The best way to send an invoice is to send it directly to the customer’s e-banking. eBill is Switzerland's version of digital billing. 2.4 million users are already paying with eBill – and the trend is rising. This guide shows how you too can win customers over to eBill.
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Created on 22.08.2022
How to inspire your customers to use eBill
eBill brings companies up to date with the latest digital technology. Your customers will also benefit from this. But how can you win over new eBill users?
A brief explanation of eBill
eBill is a service provided by SIX. The company operates the infrastructure for electronic invoices on behalf of Swiss banks. With eBill, the entire billing process runs completely digitally, from creation to payment.
In e-banking, recipients select the specific invoices issuers from whom they want to receive digital bills. The invoice issuers then transfer the bill directly to e-banking. Recipients can check the bill and pay with just a few clicks.
Increasing the company’s profile
eBill has been available since 2018. But many have no experience of eBill. There is a lack of contact points and knowledge. In collaboration with SIX, PostFinance is therefore running advertising campaigns to raise general awareness. But you can also actively promote eBill by drawing attention to this new invoicing method. The benefit for you is that you can reach your target group much more effectively. Use your current communication channels (e.g. the invoices or newsletters you send), to persuade customers to start using eBill.
PostFinance supports you in your plan to increase awareness of eBill among your customers. To easily implement the measures, you can access various marketing materials free of charge.
Explain benefits
The advantages for eBill recipients are obvious. But many find it difficult to give up old habits like paper invoices. You need to sell it to them.
You can win over any customer with the following six facts:
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No typing or scanning of inpayment slips. For this reason, mistakes almost never happen. Payment is always reliable.
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Recipients only receive trustworthy invoices – no spam, no phishing. In accordance with e-banking, the data security of the invoice is guaranteed.
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The payment process just takes a few clicks. This saves the recipient a lot of time. The “Standing approval” function reduces the workload to zero.
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eBill is an integrated service that is available to invoice recipients free of charge in e-banking.
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Digital invoicing significantly reduces paper usage. eBill also causes around 18 times less emissions than paper bills.
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With eBill, users have complete control and an overview of payments – anytime and anywhere. All invoices are easy to find and are digitally archived. That saves space.
Simplify the login process
If a customer has decided to add your company as an invoice issuer, then the registration process should be straightforward. This is where the login screen plays a key role. Keep it as simple as possible. This ensures that customers do not abandon the login process.
Tip
Remember that customers rarely have information such as a customer number – especially if they come to learn about eBill through advertising campaigns and if they don’t have an invoice from you.
Important
To simplify the registration option “Registration via invoice issuer search” in e-banking for eBill invoice recipients, SIX has harmonized the forms. PostFinance will provide you with the new form in the The link will open in a new window eInvoicing portal.
Carry out a login check
If a customer wants to register for eBill, the registration processes and procedures must work properly. Go through them with an invoice of your own. Check them from the customer’s point of view and optimize them, if necessary.
By doing this, you will ensure early on that your customers have an easy time adding your company as an invoice issuer.
Use the “Look-up” function
You can use the Look-up feature to identify customers who want to receive eBill invoices automatically.
Here’s how: eBill invoice issuers can query their customers’ e-mail addresses or company ID numbers to check whether they are already registered as eBill users and have activated the “Automatically add invoice issuers” setting. Over half a million eBill users have activated this setting already.
If this applies to one of your customers, you can send them their first invoice via eBill right away.
