CheckFreePay, now part of Fiserv (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading provider of information technology services to the financial industry, today announced Fiesta Mart, a leading Texas grocery store chain, has expanded its CheckFreePay walk-in bill payment offering to enable customers to pay hundreds of additional billing companies, and make NextDay payments to select companies.
Customers can now pay a broader selection of bills, including utility, cellular, auto, insurance and credit card bills, in one visit. These additional walk-in bill payment services are available at all 59 Fiesta Mart locations in Houston, Austin and the Dallas/Ft. Worth areas.
"Fiesta Mart is focused on providing a more convenient shopping experience to consumers," said Stacy Garcia, manager, Courtesy Booth Operations. "By expanding the CheckFreePay bill payment operation, Fiesta customers can combine several errands into one, by paying their bills during regular trips to our stores, allowing them to save time and money. The expanded selection of bills that can be paid at our stores, combined with the option of NextDay bill payment processing, helps us continue to provide the best service to our customers."
Using the CheckFreePay service, customers can conveniently pay hundreds of bills and receive a receipt as proof of payment. Fiesta customers have been able to pay select bills, such as Reliant Energy, a Houston-based Energy provider, through the CheckFreePay authorized service since the early 1990s. Other authorized billers include CenterPoint Energy and the City of Houston.
With the new suite of bill payment processing options now offered, Fiesta customers can opt to use the NextDay bill payment option to have bill payments delivered by the next business day. NextDay walk-in bill payments cost $2 each. Standard walk-in bill payments at any Fiesta location typically cost $1 to $1.50 per bill payment. To make a bill payment, customers just need to bring their bill stub to the Courtesy Booth at any Fiesta Mart location.
"The CheckFreePay walk-in bill payment service provides the convenience, payment speed and flexibility Fiesta Mart and its customers expect today," said Paul Harrison, senior vice president and general manager of CheckFreePay. "The addition of hundreds of billers, along with NextDay bill payment processing, brings tremendous convenience to consumers, enabling Fiesta customers to shop for their groceries and make one or more bill payments at a single location."
In a 2008 report, "Walk-in Bill Payment: The Rational Option for the 'Cash-Preferred' Market," TowerGroup estimated that about 6 percent of all consumer bill payments are made at walk-in retail locations, with the vast majority of these paid in cash by unbanked or underbanked consumers.