Library members pay very quickly thanks to PayByLink

ICT specialist Actacom has been responsible for functional management at libraries, especially in Gelderland, for about five years now. Many of these libraries are looking for digital variants of giro collection forms, including 18 branches in the province of Gelderland in which information manager Wim Ongena is closely involved. In his search for a suitable solution, he came across PayByLink. “The supplier of the library package V-smart, Infor, immediately saw the benefit of a link with PayByLink, so we brought the parties together,” says Ongena. The result is that library members now pay very quickly.

Speed up payment

Initially the Gelderland libraries sent all monthly bills for the contribution fee via paper invoices/giro collection forms, with the exception of direct debits. Since the link with PayByLink, the vast majority of these bills is now sent via automated mail. Ongena: “We immediately noticed that people pay the automated mail bills many times faster than the paper ones. 15 percent is paid within a day after the mail is sent. Before the following weekend has past, between 20 and 30 percent of the bills is paid and this number then rises to 50 percent. A quarter is automatically notified and the remaining 25 percent pays in the library or has cancelled the membership.”

Cost reduction

“Moreover, the ease of payment for our customers has increased and the PayByLink emails have resulted in a cost reduction. Compared to the creation of a giro collection form and cover letter, the libraries have less processing costs now. So it’s more user-friendly and cheaper.”

Recognition for members

The emails sent to the library members clearly show the logo of the library in question. “We are still busy with the further personalisation of the layout. For example, in the future we may want additional buttons and an even more recognisable look and feel. Fortunately PayByLink will allow us to do so. In the future we also want to investigate the possibility to not only collect contribution fees, but also other outstanding items such as late fines, fines for unreturned books and other loan fees/fines. We are now sending separate bills for those.”

Expansion of collaboration

Ongena has enjoyed the collaboration with PayByLink, he concludes. “As far as I am concerned, nothing but praise. We always get a lightning-fast response, when we run into something, it is solved immediately and there is continuous support and sufficient explanation of what is happening. All libraries are also enthusiastic, not unimportant! In addition to the roll-out of additional functionalities for the Gelderland libraries, we are looking into the expansion of our collaboration by doing the same for other libraries. So there are plenty of options.”