payment?

Ever paid a bill through a mobile wallet

Question: Have you ever paid a bill through a mobile wallet? (When we say “a bill,” we are referring to your monthly bills that we have previously asked about.)

Would consider use of mobile wallet

Question: Whether or not you currently use a mobile wallet to pay bills, would you consider doing so in the future?

Source: ACI Worldwide, ACI Speedpay Pulse, 2021.
https://go.aciworldwide.com/aci-speedpay-pulse.html

ACI Speedpay Pulse Methodology

The ACI Speedpay Pulse is a longitudinal consumer billing and payment trends research study conducted by Brownstein Group in partnership with ACI Worldwide.

Each ACI Speedpay Pulse data set includes responses from a survey of at least 3,000 unique respondents (no repeat participation within a one-year period). Each survey sample is U.S. Census-balanced among adults age 18 and older who are responsible for submitting payments for at least two of their household’s monthly bills. Survey margin of error is less than 1.8 percent for questions answered by the entire sample. Questions with a smaller base will have a higher margin of error. If presented, stat testing is at the 95 percent confidence level.

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About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide is a global software company that provides mission-critical real-time payment solutions to corporations. Customers use our proven, scalable and secure solutions to process and manage digital payments, enable omni-commerce payments, present and process bill payments, and manage fraud and risk. We combine our global footprint with local presence to drive the real-time digital transformation of payments and commerce. 

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