By Cathy Higgins
BAY MINETTE, Ala. — North Baldwin Utilities customers will soon have a new option when paying for their water, sewage or natural-gas service.
During the company’s monthly board meeting Wednesday, NBU General Manager Jason Padgett announced that the organization will begin implementing an online payment service on Monday.
“It’s another convenience for our customers,” Padgett told the board, explaining that the service will be added to NBU’s in-person, mail-in and bank-draft options.
He explained that the service came as a result of consumer requests for it.
“It is a service that’s been requested over the last couple of years,” Padgett said.
He explained that only a handful of customers asked for the option to pay their bill online. Therefore, NBU will keep tabs on its feasibility.
“We’ll monitor it,” Padgett said.
The service can be accessed through an interactive update on the NBU website.
“You create a log-in,” Padgett said, explaining that doing so is the first of a three-step process in paying monthly utility bills online.
Once customers are signed up, customers use the website to grant NBU permission to electronically withdraw funds from their designated accounts each time they choose to do so.
“It’s an electronic transaction that withdraws the funds within 24 to 48 hours,” Padgett said.
The general manager pointed out that customers need to make sure and pay online at least 48 hours prior to the deadline for service cut-off.
“If you’re cut off, this won’t bring your service back on,” Padgett said.
NBU is implementing the online payment service through NexCheck, a company the organization engaged for debt collection.
“We don’t get charged anything (for the online payment service,” Padgett said.
Instead, customers wishing to use pay their bills online will pay a customer-convenience fee, that will go to NexCheck, each time they do so.
“The bigger their bill, the bigger the customer-convenience fee,” Padgett said. “But some people will pay for that convenience.”
