More ways to pay = faster revenue: why councils need more flexible payment options

Collecting rates shouldn’t feel like chasing your tail. But when residents have limited ways to pay—or clunky processes to follow—payments get delayed, staff get stretched, and everybody feels the friction.

The good news? Organisations can solve this without a full system overhaul. Flexible, secure payments are now within reach—and they’re proven to speed up revenue collection.

When people get choice, they pay faster
It’s a simple behavioural truth: when people can pay in the way that suits them, they’re more likely to act promptly. Whether that’s a tap-and-go card, a PayID transfer, BPAY, or setting up auto-pay—it’s all about meeting people where they are.

Data shows digital bills are paid up to two weeks earlier than paper notices. Combine that with easy payment options, and you’ve got a recipe for timely, predictable revenue.

The real cost of missed or late payments
Late payments aren’t just inconvenient—they’re costly. Chasing overdue accounts eats up admin time, adds to call centre queues, and slows cash flow. Traditional notices with manual reference numbers invite errors, delays, or worse—getting tossed in the “deal with it later” pile.

Flexible Payments eliminates these frictions with:

• Click-to-pay links (pre-filled amounts and reference numbers)
• Auto-reminders
• Scheduled payments and instalment options
• Instant retry when payments fail

All of this reduces late payments and reduces workload for your teams.

Keep your branding. Keep your gateway. Keep it simple.
You don’t have to rip and replace your payment gateway or change your delivery process to offer modern payment flexibility. Flexible Payments plugs into what you already have—so you can expand without disruption.

That means:

• Residents can stay in a council-branded experience
• Payments are securely routed through your existing systems—or through Payreq’s
• Finance teams gain real-time tracking and clean reconciliation

And while we can fit neatly into your current setup, we can also manage the entire process for you—from personalised notice creation and secure digital delivery to payment collection and reporting.

It’s one seamless, secure experience—from delivery to dollars.

For councils already using Payreq to deliver notices, it’s a fast, low-lift upgrade—not another project.

The future is flexible
More and more residents expect digital options. The move to paperless, automated, app-based interactions isn’t just for the private sector—it’s happening in local government too.

Councils that embrace digital delivery and modern payment options are seeing:

• Reduced print and postage costs
• Faster revenue collection
• Stronger community satisfaction scores

Final thought
If you’re delivering digitally, you’re already halfway there. Flexible Payments lets you complete the picture—with a better experience for your residents and better outcomes for your council.

Ready to make payments as simple as your delivery? Learn more about Flexible Payments or Schedule a demo