47,000 students. One self-service payments system
The best kind of visit to the business office is no visit at all. That’s why Purdue University partnered with TouchNet, our cloud-based software that provides colleges and universities with secure commerce and credential solutions.
Together, they created a "no-stop" shop for students that saves time, saves money, and utilizes staff more efficiently.
A single partner for payments
Located in Lafayette, Indiana with approximately 47,000 students, Purdue uses TouchNet solutions Bill+Payment, Cashiering, Marketplace and SponsorPoint to digitize campus-related payments.
The secret, according to Purdue bursar and assistant controller Tim Riley, is making processes easy.
Innovation in action
“We wanted a simple system where students can log in and see their bill – more of an online banking feel – that is intuitive to use and easy to pay.“
Orienting users for success
From the first day of orientation, students are directed to Purdue’s single sign-on portal. At that point, TouchNet Bill+Payment allows them to set up authorized users for their accounts, make a payment plan and learn about direct deposit for refunds.
As a result of the program, Purdue enjoys a 90% adoption rate for direct deposit via TouchNet eRefunds.
Fewer phone calls. More answers.
TouchNet solutions have significantly reduced phone calls to the business office by half. Personnel can track the most frequently asked questions and update the student portal with deep dive links. Providing these links allows staff to focus on students who have more complex questions.
Timely alerts and reminders
TouchNet also alerts students who have not set up direct deposit for an e-refund. Email reminders are directly linked to the eRefund page, making it easy to sign up. And reminder emails confirm enrollment, which keeps receivables and delinquencies in check.
The results speak for themselves: In addition to the high enrollment in direct deposit, 92% of Purdue students authorize electronic 1098-Ts. Riley says the cost savings are notable.
Innovation in action
“In our 1098-T volume, we’ve dropped significantly. We were sending over 40,000 paper statements and spending $25,000 to $29,000 a year in just paper and postage. Now we spend about $2,500 a year.“
Our usual reply time: Less than a minute 