The payments landscape is undergoing a shift that’s reshaping customer expectations across every industry. As someone who’s spent years helping organizations optimize their customer communications, I’m witnessing a fascinating convergence: the gap between what customers expect from their commerce experiences and what they actually receive in regulated communications is widening every day.
The Customer Experience Revolution is Here
Consider this reality from J.P. Morgan’s trends healthcare payments study: 73% of consumers say healthcare isn’t meeting their needs, with more than half attributing this directly to cost-related issues. But what caught my attention is that it’s not just about the money, it’s about the experience. When 75% of consumers want to pay medical bills online but still receive paper checks for refunds 64% of the time, we’re looking at a fundamental disconnect between customer expectations and organizational delivery.
This isn’t just a healthcare problem. It’s a communication problem that spans every regulated industry, from utilities to financial services to insurance. We’re still operating in a world of paper statements and manual processes while our customers live in an increasingly digital reality where 47% pay their recurring bills through automated payments and 62% manage their bills online[1].
The Commerce Standard is the New Baseline
The recent announcement of Google’s agentic checkout feature illustrates where customer expectations are heading. Soon, customers will have the ability to complete purchases directly within search results, which is powered by AI and can even pay autonomously. This is the new standard for frictionless transactions.
Yet in the world of customer communications management (CCM), we’re still celebrating when a bill includes a QR code that leads to a payment portal. The contrast is stark, and it’s unsustainable.
Think about your own behavior. When you receive a statement, whether it’s a utility bill, insurance notice, or medical explanation of benefits, how many clicks does it take to understand what you owe and complete the payment? If the answer is more than three, you’re already behind the curve.
The Regulated Communications Challenge
I understand the complexity here. Unlike eCommerce , our communications operate within strict regulatory frameworks. Compliance, accessibility, and audit trails are fundamental requirements. But compliance shouldn’t come at the expense of customer experience.
Making payments doesn’t mean we’re not taking steps to secure data. Offering save payment details for easy one click payments from future communications, or integrating with Google or Apple wallets for a seamless experience should be the options we should be considering as the basic first step.
Transforming Bills into Actionable Journeys
We need to reimagine how we deliver regulated communications that include payment options, as seamless, actionable customer journeys. Here’s what this transformation looks like:
Intelligent Payment Integration: Every bill or statement should include contextual payment options that understand the customer’s payment history and preferences. If someone typically pays via automated ACH, don’t force them through a web portal that requires re-entering banking information.
Transparent Cost Communication: Before customers receive a bill, they should understand what to expect. Proactive notifications with clear breakdowns eliminate the confusion that leads to consumers being bewildered by their statements.
Multi-channel Consistency: Whether a customer engages via paper, email, mobile app, or even voice assistant, the experience should be coherent and connected. Convenience drives compliance.
AI-Powered Personalization: Just as Google’s AI will soon complete purchases autonomously, our communications should leverage AI to personalize payment journeys, predict customer needs, and proactively resolve issues before they become friction points.
The Competitive Imperative
Organizations that crack this code will gain a significant competitive advantage. The future belongs to organizations that can deliver the simplicity of “click, pay, done” while maintaining the trust and compliance that regulated communications require. CCM needs to evolve to meet the moment.
The technology exists. The customer demand is clear. The only remaining question is: will you lead this transformation or be forced to follow? The world is changing rapidly, and so are customer expectations. If you would like to talk about how to improve the payment experience in your regulated communications, contact us.
[1] JP Morgan, Trends in Healthcare Report
