SmartDebit respond to research that reveals how opticians could benefit from offering patients Direct Debit payment plans

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SmartDebit

(PRWEB UK) 19 November 2012

The research by Optician magazine found that only 52% were offering Direct Debit as an option for eye exams and aftercare. This was despite practises believing that offering the payment method boosted contact lens loyalty and reduced drop-outs.

The research found there was a direct correlation between the frequency with which Direct Debits were offered in practises and the proportion of patients taking them up. Among practises that always offered Direct Debit plans, 60% took them up. For those that only offered occasionally, this dropped to 17%.

Three quarters of Direct Debit holders still had it in place beyond the third year, with lower levels of cancellation. Franchised practises were the most likely to offer Direct Debit and payment plans, with 83% offering the service to patients.

A spokesperson from SmartDebit said:

“This research reveals just how much it can benefit opticians to offer Direct Debit services to customers. Direct Debits encourage loyalty and commitment to a business’s services, so it is well worth offering direct debit plans to customers. 50% of UK customers prefer direct debiting so it is well worth making the option available.”

SmartDebit is the UK’s leading Direct Debit service provider, specialising in payment processing services since 1998. A Bacs approved Bureau, scoring ‘Excellent’ in all five categories of the Bacs audit, and ISO 27001 compliant. Providing a complete range of services: Outsourcing; SmartDebit-Admin cloud based portal; SmartDebit-Online payer sign up; SmartDebit-API integrated solution and SmartDebit-Contingency.

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