Smart links are URL links to PayNearMe’s Consumer Portal where consumers can make payments or create and manage their own autopay schedules. Smart links can be sent via email or text message or copied into a client's chat application. Additionally, agents can opt to send Smart Links that put consumers into a specific payment method flow (e.g., debit card, bank account, Google Pay, Apple Pay, cash, etc.) or send consumers a link that enables them to choose their own payment method.

Smart Links empower your customers to self-serve their payments on their own schedule and on any device — no app download required. By delivering a personalized, encrypted payment URL via email or SMS, you can dramatically increase your payment acceptance rates while reducing inbound call volume.

Choosing the Payment Experience

Clients have the option to send consumers into the standard PayNearMe payment flow where the consumer chooses the type of payment (i.e., one-time or scheduled) and the payment method, or to send consumers into the one-time payment flow of a specific payment method, which reduces complexity by simplifying the tokenization and payment process. In addition to reducing confusion and call time, payment method-specific Smart Links can help route consumers into a preferred payment flow that aligns with your program requirements or business rules. For example, a debit card flow tied to a fee structure, or a wallet flow chosen for the lower decline rate. When the link matches what the agent has instructed, consumers are more likely to successfully complete tokenization and payment.

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Enablement Required

The payment method-specific Smart Link feature must be enabled by your PayNearMe Technical Account Manager (TAM). The preferred payment methods must be specified within your configuration. Available payment methods include the following:

• Debit Card
• Credit Card
• Bank Account
• Cash
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• PayPal
• Venmo
• Cash App Pay

The availability of these options depends on the type of payment (e.g., credit cards cannot be used for debt repayment) and the payment methods that your site supports. For more information, contact your PayNearMe TAM.

Once your PayNearMe TAM enables payment method-specific Smart Links for your site, you'll see a Send Smart Link dropdown button in your Agent Interface configuration where you can select the preferred payment method.

After selecting the preferred payment method, you can then click the Email (Ctrl + E), Text (Ctrl + I) , or Copy Link (Ctrl + S) buttons to send the payment method-specified Smart Link to the consumer. Keyboard shortcuts for these functions are also supported.

When consumers click the Smart Link, they're taken to the "Add Payment Method" screen in the Consumer Portal where they can add their card, bank account, or wallet details for tokenization. NOTE: Mobile wallet payment methods are added/tokenized after consumers submit the payment in the Consumer Portal and log into their wallet accounts.

Leave the Send Smart Link option selected to send consumers into the default Consumer Portal payment flow where they can choose their preferred payment method.

Emailing a Smart Link

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Emailing Smart Links

Emailed Smart Links are sent to the email address that displays in the Customer Email field in the Contact Information box on the consumer’s Account page. If an email address has not been provided by the consumer, the Agent Interface grays out the option to email the Smart Link.

To email a Smart Link to a consumer, access the Account page and either click the Email button next to the Send Smart Link section or use the Ctrl+E keyboard shortcut. If using a payment method-specific Smart Link, be sure the select the type of payment method from the Send Smart Link dropdown menu.

The Agent Interface emails the Smart Link to the consumer and then displays a message indicating whether or not the message was successfully sent.

The consumer receives the following email.

If the Smart Link was payment method-specific, clicking the Pay Now button opens the "Add Payment Method" screen of the Consumer Portal where the consumer can add a payment method and then make a one-time payment. If a payment method was not specified, the Pay Now button opens the Consumer Portal where the consumer can make a one-time payment or set up an autopay schedule using the payment method of their choice.

Texting a Smart Link

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Texting Smart Links

Texted Smart Links are sent to the mobile phone number that displays in the Customer Mobile Phone field in the Contact Information box on the consumer’s Account page. If a mobile phone number has not been provided by the consumer, the Agent Interface grays out the option to text the Smart Link.

To text a Smart Link to a consumer, access the Account page and either click the Text button next to the Send Smart Link section or use the Ctrl+I keyboard shortcut. If using a payment method-specific Smart Link, be sure the select the type of payment method from the Send Smart Link dropdown menu.

The Agent Interface texts the Smart Link to the consumer and then displays a message indicating whether or not the message was successfully sent.

The consumer receives the following text message.

If the Smart Link was payment method-specific, clicking the link opens the "Add Payment Method" screen of the Consumer Portal where the consumer can add a payment method and then make a one-time payment. If a payment method was not specified, the link opens the Consumer Portal where the consumer can make a one-time payment or set up an autopay schedule using the payment method of their choice.

Copying a Smart Link

For agents that are chat-based, they can send the Smart Link directly to the consumer by copying the link and pasting it into a chat application. To copy a Smart Link, access the consumer’s Account page and either click the Copy Link button next to the Send Smart Link section or use the Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut. If using a payment method-specific Smart Link, be sure the select the type of payment method from the Send Smart Link dropdown menu.

The Agent Interface copies the Smart Link to your computer’s clipboard so you can paste it into your chat with the consumer or read back the shortened link to the consumer on the phone.