How customers prefer to handle invoice-related questions: Are payment arrangements still a stigma?

Gaining real-time insights into how end-customers manage their payments and set up payment plans is essential for streamlining payment processes – ultimately enhancing cash flow and control. At Ropo, we actively monitor end-customer behavior to gather valuable insights that directly contribute to optimizing our services. Our latest survey across Finland, Sweden, and Norway highlights how end-customers prefer to interact when handling their payments and their perceptions of payment arrangements.

We aim to enhance our customer experience, ensuring our end-customer service remains efficient, easy to use, and locally optimized. This commitment enables us to adapt to evolving end-customer needs and provide seamless, reliable service that meets the needs of our clients and their customers.

Preferred channels for invoice-related questions

The survey results provide valuable insights into how end-customers in Finland, Sweden and Norway prefer to engage with customer service when managing their outstanding payments.

Finnish respondents primarily prefer online self-service when managing payment-related tasks, such as checking their debt balance at 47% or updating invoicing details at 46%.
Norwegian respondents use a mix of all channels, with email and phone being the most preferred options depending on the inquiry type. For example, 50% prefer email when disputing an invoice, while 44% choose phone when requesting an extension for an invoice in collection. Online self-service also plays a role in managing certain tasks.
Swedish respondents rely more heavily on phone support, particularly 63% for requests related to payment extensions for an invoice in collection.

Across all three countries, respondents indicate a clear preference for personal contact via phone when discussing payment-related matters that require guidance or clarification. While routine tasks are often managed through self-service, phone contact is valued when end-customers seek to explore payment solutions tailored to their situation, receive step-by-step instructions, or gain immediate confirmation from a customer service representative.

This preference is particularly evident in situations where direct interaction provides reassurance and helps navigate inquiries that require discussion, guidance, or confirmation, such as:

When clarifying an overdue invoice, 47% of Finnish, 45% of Norwegian, and 50% of Swedish respondents would choose to handle the matter by phone.
When requesting an extension for an invoice in collection, 44% of Finnish, 63% of Swedish, and 44% of Norwegian respondents prefer to handle the request via phone.
When splitting an invoice in collection into multiple installments, 45% of Finnish, 42% of Norwegian, and 59% of Swedish respondents would rather handle the issue via phone.

Source: Ropo’s End-Customer Survey 2024

By offering multiple contact channels, Ropo ensures that end-customers can choose the most convenient way to manage their payments. This multi-channel approach strengthens service flexibility, supporting a seamless payment experience across all markets.

How do end-customers feel about payment arrangements?

The survey examined how well end-customers’ experiences align with key statements about Ropo’s service, focusing on trust, ease of contact, and support in payment-related customer service. The results highlight how several areas of Ropo’s services were received across different markets:

Getting in touch feels easy for most – The majority of end-customers feel comfortable reaching out to Ropo, yet some respondents related to the statement “I was nervous about getting in touch.” This concern was least pronounced in Finland (2.4/5), followed by Sweden (2.6/5) and Norway (2.7/5).
Making payment arrangements is widely accepted – Respondents across all markets recognize that setting up payment plans is a responsible and accepted way to manage financial commitments. This was rated highest in Finland (4.3/5), followed by Norway (3.8/5) and Sweden (3.3/5), indicating that while the practice is generally seen as a good option, attitudes still vary. Importantly, the results confirm that there is nothing to be ashamed of when making payment arrangements.

Delivering a smooth customer experience

Ropo is committed to providing reliable and customer-oriented services across the Nordics, ensuring that end-customers receive professional and efficient support. By continuously refining its services to align with regional preferences and evolving customer expectations, Ropo enables businesses to offer a seamless payment experience.

The study was conducted by Innolink, ensuring a comprehensive and data-driven approach to understanding end-customer behavior.

For further insights from this survey, take a look at our earlier article on end-customer perceptions of service quality and ease of contact .

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