Automated billing systems can & should be designed so they are easier to understand & use. There are several reasons to consider improving a billing system

- Fewer questions for customer service & means the cost of customer service goes down.

- The number or errors made by customers is reduced.

- Time taken to resolve conflicts is reduced - again cutting the cost of customer service.

- Fewer errors means few conflicts with customers so customers think more positively about the company.

- Design clarity causes customers to think more positively about the company

- Customer retention is increased. Customer 'Churn' is reduced.

- Company branding is enhanced.

The primary impediment to a project such as this is the seriousness if something goes wrong for customers.

This concern is proper but it should not stop a project.

Proper testing of the design & of the billing system itself can be done.

Once sufficient testing is done the system can be deployed to a limited set of customers for 2-3 billing periods.

If this is a success then the new system can take over from the old & the benefits of the new system can begin to pay dividends.