Alabama Power Introduces CityBase Contactless Payment Kiosks in Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama
Customers can now pay electricity and water bills 24/7 with self-service technology
December 1, 2020 (Chicago, IL) — CityBase, a leading provider of government and utility technology, today announced a partnership with Alabama Power to enable customers in Montgomery and Mobile, AL, to pay electricity and water bills in person at a secure, self-service kiosk. New one-stop kiosk technology enables the utilities to share devices for their payment applications while maintaining independent operations. CityBase is a business unit of GTY Technology Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: GTYH) (“GTY”), a leading provider of SaaS/Cloud solutions for the public sector.
Alabama Power has worked in partnership with CityBase to deploy 80 kiosks in 36 locations state-wide. In 2019, the utilities provider made payments available for Montgomery Water Works on the six kiosks in its local business office. In the year following deployment of the kiosks, they were responsible for more than 30% of Montgomery Water Works’ total monthly in-person transactions.
Building on the success of that program, in October 2020 the utility provider added Mobile Area Water & Sewer System (MAWSS) payment applications to 11 kiosks in four payment centers that span the greater Mobile metro area. One-stop payment kiosks from CityBase enable government agencies and utility providers to provide shared customers the ability to pay bills for multiple utilities in a single visit, creating efficiencies for customers on the go.
“Alabama Power provides our customers more convenient self-service options to manage their accounts than ever before, and these new partnerships help our customers easily pay multiple bills at one stop,” said Alvis Wright, Alabama Power Marketing Program Manager.
The new service locations double the size of the MAWSS in-person payment region and offer customers convenient payment options in their own neighborhoods. The self-service kiosks offer a secure option for customers who want a convenient way to pay multiple utility bills in-person.
“We currently accept 15,000 in-person payments per month, but the ongoing pandemic has made that process more difficult for our customers and our employees,” said Bud McCrory, Assistant Director of Administration at MAWSS. “These kiosks are making transactions easier, safer, and more efficient, with added flexibility to make payments when and how it’s most convenient. We’re excited to work with Alabama Power and CityBase to make this option available to Mobile residents.”
CityBase has seen an increase in kiosk usage with clients nationwide during the coronavirus pandemic, demonstrating the consistent demand for a secure and reliable means of paying utility bills in person. The one-stop kiosks allow residents to make contactless payments in-person by cash, card, or check, while adhering to social distancing protocols.
“This technology is providing a necessary convenience and tearing down many of the barriers families are facing when it comes to paying their bills in person,” said CityBase CEO Mike Duffy. “The new kiosk capability means customers in Mobile and Montgomery can quickly and easily pay their bills in a single visit, at a time that works for them. These are independent utilities that are sharing a customer service channel and collaborating for the benefit of their customers. We applaud our clients for being innovators and pioneers and for putting the people of Alabama first.”
