When I conduct a business review, I’m surprised at how often utilities offer their customers the option of both a paper bill and an ebill.

My recommendation

As part of my business review report, one of my recommendations is always that the utility only offer customers the option of a paper bill or an ebill, but not both.

Why not offer both?

The primary advantage of ebilling (or paperless billing), from the utility’s perspective, is eliminating the costs of printing and postage. By offering your customers the option to continue receiving a paper bill when they sign up for ebilling, you forfeit this advantage.

Depending on how you print your bills and what level of postal discounts you receive, the cost of printing and mailing a full-page bill can be almost a dollar, or more.

Resistant to change

Customers, being people, are predisposed to being resistant to change. For some, this includes a sense of unease if they opt for ebilling and give up the safety net of a paper bill. But this is 2025, nearly 2026, and paperless billing is no longer a fad or something to be distrustful of.

If your customer really wants a paper bill, they can always print a copy of the ebill.

Do you want more ebill customers?

If you’re interested in having more customers sign up for ebilling, you can try offering incentives.

If you’ve had success getting customers to sign up for ebilling, please email me and let me know what worked for you.

Are you doing things you shouldn’t be?

Is your utility doing things you shouldn’t be, like allowing customers the option of both a paper bill and an ebill? If you aren’t sure, please call me at 919-673-4050 or email me at gary@utilityinformationpipeline.com to learn how a business review can help you find out.

© 2025 Gary Sanders