The Seoul Metropolitan Government revealed on October 30 that 5,980 citizens had signed up for its text-based water bill notification system as of the end of September. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul Metropolitan Government revealed on October 30 that 5,980 citizens had signed up for its text-based water bill notification system as of the end of September.
The paperless initiative was rolled out in June and provides those registered with relevant information regarding their water bill, such as the amount used, amount owed, payment methods and a bank account number for wire transfers.
The city sees the move as a win-win for both citizens and public servants; besides the environmental benefits of reducing the use of paper, the texts make life more convenient, and the city does not have to deal with the inefficiencies that arise from physical mail delivery such as delays and undelivered bills.
Those who sign up also have the advantage of checking their bills at least a week earlier than others relying on the traditional snail-mail system. (Image: Yonhap)
Those who sign up also have the advantage of checking their bills at least a week earlier than others relying on the traditional snail-mail system.
Building on its text-based system, Seoul intends to begin offering the same service via online web chat platforms like Kakao Talk by the end of next year. As such platforms reveal the identity of the person or organization that texts someone, the city believes they carry the bonus of encouraging greater trust in the system.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
