Utilities are the unsung heroes of modern life, both at home and at work.
Juggling all those separate accounts and bills leads to headaches for everyone, especially the folks who have to collect those payments! Your team could also appreciate perks like:
🔒 Better security for sensitive customer data.
🧾 Effortless billing for automated and manual meter readings.
📞 Built-in customer communication resources.
Thankfully, the old-school methods are fading fast. Cloud-hosted tools are making it easier for utility providers to conduct business without making stupid and costly mistakes.
Once you discover what the best-rated cloud-based utility billing software available is, you’ll know exactly how to improve your workflows for your team and your customers. I’m about to blow your mind.
Let’s get started.
👋 Have a utility billing platform you’d recommend? Drop the software in our comments and we’ll check it out when we make updates!
Benefits of Cloud-Based Billing Software for Employees
1) Easier on employees
You might think that utility billing programs are only useful for the people in charge of organizations, but employees also benefit.
They’ll appreciate the numerous features within their new software tool, like customer notifications whenever someone sends a question about their account.
2) Centralization
Everything happens in one place, which prevents the miscommunication that makes all of our professional lives more complicated. Get rid of those traditional billing programs that live solely on one computer. The cloud will have your team’s back in other ways, too.
3) Cuts down on admin work
Everyone saves time when cloud-based utility billing tools automate things like manual data entry. Computerized processes also improve accuracy.
Your team members won’t have to worry about billing errors affecting customer satisfaction or revenue when algorithms double-check bills. Imagine a future with few disputes or none at all. My stress would be nonexistent.
4) AI implementation
Did we mention that some software programs have artificial intelligence (AI) resources that provide data insights?
They generate real-time reports so employees understand every detail about things like meter usage or billing histories. Everyone’s job gets easier, customers remain impressed and your role as an organizational leader feels effortless.
Cloud-Based Billing Tools Transforming the Utilities Sector
Ready to explore the world of improved billing programs? Check out the tools that are transforming what it means to provide and receive utilities in the modern world.
💡 Best for: Experts who want a software program designed by four water and sewer design partners who understand voids in the utility billing marketplace
I found that Muni-Link is one of the best billing software solutions for cities and towns. The platform streamlines customer communication with the WebPresence system.
Administrators can quickly publish content from the educational library or news-focused templates to alert customers about anything that may affect their bills.
The cloud-based program is also accessible through any device. If you need water and sewer billing software that has secure data backups, backflow inspection tools and a customer self-service portal, Muni-Link could be the best option for your team.
Why we love this strategic planning software: You can tell that municipality utility experts designed this platform because it has easily accessible features that support everyday operations, like customizable billing tools per customer account.
Standout Features
WebPresence software: I love that customer communication resources, forms, and survey tools are built into Muni-Link. You don’t have to be a wordsmith to keep customers up to date.
A 9-step integration guide: Make switching to Muni-Link easy by planning your integration steps with the guide that comes with each software purchase. The Integration Manager will help you through every step.
Sector updates: Muni-Link leaders have partnerships with municipalities throughout the country, so the system gets recurring updates based on what people need to provide modern-day utilities.
Software Advice
Capterra
GetApp
4.62/5
4.62/5
4.62/5
Utilities Director, Carol Benedict, had this to say about their experience with Muni-Link:
“I honestly can’t think of one thing that Muni-Link could have done better. We look forward to our future with Muni-Link and all the exciting features the program has to offer.”
🏢 Best for: Large utility companies or universities managing numerous utility accounts for buildings across campus
Consider checking out EnergyCAP if your team handles utility bills for an extensive number of accounts.
Universities with accounts for each building and government agencies rely on EnergyCap to handle reporting, meter tracking, and monthly billing details. There are even tools to record sustainability efforts for those who want to ensure they’re keeping their carbon footprint small.
Why we love this strategic planning software: I was so impressed by the report customization options, which number over 100. Flexibility like that is crucial for large organizations.
Standout Features
Energy saving tips: Customers can opt into automated reports that note where and when they can reduce their electricity usage based on previous readings.
Powerful number crunching: EnergyCap customers save themselves from over 1 million annual billing errors because the software automates data details that would otherwise depend on manual input.
Facility benchmarking: Administrator tools allow building comparisons to find which locations are using the most energy, growing customer trust with people who want to save money.
G2
Capterra
Software Advice
4.89/5
4.62/5
4.6/5
Check out this positive review from a past customer on Capterra:
“Our experience has been very positive with the technology and the technical support. It is very simple and effective to use and the insights given are powerful.”
⚡ Best for: Utility providers tracking electricity usage per customer through third-party meter reading systems
El Dorado is the middleman between third-party platforms that read meters and utility providers.
Teams who use it gain a historical log of each customer’s usage, including the times they’ve had past-due bills. Smaller to medium-sized organizations rely on El Dorado because it’s easy to use, has an excellent customer support team and only requires a one-time fee per user.
Why we love this strategic planning software: You can’t beat the single cost for each user. Smaller organizations get easily priced out by some competitors, but El Dorado creates broader access to limited municipalities.
Standout Features
Printing services: The cloud-based printing options from El Dorado streamline your team’s ability to mail reminders, statements, inserts and anything else that belongs in an envelope.
Hands-free installation: Every new El Dorado customer works with an installation specialist who configures the software for their specific needs, including rate tables and IT integrations.
Flexible data conversion formatting: When you’re ready to send your data to the El Dorado platform, you can do so through .csv, .mdb or .acc files.
Software Advice
Capterra
GetApp
4.49/5
4.42/5
4.42/5
Here is an excerpt from a review left by an Admin Manager in California:
“The software is easy to use and extremely accurate. They also have a team to help you should you have a problem. Easy software and efficient for your business.”
✅ Best for: Companies or organizations offering a range of utility services
I suggest checking out Banyon Data Utility Billing if your agency, organization or company provides numerous utility services. The platform might look old school, but it does the job well and applies to a whole list of utilities including billing water, storm water, sewer, electric, gas, garbage, recycling, submeters and combo meters.
The multi-use platform coordinates gas, water, electric, sewer and other essentials. Your customers can start paying bills online or through their email addresses once your team transfers their data.
There’s also an auto-reverse insufficient funds (NSF) check feature, which may be more necessary for providers with customers in low-income households.
Why we love this strategic planning software: The platform is low-cost for organizations with less than 1,000 accounts, making it a high priority for providers making their first investment into cloud-based utility billing solutions.
Standout Features
Multi-meter capabilities: Banyon Data Utility Billing can work with submeters and combo meters because it processes data for numerous services.
Tenant vs. landlord tracking: I love that this platform separates tenant and landlord financial responsibility for utilities when needed, which can clarify crucial data during legal disputes.
Specialized report writer: Every report pulled from Banyon Data Utility Billing comes from a honed system that expertly accounts for things like water loss and receipt distributions.
“The customer service is great. When we need help with something, it’s taken care of that day and they know that our issue is an emergency so they try their best to get it cleared up fast.”
☀️ Best for: Utility providers managing solar accounts, among other standard services
Tridens empowers utility users with smart metering. The real-time information lets people know how much solar energy their home is using, how much gas they use to power their business and other finite details.
Advanced billing tools allow for per-user customization, which is an advantage for providers handling complex monthly accounting.
Why we love this strategic planning software: The fully configurable platform scales with organizations, so unprecedented regional growth won’t hinder Tridens clients.
Standout Features
Internet of Things (IoT) device compatible: Tridens draws data from smart meters and valves to provide more accurate data than some competitors.
Subscription-based billing: Customers can adjust their utility services according to their needs because the platform supports per-person billing customization.
Advanced rate management tools: If you’re interested in offering your clients promotions, discounts, flexible terms and tiered pricing, Tridens can handle it all.
“I really enjoyed that it is easy to use and easy to setup for my use case. Service runs very smoothly without any serious interruptions and most important it is accurate and customizable.“”
📋 Best for: Utility providers managing changing accounts, like those handling tenant data for non-metered and metered services
Billing and customer relationship management (CRM) responsibilities are easy with MaxBill.
The program handles revenue management changes, customer service inquiries, and usage tracking behind the scenes. You can also enroll using your preferred subscription method. The flexible payment options for utility providers are only part of the functionality available through MaxBill.
Why we love this strategic planning software: The tech support provided by MaxBill happens quickly because the customer support team has experience with multi-utility, heavy-usage providers.
Standout Features
Reporting available for involved parties: MaxBill quickly generates reports for multiparty utility inquiries, like tenants, leaseholders, managing agents, and housing associations, resolving disputes.
Rate flexibility automation: Once you set your rate preferences for seasonal changes, like water usage fluctuation in the summer, MaxBill applies them when needed for accurate, effortless billing.
Gas company tools: Gas providers can provide accurate billing information to daily metered, large daily metered, and nondaily metered customers amid international tariff changes.
“MaxBill offers virtually endless flexibility for us to configure any service, workflow process or revenue-generating activity while keeping the IT operation efficient.”
Important Features You’ll Find in Utility Billing Platforms
I know what you’re thinking — you’re nervous about choosing utility billing software companies because you’re not sure what they could offer your team.
Let’s highlight some of the most useful parts of these programs so you feel more confident about your decision later.
Robust Data Security
Older billing programs came with licenses. You’d buy one for each computer you wanted to use for billing purposes, and they came with as much security as possible for that program, time and technology.
We’re living in a world where you get new tech every couple of months. Your billing software should evolve alongside your team.
Cloud-based tools have the best security long after your initial purchase. Your information sits in world-class data centers run by tech leaders who update their equipment.
Experts estimate that data center usage will rise between 19%-22% by 2030, so you can expect security measures to continue evolving alongside the demand. We see it as an extra investment that protects both your team and your customers.
Automated Account Backups
Imagine doing all your billing responsibilities on one laptop. If someone spills their coffee on the keyboard or hacks your files, the sensitive information is gone.
Cloud-based programs back up every change made within customer accounts, files and more. When something goes wrong — we’ve all had to replace a broken computer — your team won’t compromise their work or your customers’ security because everything’s safe on the cloud.
Tiered-Rate Structure Support
Many utility providers have tiered-rate structures. Your electricity or water provisions may cost more when there’s higher customer demand or seasonal weather changes.
The latest utility billing software for municipalities accommodates that. We love how the latest tools allow for complex pricing models with custom billing settings.
Automated meter readings make life much easier. Unfortunately, outdated billing tools may not accommodate them.
Cloud-based programs can easily handle readings from various sources. Employees inputting manual entries alongside automated data won’t disrupt billing calculations. You’ll get improved data entry accuracy by investing in a team-wide tech upgrade. The change might even make billing processes faster for those working behind the scenes.
Customer Account Features and Communication Tools
Everyone manages their bills differently. Research shows that 17% of consumers prefer automated billing, which means utility providers have varying customer preferences to accommodate. Modernized software programs have various tools to meet each account owner’s payment preferences.
While your clients are setting up how they pay their utilities, they can also access customer service team members and review their payment histories.
The improved operational efficiency makes billing easier on the customer’s end and presents your organization as an industry leader. You may get additional revenue as word spreads that it’s easier to handle water, sewer, electricity or other utilities as your patron.
Payment Processing and Management Tools
People manage their utility payments with things like debit cards, credit lines, printed checks and automated withdrawals.
They might also call your customer service line to pay over the phone. If your client base uses a variety of payment tools, choose a billing program that works with those resources.
You might even reduce your payment processing costs if the software program has a partnership with companies like PayPal or Venmo. You’ll support your customers’ preferred billing management methods and potentially reduce overhead fees that cut into your monthly revenue.
Tips for Seamless Integration
Adding a new platform for billing purposes requires extra considerations. We recommend taking a few precautions so your team and customer base have the best experiences.
Tip #1: Create a Detailed Implementation Plan
Your employees will need training materials before and during integration. Even the best billing software can’t help if no one understands how to wield the tools within it.
Create a training document that your team members can access long after an informative meeting about the platform. You can also filter your software options based on which programs come with training modules.
Don’t forget about adding educational resources for customers, as well. They should know where to find explanatory videos or links to articles on the features they’ll need, like account navigation tabs. Sending recurring emails while the platform is new could remind them where to find essential guides as they receive their monthly bills.
Tip #2: Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
I highly recommend setting KPIs before adding anything to your workflows. You won’t know if the platform is useful if you can’t measure it against previous data.
Log information like how often customers are calling about billing concerns or how frequently your team encounters data entry inaccuracies. Reference the KPS throughout the first few months with your new software to see if it’s improving your workflows and remaining useful.
Tip #3: Outline Your Data Migration Efforts
Plan how you’ll move your customer data to your billing platform by mapping the specific steps you’ll take.
You may need more time than you imagine. Getting customer information to the new software safely could happen quickly with a built-in integration tool, but you’ll also have to cleanse your outdated system of sensitive data before deleting the program.
Improve Your Finances With Cloud-Based Utility Billing Platforms
We know your team’s workflows can improve once you determine what the best-rated cloud-based utility billing software available is.
Compare your options and discuss potential platforms with your employees to make an informed decision. You’ll soon enjoy the numerous benefits of automated, accurate billing support alongside your customers.
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Check out this positive review from a past customer on Capterra:
Tridens has many positive reviews on Capterra including this one from Tomaž K:
Dragan Bukatarevich, COO at Infostan, submitted their experience working with MaxBill:
