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As part of my daily routine, I skim through news stories and blogs to stay up to date on relevant alternative payment related information. Today, an article caught my attention so much that I wanted to share with our readers. The topic is cart abandonment which is a major problem for all online merchants.
What can you do about? Well, the #1 recommendation in the article by Marketing Experiments suggests retailers should offer more alternative payment methods (APM). In order for APMs to be effective, however they need to be promoted within the shopping cart as well as on your homepage and product pages. It’s important to let visitors know that there are “no credit card required” payment options available on your site, and let them know as soon as they land on your website. 
Why? Well, speaking from personal experience when the merchant provides easy usability, greater convenience and more choices, buying becomes more appealing. It’s not just me, though. Statistics indicate APMs also appeal to new customer segments like non-credit card holders, and benefit both online consumers and the retailers that cater to them.
Not sure how to find the right APM? We did some homework and you can read about it here.
ILD Telecommumications has identified the need to streamline the company’s call center function with an emphasis on customer care, operational effectiveness, and cost efficiency. To oversee these efforts, Bill Hardy has been tasked as the Director of Call Center Operations. Hardy will be responsible for Call Center functions for ILD’s three divisions: ILD Teleservices, RollCall Business Conferencing and Intellicall Operator Services.
Hardy has more than 20 years professional experience with expertise in strategic and tactical management, technology, business process, and call center operations. You can read more about Hardy at LinkedIn.com.
Read the Press Release here.
ILD Teleservices is reaching out to merchants and consumers online. We’re here to answer your questions, so stop by our Facebook fan page Facebook. Here you’ll find information about ILD Teleservices alternative payment methods, how ILD can help merchants and consumers with its Bill to Phone payment option, special offers for different online destinations where you can use ILD’s Bill to Phone service and how to contact us.
You can visit our page and become a fan at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Ponte-Vedra-Beach-FL/ILD-Teleservices/134919852468?ref=ts
At ILD, we recognize that the way people connect online has changed and ILD is making every effort to keep up with the trends and offer new ways to connect with our sales, marketing and customer service teams. In the effort to extend our accessibility to customers and merchants, we are online, from LinkedIn to Twitter, Facebook to Flickr. Whether someone has ILD Teleservices charges on their phone bill or a business is looking to create lift with an Alternative Payment Method (APM), we’re here to help!
This series of blog posts will cover some of the new ways consumers and merchants can find APM information and connect with ILD Teleservices.
For more information on how to reach ILD Teleservices customer service department regarding ILD Teleservices charges watch the presentation posted to Slideshare here.
To learn more about ILD Teleservices APM and our merchant services, click on the Slideshare presentation here.
ILD Teleservices Customer Service Deck
For many online merchants, it is difficult to pick an Alternative Payment Method (APM). There are payment platforms like PayPal which is very popular amongst merchants but not a popular option to the consumer, because not everyone has a credit card or checking account option. Alternative payment options are on the rise with the credit crisis and economic downturn hampering the average American’s budget. Adding an APM to the checkout process allows merchants to reach a bigger market and ultimately grow their business in a down economy.
ILD Teleservices offers a Bill to Phone payment option for merchants conducting business online. Additionally, the company operates as a back office backoffice resource for ecommerce providers and digital merchants. ILD operates US based call centers and support to handle any backoffice problems a merchant might have.
Visit our site to learn more about how ILD Teleservices can help you grow your online business.
- Security: Through ILD Teleservices’ Bill to Phone payment method consumers will not be asked to give up more than their name and home phone number. A JupiterResearch Study on Alternative Payment Options revealed that 37% of consumers preferred using the APM because they did not have to enter any credit card information.
- Reach: A Survey performed by TrialPay found that 75% of online shoppers use or have used an Alternative Payment Method. This statistic plus the 23% of US households that do not have a credit card, results in a significant number of online users looking for alternate ways to buy products online.
- Checkout Completion: TrialPay’s survey also found that 59% of online shoppers were more likely to buy a product online if there is an APM offered. Consumers are being held back because Merchants aren’t giving them enough payment options.
- Convenience: In both studies mentioned above consumers liked the Alternative Payments because they did not need their wallet or to remember the numbers from a credit card. Another reason consumers like to use APMs are because they save time.
- Demand: In that same Javelin Study, they found that APMs will make up 30% of all online transactions by 2012. It also stated that Debit or Credit card purchases will drop to around 44% of total online purchases.
Clearly, APMs have gained significant traction over the last couple of years, and we anticipate that momentum will continue, especially as it relates to Bill to Phone services, and other non traditional “no credit card required” payments. If you wish to learn more about ILD Teleservices’ Bill to Phone APM, contact us through our website or call ILD Toll Free (888) 453-2666.
David Lopez is a Supervisor at the ILD Teleservices Call Center located in San Antonio, Texas. He began with ILD in August of 1998 as an Operator in our Operator Services Department and has gone through several promotions such as Floor Operations Coordinator, Quality Analyst and Trainer. Now David Lopez is the most senior Supervisor within the ILD Teleservices Call Center supervisor team. His duties include daily feedback and assistance to a team of Customer Service Representatives. He also assists in the resolution of escalated consumer complaints, advises upper management of potential issues that may affect the Call Center and is involved in promoting a positive, professional and supportive working atmosphere for all the employees in the call center. David’s expertise in the LEC billing business and in the working relationships with ILD’s merchants is invaluable and key to the Call Center’s success. David’s attitude, professionalism and work ethic are an asset that the Call Center employee’s benefit from on a daily basis which is why he was chosen for the employee spotlight this month!
- What do you like most about your job and working for ILD? The people that I work with and the everyday challenges
- What do you find most challenging? Keeping everyone happy
- Places you’ve lived? Floresville, Texas
- How many siblings do you have? Two older brothers and one older sister
- Do you have any pets? Yes, a Chihuahua named Diego and a Rottweiler named Manu
- Do you play an instrument or sing? Don’t play an instrument and only sing in my car and shower
- Favorite song? Too many to list
- Favorite movie? Gladiator
- Hobbies: Fishing, camping and hanging out with the family
- Favorite vacation spot? Cozumel
- What did you want to be when you grew up? A Firefighter
- Favorite time of the year and why? Summer, family cook-outs, fishing and spending time out by the ocean
- Favorite sweet treat? Twix
- Favorite childhood meal? Fried Chicken
- Favorite childhood/past time memory? When I went to visit my brother who was in the Marines and was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego California and then went to Disneyland
- Favorite thing to do on the weekend? Watch movies and fishing
Mike Lewis, CEO of ILD Telecommunications and founder of OfficeArrow joins Fred Lloyd, SVP of Strategic Planning for RollCall Business Conferencing in the impressive lineup of guest speakers at LIFT: The B2B Social Commerce Summit.
As Founder of OfficeArrow, Mike will kick off the conference with a focus on monetizing online communities. Fred will participate on a panel that addresses the real world social media advertising and the results RollCall has experienced.
Scheduled for September 15 & 16, 2009 the 2-day conference will focus on online marketing strategies presented by business, marketing and advertising professionals. They will share their experiences in today’s constantly evolving Social Commerce atmosphere and present results of the newest research targeted specifically at online marketing.
“We’ve made significant strides in this area recently, and feel strongly that social media is critical to one’s business,” said Mike Lewis.
Mike Lewis founded OfficeArrow, which has grown to be the internet’s largest and fasting growing online community of Office and Business Professionals. As the CEO of ILD, he has recognized the importance social media has on our collective businesses in the APM (alternative payment methods) sector and conferencing. The success of OfficeArrow has shown the value and power of collaboration as Business Professionals and Owners share information and come together in a unique virtual meeting space created just for them. Mike Lewis will be sharing insight and lessons learned as well as participating as a panelist on Q&A sessions during the conference.
BOKU - Pay by Mobile
Alternative payment methods (APM) seem to be taking off these days. In addition to ILD’s recently announced growth of its pay by phone service, it looks like BOKU is experiencing much of the same on the mobile side. As trends continue to show that online credit card transactions are decreasing and the growth that gaming companies are experiencing, alternate payment options are increasing in demand. Social networks and gaming sites have now become a world-wide phenomenon and offering a convenient form of payment without asking for a credit card creates simplicity and ease for the user.
BOKU allows merchants that sell digital goods, have the consumer pay by adding the charges to their cell phone bill (the same service ILD provides for home phone bills). Once you enter your phone number BOKU sends a text to the phone to acknowledge and accept the charge. It’s much easier to enter your phone number than getting your credit card, entering the whole number, the security code, address, etc. Also, for a small transaction of less than $10 in many cases for games, it’s just easier to add that charge to your phone bill, rather than your credit card. Here’s the recent BOKU announcement: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Boku-1038160.html. View how BOKU works here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mayQZvbTLUw&feature=PlayList&p=2514267C311EB75A&index=0
For more information on ILD Teleservices simple bill to phone payment option for merchants, contact us at www.ildteleservices.com.
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