When introduced more than a decade ago, paperless billing was touted as an environmental savior; In the graphical report, we uncover the barriers to adoption organizations are facing today and sure, ways we can convert more customers to paperless.

1. Overcoming the
Digital Commitment Gap!
How can we convert more
customers to paperless billing?

3. PAPERLESS BILLING -
ENVIRONMENTAL SAVIOR?
Ask anyone on the street, and they’ll probably tell
you that using electronic, or paperless billing and
statements is a good thing.
When introduced more than a decade ago,
paperless billing was touted as an environmental
savior; by driving more customers online to re-
ceive and pay their bills, fewer natural resources
are used and less waste is introduced into the
environment.
Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
However, beyond this initial adoption from
customers who want to “go green,” e-billing as
the singular way of receiving a bill or statement
from financial institutions, healthcare
organizations, telecom providers and other
billers has remained stagnant, with growth
virtually unchanged over the last few years,
according to recent research from InfoTrends.
PAPERLESS GROWTH
VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED
OVER LAST FEW YEARS.
Forcasted
2013
Actual
2013
Forcasted
2014
Actual
2014
Forcasted
2015
Actual
2015
Source: Infotrends “Transactional Communications Market Survey”

4. WHAT IS THE DIGITAL
COMMUNICATIONS GAP?
In a separate report, research firm Javelin says the
number of consumers who receive both a paper
and a digital statement also remained steady from
2010 to 2015.
Nearly 1 in 4 financial institution customers and
bill payers still receive both online and paper
statements each month. These “double dippers”
want the convenience and reminder of a paper
bill, but oftentimes choose to pay their bills
online rather than respond in kind with a mailed
payment.
Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
1 IN 4 RECEIVE BOTH ONLINE
AND PAPER STATEMENTS.
45%
USE PAPER AS A REMINDER
THAT BILLS ARE DUE
Source: Javelin “Paperless Banking and Billing 2015: Closing the Digital Commitment Gap”

5. DOUBLE DIPPERS - WANT THEIR PAPER
AND ELECTRONIC TOO
Javelin calls this disparity — the gap between
customers who received paper bills and
subsequently pay them online —
the “Digital Communications Gap.”
That percentage of users — 34% in 2014 and
2015 — actually shows a slight increase over the
previous three years. Closing that gap could mean
a savings of $2.2 billion over the next five years,
Javelin reports.
So why are customers increasingly paying their
bills online (an 18% increase in online bill paying
from 2010 to 2015), but not choosing to receive
their bills by electronic means as well?
According to InfoTrends, the reason is two-fold:
1. 53% of consumers want the hard copy of
bills and statements for their records and
45% as a reminder that their bills are due.
2. Today’s digital experience is not
consumer-friendly. Customers need to
remember multiple user IDs and passwords,
and use websites with different navigations
and document retention timelines.
Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
TODAY’S DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
IS NOT CONSUMER-FRIENDLY.

6. STRATEGY TO DRIVE ADOPTION
REMAINS UNCHANGED
At the same time, the marketing strategy to drive
further adoption of paperless transactions remains
largely unchanged.
Companies continue to push the environmental
benefits and “clutter reduction” of online
bill payments instead of attempting a
transformational strategy to encourage
adoption.
Ironically, companies are continually optimistic
about growth in e-billing—year after year
predicting increases in adoption—without
making any changes to their processes.
More than an estimated 500 billion bills are sent
annually and the rate is increasing by 2-3% a
year, according to research group Billentis, so the
problem is only going to get worse.
Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
DRIVING PAPERLESS ADOPTION
REQUIRES A NEW PLAN.
Source: Billentis “E-Invoicing /E-Billing: Entering a new era”

7. CUSTOMER BARRIERS TO ADOPTION
When asked by InfoTrends about the various
reasons why they have not adopted paperless
billing and statements, 21% of customers
surveyed said their provider did not offer the
option, 11% cited that their providers did not
incent them enough to stop receiving paper bills,
and 10% said their providers make it too difficult
to switch.
These are relatively low percentages, compared to
some of the top answers cited previously, which in
addition to wanting hard copies and a reminder to
pay, 24% also prefer hard copies as a security
precaution.
Clearly, there’s a disconnect between senders
and recipients. If the solution is not to make it
easier for customers to sign up to go paperless (as
only 10% cited this as a reason), what will cause
significant uptake in paperless billing that puts
companies on the same page with their
customers?
Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
THE 4 MOST CHALLENGING
BARRIERS TO PAPERLESS.
Source: Infotrends “Transactional Communications Market Survey”

8. MOVING BEYOND THE “GREEN”
It’s a business problem and requires a business
solution—one that takes a much firmer stand on
the benefits for both sides in going paperless.
According to InfoTrends, a transformative ap-
proach is needed to see real results—one that
goes beyond the “green” aspect of paperless
billing.
This may include:
• Making paperless the default for new or
double dipping customers, and requiring them
to opt back in to receive paper bills.
• Updating policies to include charging a service
fee for paper-based bills
• Providing the option to consolidate their pa-
per (or paperless) bills under a single provider,
such as a bank or other source
• Offering loyalty points or other incentives for
paperless customers
Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
IMPROVE ADOPTION, MOVE
BEYOND GREEN MESSAGING.

9. DELIVERING BETTER USER EXPERIENCE
ACROSS ALL COMMUNICATIONS
Overall, companies need to provide more options
across the company to deliver a better digital
experience across all the communications they
send to customers—not just bills or statements.
According to the Billentis report, companies
send more than five to 15 times the volume of
“invoice-like documents and messages” than
they do actual bills.
These options also need to include the expansion
of secure electronic document delivery so that
customers can easily receive their sensitive
documents encrypted from the company directly
from their inbox.
Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
MASS MARKET USERS
DEMAND NEW FEATURES.

10. Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap
WILL THE INDUSTRY EVER GO
COMPLETELY PAPERLESS?
Probably not, unless these transformative
changes are implemented quickly. But the
rewards are there for companies that do take
the transformation process seriously: closing
the Digital Commitment Gap could mean an
industry-wide savings of $2.2 billion over the
next five years.
About Echoworx
Since 2000, Echoworx has been bringing simplicity and
flexibility to encryption. Echoworx’s flagship solution,
OneWorld Enterprise Encryption is designed to adapt to
any communication environment and all forms of
encryption. Enterprises investing in Echoworx’s OneWorld
platform, are gaining an adaptive, fully flexible approach to
encryption, creating seamless customer experiences and in
turn earning their loyalty and trust.
Recommended Reading
How Effective B2C Encryption Protection Works
Top Banks Demand Performance & Volume
OneWorld Enterprise Encryption
$2.2 BILLION IN SAVINGS
OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

11. Overcoming the Digital Commitment Gap

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