When it comes to payments, consumers today require a level of convenience and control that would have been unimaginable just ten years ago. They want the freedom to select the channel and method of their payments, as well as their frequency and timing. Conventional paper checks cannot provide this level of flexibility, so consumers are turning to electronic payment options-credit card, debit card, and ACH transactions initiated over the Internet and telephone-that provide greater control over their time and money. So while checks will remain a consumer payment mainstay for years to come, billers should not overlook the sea change in payment behavior underway now.

There are several flavors of CCA, but this report focuses on just one-Payment Without Presentment. As its name suggests, a PWP solution is an electronic payment offering that does not include extensive presentation of bills to consumers. PWP solutions may provide customers with limited information, such as their outstanding balance or payment history, but they do not offer line item detail.

The report includes an extensive analysis of the PWP marketplace and changing consumer dynamics. With a PWP solution, consumers can make electronic payments over the Internet or telephone (assisted by a customer service representative or an Interactive Voice Response unit) using their credit card, debit card, an ACH transaction, or a wire.