Service Payment Management (CSS01US03)
1. Problem Statement
User Role: Residential Consumer
Pain Points:
- Cannot easily view all utility services and their payment status in one place
- Lacks visibility into service details, completion dates, and technician information
- Has no convenient way to pay outstanding bills for completed services
- Must call or visit utility office to get service billing information
- Cannot track which services are pending payment versus already paid
Core Problem: Consumers lack a centralized, self-service way to view their utility service history, understand billing details, and make payments for completed services, leading to payment delays and increased customer service calls.
2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?
Primary User Role: Residential Consumer
- Homeowners and renters who receive utility services
- Responsible for paying utility bills and service charges
- Need convenient access to service information and payment options
Access Requirements: All registered consumers should have access to this feature through the self-service portal.
3. Jobs To Be Done
For Residential Consumer: When I need to understand what utility services I've received and their payment status, But I have no visibility into completed services, pending payments, or service details from my utility provider, Help me view all my service history with clear payment statuses and detailed information, So that I can stay current on my payments and avoid service disruptions.
For Residential Consumer: When I need to pay for completed utility services, But I have to call the utility office or visit in person to make payments for service bills, Help me pay outstanding service bills directly through an online portal, So that I can manage my utility payments conveniently and avoid late fees.
For Residential Consumer: When I need to understand the details of services performed at my property, But I only receive basic billing information without service specifics, Help me view comprehensive service details including technician information, completion dates, and work descriptions, So that I can verify the services were completed correctly and understand what I'm paying for.
4. Solution
A comprehensive Service Bills management section within the consumer self-service portal that provides complete visibility and payment capabilities for utility services.
Key Capability Areas:
1. Service Overview Dashboard
- Summary cards showing total services, pending payments, and outstanding amounts
- Quick access to payment actions for overdue amounts
2. Service Bills List Management
- Chronological listing of all service requests and their current status
- Visual status indicators (Completed, Pending Payment, Paid)
- Service type identification with clear categorization
3. Detailed Service Information
- Complete service descriptions and work performed
- Technician assignment and completion dates
- Service location and request reference numbers
4. Payment Processing
- Individual service payment capability
- Bulk payment options for multiple outstanding services
- Secure payment gateway integration
5. Service Status Tracking
- Real-time status updates for each service
- Historical timeline of service progression
- Clear distinction between completed and paid services
6. Financial Summary
- Outstanding balance calculation
- Payment history tracking
- Service cost breakdown and transparency
7. Document Management
- Access to service completion documentation
- Invoice and receipt generation
- Payment confirmation records
5. Major Steps Involved
For Residential Consumer - Viewing Service Bills:
- Access Portal
- Log into consumer self-service portal
- Navigate to "Service Bills" section from main menu
- Review Service Overview
- View summary dashboard showing total services (4), pending payments (2), outstanding amount ($164.50)
- Identify immediate payment needs from summary cards
- Browse Service List
- Scroll through chronological list of service bills
- Review service types (Electrical Repair, Plumbing Service, HVAC Maintenance)
- Identify status indicators (Completed, Pending Payment, Paid)
- View Service Details
- Click on specific service to expand details
- Review service description, request number, technician name
- Check requested date, completed date, and service location
- Assess Payment Requirements
- Identify services with "Pending Payment" status
- Review individual service amounts
- Note total outstanding balance
For Residential Consumer - Making Payments:
- Select Payment Option
- Click "Pay Now" button for individual services
- Or select multiple services for bulk payment
- Review Payment Details
- Confirm service details and amounts
- Verify total payment amount
- Process Payment
- Enter payment method information
- Confirm payment authorization
- Receive payment confirmation
- Verify Payment Status
- Confirm service status updates to "Paid"
- Access payment receipt and confirmation
6. Flow Diagram
7. Business Rules
General Rules
- All completed services must be displayed in the service bills section
- Payment status must be updated in real-time upon successful payment processing
- Outstanding amounts must be calculated automatically based on unpaid services
- Service details must display required information on the card : service type, service id, description, requested (date), completed (date), technician, service area, service charges , pay now button (if unpaid), View (should open the Service request detail view)
Payment Rules
- on clicking on the payment icon a modal should open with the below bill details
- Service ID
- Service Name
- Completed date
- payment method - by default only online payment is selected
- on clicking on pay button user getes redirected to payment gateway.
- After completing the payment user redirects back and a success message is shown
- if the payment is canclled then a payment canclled message is shown
- if the payment is failed then a payment failed message is shown
Display Rules
- Status indicators must use consistent color coding across the interface
- Service amounts must be displayed in ONB set currency format
- Summary cards must reflect real-time data
Status
- Paid - if the amount is paid
- Un paid - if the amount is unpaid
8. Sample Data
Service Records
Service 1:
- Type: Electrical Repair
- Request: SR-2024-001
- Description: Fixed faulty wiring in kitchen outlet
- Requested: 2024-03-15
- Completed: 2024-03-16
- Technician: John Smith
- Location: 123 Main St, Apt 4B
- Amount: $125.00
- Status: Completed
Service 2:
- Type: Plumbing Service
- Request: SR-2024-002
- Description: Unclogged bathroom drain and replaced faucet
- Requested: 2024-03-10
- Completed: 2024-03-12
- Technician: Sarah Johnson
- Location: 123 Main St, Apt 4B
- Amount: $89.50
- Status: Pending Payment
Summary Data
Total Services This Year: 4
Pending Payments: 2
Outstanding Amount: $164.50
Total Paid Amount: $325.00
9. Acceptance Criteria
- The system must display a summary dashboard showing total services, pending payments, and outstanding amounts
- The system must list all service bills in chronological order with clear status indicators
- The system must show detailed service information.
- The system must allow consumers to pay for individual services with "Pending Payment" status
- The system must provide a "Pay Now" button for each unpaid service
- The system must update service status to "Paid" immediately after successful payment
- The system must calculate and display total outstanding amounts accurately
- The system must show service request numbers for reference and tracking
- The system must display service locations for multi-property consumers
- The system must provide secure payment processing with confirmation receipts
- The system must prevent payment attempts on already paid services
- The system must show completion dates for all finished services
- The system must display service descriptions to help consumers understand charges
- The system must provide visual distinction between completed, pending, and paid statuses
- The system must calculate and display individual service amounts clearly
- The system must allow access to payment history and receipts
- The system must update summary cards in real-time after payments
- The system must provide error handling for failed payment attempts
- The system must maintain session security during payment processes
- The system must provide error handling for cancle payment attempts
10. Process Changes
Process Area | From | To | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
Service Payment | Consumers call utility office or visit in person to pay service bills | Consumers pay online through self-service portal | 75% reduction in payment-related customer service calls |
Payment Processing Time | 3-5 business days for phone/mail payments to be processed and reflected | Real-time payment processing and status updates | Immediate payment confirmation and account updates |
Service Information Access | Consumers receive basic paper bills with minimal service details | Complete digital service history with technician details and descriptions | 100% improvement in service transparency |
Payment Reminder Process | Manual calls/letters for overdue service payments | Automated online dashboard highlighting pending payments | 60% reduction in collection efforts |
Receipt Management | Paper receipts mailed 5-7 days after payment | Instant digital receipts and payment confirmation | Immediate receipt access and reduced paper costs |
Service Verification | Consumers unable to verify service completion details | Full service details including technician and completion dates available online | Enhanced customer confidence and reduced disputes |
11. Impact from Solving This Problem
Impact Category | Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|---|
Customer Experience | Customer satisfaction scores | 25% increase through improved service transparency and payment convenience |
Operational Efficiency | Customer service call volume | 75% reduction in payment and service inquiry calls |
Payment Collection | Payment processing time | 95% reduction from 3-5 days to real-time processing |
Cost Reduction | Manual payment processing costs | 80% reduction through automated online payments |
Customer Engagement | Self-service portal usage | 40% increase in active portal users |
Payment Compliance | On-time payment rate | 30% improvement through easier payment access |
Administrative Efficiency | Manual receipt processing | 100% elimination of paper receipt handling |
Customer Retention | Service dispute resolution time | 60% faster resolution through better service visibility |
12. User Behavior Tracking
Residential Consumer Tracking Plan
Event | Properties | Insights Gained |
|---|---|---|
Service Bills Page View | user_id, timestamp, total_services, pending_payments, outstanding_amount | Track portal engagement and payment urgency |
Service Detail View | user_id, service_id, service_type, amount, status | Understand which services generate most interest |
Payment Initiation | user_id, service_id, amount, payment_method | Monitor payment patterns and preferred methods |
Payment Completion | user_id, service_id, amount, processing_time, success_status | Track payment success rates and processing efficiency |
Payment Failure | user_id, service_id, amount, error_type, retry_attempt | Identify payment friction points |
Bulk Payment Selection | user_id, number_of_services, total_amount | Understand consumer payment behavior preferences |
Service History Browse | user_id, services_viewed, time_spent | Track information consumption patterns |
Key Questions Answered by Tracking:
- Adoption: How many consumers are using the service bills feature?
- Payment Behavior: What percentage of consumers pay immediately vs. delay payments?
- Service Transparency: Do consumers review service details before paying?
- Payment Success: What is the success rate of online payments vs. traditional methods?
- Customer Support Impact: How much has online access reduced service-related inquiries?
- Revenue Collection: How has online payment availability improved collection rates?
- User Experience: Where do consumers experience friction in the payment process?
- Service Preferences: Which service types generate the most consumer engagement?
13. Wireframe
https://preview--consumer-self-service.lovable.app/billing
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