Ten seconds to impress: the benchmark to elevate bill pay experiences

 

Ron Shultz, ACI Worldwide: In a world built on instant expectations, billers must deliver fast, frictionless, self-service payment experiences or risk losing consumer loyalty in seconds.

If Usain Bolt can make history in under 10 seconds, why does paying a bill too often feel like running a marathon?

For today’s consumers, speed is everything. They can order groceries to their doorstep in an hour, stream any song instantly, and expect packages to arrive the next day. Yet paying a bill can still be slow, clunky, and frustrating. That disconnect is more than an inconvenience — it’s a loyalty killer. 

The age of instant expectations

According to the 2025 ACI Speedpay Pulse Report,  an annual study of consumer billing and payment behaviours in the US, nearly 30% of consumers made urgent or same-day bill payments in the past year. This reflects a trend shaped by the convenience-driven lifestyle, where self-service kiosks, one-click purchases, and same-day delivery have conditioned people to expect immediacy.
Immediacy has become the default for younger generations, shaping how they engage, consume, and decide. The report revealed that 84% of Gen Z and Millennials made urgent or same-day bill payments in the past year, underscoring their demand for immediacy. For Gen Z and Millennials, paying a bill should feel as simple as hailing a rideshare, opening an app, tapping “Pay Now,” and getting instant confirmation. Anything slower can feel like a step backward.

The challenge confronting billers is unmistakable. Consumer expectations have shifted dramatically. People no longer measure their payment experiences against other utilities or service providers – they benchmark them against tech giants like Amazon, Netflix, and Uber. In a world where speed and simplicity reign, even a payment process that takes minutes instead of seconds stands out. And when it does, consumers not only notice – they remember.

Conversely, this opens up a powerful opportunity for differentiation. Billers who deliver frictionless, digital-first experiences can build deeper loyalty, accelerate revenue, and reduce costs by lowering inbound calls to the contact center and managing misdirected payments. It’s a win-win for all. By empowering customers with self-service tools and automation, billers can enhance customer experience and foster loyalty, while simultaneously reducing costs by lowering call center traffic.  

How billers can adapt to the payments landscape

So, how do billers close the gap between antiquated payment processes and modern expectations?

It begins with putting self-service at the forefront. Consumers want control. Automated payments and easy online tools, along with real-time notifications and alerts, not only make bill pay painless but also reduce frustration and the need for phone calls. The key here is to ensure customers have access to human-centric connections.

While AI technology can enhance business processes, consumers hold mixed sentiments about AI across generations, with varying levels of optimism and concern. There is one overarching sentiment shared by all generations: the report shows 89.2% of consumers prefer to engage with a live human being over an AI-powered solution when resolving an issue related to bill payments. Because of this, billers should carefully consider where they apply AI. AI can elevate self-service experiences while still ensuring access to real human support. It can also be a game-changer in strengthening fraud detection and prevention across bill payment channels, combating AI-driven fraud and deep fakes.

Billers must also prioritise speed and access. Transactions should be completed in seconds, accessible 24/7 on mobile devices, and the payment infrastructures supporting money movement should be robust and flexible. This means fast, frictionless and secure transactions every time.

Consumers don’t just want to pay — they want to choose how they pay. Bill pay is no longer tied to one channel. Consumers expect to pay via websites, mobile devices, apps, banks, and increasingly, mobile wallets. Nearly half of smartphone owners now use mobile wallets regularly, with Gen Z and Millennials leading adoption.

Why convenience wins

This is not just a story about technology – it’s a story about trust. When billers deliver superior payment experiences, they send a clear message: we value your time. That message builds loyalty. And loyalty, in turn, drives retention. Consumers who consistently get what they want – speed, simplicity, and choice – don’t just pay their bills. They stay.

The ACI Speedpay Pulse report tells a compelling story - the future of bill payments will be shaped by immediacy, security, and self-service. Billers who embrace this shift aren’t just keeping pace; they’re building the foundation for long-term relationships in a landscape where attention is scarce, and expectations are high. 

Those who hesitate risk falling behind, leapfrogged by competitors who understand that speed isn’t a luxury; it’s the baseline. Those who act now, by investing in intuitive and responsive payment experiences, will not only meet but also exceed consumer demands. They’ll redefine what it means to be a trusted provider.

Because in the bid to win consumer loyalty, every second counts and the race belongs to those who move first and move fast.   

About Ron Shultz

Ron Shultz is the General Manager of ACI Speedpay, the largest biller direct business in the US. Mr. Shultz leads all aspects of the ACI Speedpay business, including sales, customer success, product management, operations and marketing. Mr. Shultz has more than two decades of experience in bill pay and the broader payments industry. He most recently served as Executive Vice President of Global Bill Pay at Mastercard. The role included serving as CEO of two acquired bill pay companies. While at Mastercard, he also led the New Payment Flows business in North America, which included bill pay, cross-border payments, real-time payments and commercial payments. He sits on the Advisory Boards of ActiveWorx and CREW. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

 

About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide, an original innovator in global payments technology, delivers transformative software solutions that power intelligent payments orchestration in real-time so banks, billers, and merchants can drive growth, while continuously modernising their payment infrastructures, simply and securely. With 50 years of trusted payments expertise, we combine our global footprint with a local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences to stay ahead of constantly changing payment challenges and opportunities.