Transparency for consumers
- Closed systems. Such systems inform a consumer about a debt at the same time the service is terminated because of a debt. It is impossible to learn about amount of a debt via Internet. On revising a user gets the balance list of account which he does not understand or gets nothing. The efficiency of such systems to collect money for utility services is very low, users are reluctant to pay for debts because they cannot understand how this debt appeared
- Partially closed systems. Such systems differ from closed ones because they have personal accounts where users can see meters measurements, their payments and balance list. A virtual calculator built-in the Internet browser operating separately from the billing system helps to calculate a debt. The user will see information on funds paid via Internet on his account in several days after payment is made.
- Open (transparent) systems. Here a user has full access via Internet to the billing system of a service provider. The system generates a customer book for a user, gives detailed information about accruals (consumed service). On inputting readings from meters by a user the system performs real-time calculations and generates a bill. When a user pays via Internet the system instantly shows the paid amount on the user's account and recalculate the amount due to be paid for consumed services.