Payment experiences studied in survey. |
New research shows that people in the U.S. want more choice and better service in how they make government-related payments.
Most of us will need to make a government-related payment at some point this year, whether it’s to cover a recurring expense, such as property taxes, or to pay a parking ticket. But will the payment options and overall experience meet our expectations? To learn more about evolving payment preferences, American Express and Forbes Insights asked consumers to evaluate their recent experiences paying government service providers, whether on the local, state or federal level.
Here are five key findings:
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| 1. OFFERING MULTIPLE PAYMENT OPTIONS CAN HELP EASE FRICTION |
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| 55% of consumers feel frustrated when credit card options are not offered when making government-related payments, and 15% encountered an issue recently because their preferred payment method was not accepted. |
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| 2. PAYMENT ISSUES ARE COMMON AND CAUSED BY SEVERAL PAIN POINTS |
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| 40% of consumers experienced at least one issue when making government-related payments, and some ran into multiple problems. The top pain point? For 18%, the process took too long. |
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| 3. THE MAJORITY WOULD LIKE TO AUTOMATE PAYMENTS WHERE POSSIBLE |
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| 72% of consumers would set up automatic payments if the option was available — the highest percentage across seven studied industries. They also want to know when payment due dates are approaching with 75% preferring emailed reminders and 57% wanting a text. |
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| 4. FRUSTRATIONS ARISE WHEN TRANSACTIONS ASK MORE OF CONSUMERS |
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| 46% of consumers feel frustrated when required to disclose banking details during a government-related transaction because credit cards, digital wallets and peer-to-peer payments are not accepted. |
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| 5. PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD IS THE MOST POPULAR CHOICE |
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| 45% of consumers want to pay the government by credit card — the most preferred payment method by far. Only 19% want to use their debit card, and 16% prefer ACH or e-check. |
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| Easy credit card payments are not yet universal when making government-related payments. The survey shows that ease is what people want most — whether through automated payments where it makes sense or frictionless transactions. Nearly everyone wants a choice in how they pay, and when they have a choice, nearly half want to pay with a credit card. |
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| | | Consumer Choice: The Case For Streamlined Payment Solutions In Non-Retail Industries |
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For perspective into all seven industries studied in the nationwide consumer survey conducted by American Express and Forbes Insights, read our complementary report.
Explore the Report
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American Express and Forbes Insights asked 716 consumers to evaluate their preferences and pain points when paying for government services over the past six months. The exploration in September and October 2024 was part of a larger, comprehensive survey of 2,507 U.S. based consumers across key non-retail industries. |
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