Innovation in payment methods and digitalization are transforming the energy sector in Brazil, significantly reducing delinquency rates among energy distributors and improving relationships with consumers. Pedro Ripper, CEO of Bemobi, emphasized in an interview with the specialized media outlet Brasil Energia that the key to reducing delinquency lies in expanding and diversifying the payment options available to consumers.
Flexibilizing payment methods can radically change the current landscape. Currently, around 80% of the economically active population in Brazil has a credit card. This opens new opportunities for debt renegotiation beyond the traditional bank slip.
Pedro Ripper, CEO of Bemobi
This shift is reinforced by the growing digitalization of banking in Brazil, driven by the widespread use of Pix and the expansion of digital banks.
This combination has resulted in 90% of the population having some form of bank account, further accelerating the adoption of digital methods for paying energy bills.
Pedro Ripper, CEO of Bemobi
Success stories: How distributors are implementing digital innovation
Companies like Equatorial Energia and Neoenergia are already seeing concrete results from these innovations. Equatorial, for instance, has integrated Pix into its digital channels, including a virtual assistant on WhatsApp, making transactions quicker and more efficient for users.
Ruan dos Reis Alves, Superintendent of Commercial Management at Equatorial, highlights the positive impact of these innovations:
The inclusion of methods such as Pix and credit cards, as well as the optimization of our field operations, has resulted in an approximate 8% reduction in service disconnections due to non-payment. Our goal is to continue expanding these facilities to benefit our entire customer base.
Neoenergia, on its end, has also embraced digital modernization as a key strategy to combat delinquency. Gabriel Ribeiro, Delinquency Reduction Strategy Manager at the group, underscores the importance of combining technological innovation with active communication:
The success of these new methods lies in the effective integration of service digitalization and increased consumer banking. We also implement special conditions and proactive communication to encourage payment regularization through our digital platforms.
One notable innovation from both companies is the transformation of the meter reader's role, now equipped with mobile devices to collect payments on the spot. This not only facilitates real-time payments but also allows for on-site financial advising.
However, Ripper notes that full adoption of these innovations still faces significant challenges:
Distributors are currently utilizing only about 10% of the potential offered by payment digitalization. It is necessary to accelerate the pace of change and overhaul internal incentive systems, rewarding not service disconnections, but the effective recovery of revenue.
Ultimately, the message is clear: for distributors, it is significantly more profitable and efficient to collect bills via digital methods than to execute service cuts, which are costly and risky.
Digital payment innovation, therefore, stands out as a strategic tool essential not only for reducing delinquency but also for boosting operational efficiency and enhancing the consumer experience.
