We often talk about customer experience in terms of speed, convenience, and personalization. But many programs ignore these concepts at the big moment, the one that touches trust, dignity, and emotion, the reward.
A payment type forced on a consumer regardless of their preference. Today’s consumers want choice in everything, and payments are no exception. Many younger consumers prefer digital banking alternatives, such as PayPal and Venmo. Your older consumers may find comfort in a check. A Gen Xer might want an Amazon Gift Card. But you spend all this time and effort running a program, just to send everyone a… check.
Consumers don’t just expect modern payments. They need them. Because how you pay someone says everything about how much you value them.
Whether you're a utility, a brand, or a benefits provider, it’s time to recognize that payments are personal. And they need to feel that way.
Payouts Are the Proof Point
At Choice Digital, we’ve long believed that payments aren’t just transactions—they’re trust signals. Now, the data backs that up.
According to our recent State of Energy Payments research:
of customers say choice in how they get paid directly increases their satisfaction.
of customers are more likely to participate in programs that offer payout choice.
of customers want their deposits back the next day and they want them digitally.
The Hidden Cost of Outdated Payouts
The best operational teams in the world still need tools that support their work. That’s why we build product features that reinforce consistency, catch errors before they happen, and make complex decisions repeatable.
Delays and limited options erode trust, especially among digitally-native, lower-income, or underbanked populations.
Paper checks come with real costs, up to 10% of face value in check-cashing fees (41% of consumers have paid a fee to cash a check at least some of the time).
Missed brand moments, your name doesn’t show up on a third-party card or back-end reimbursement.
In contrast, companies that modernize their payments unlock a better customer experience and better business results. Our partners at SoCalGas eliminated over 50,000 paper checks annually while driving an 81% satisfaction rate with modern payouts. Franklin Energy cut 30% of payment costs and unlocked $1M+ in projected new revenue, all by putting the customer first.
From Behavior Design to Behavior Reinforcement
Whether you're encouraging energy efficiency, customer loyalty, or on-time participation, modern payments aren’t just operational, they’re behavioral. The payout is when a customer feels seen, rewarded, and respected. It’s when all your investment in outreach and engagement pays off, literally.
That’s why more brands are turning to Choice Digital. We help forward-thinking organizations:
Offer Choice: from PayPal and Venmo to digital cards, ACH, and more.
Deliver Speed: same-day payments that meet modern expectations.
Ensure Equity: reaching underbanked and underserved consumers with dignity.
Provide Visibility: branded disbursements and real-time tracking for both customer and company.
The Takeaway
You’ve modernized your marketing. You’ve personalized your programs. Now it’s time to rethink how you pay. Because in a world that moves in real time, nothing breaks the experience like an outdated payment. And nothing builds trust faster than one that meets the personal preference of your customer and works exactly how they want it to.
Let’s make payouts a competitive advantage.
Let’s make payments a moment of satisfaction, not frustration.
Let’s modernize disbursements.
