The vast majority of charities (96%) are keen to pilot mobile payment donation technology, according to VocaLink’s research study, ‘Using Mobile Payments to Drive Charitable Donations’. Respondents to the study stated that mobile payments can alleviate their biggest challenges, which include rising administration costs and an over-reliance on older people to donate.
Following the ongoing debate over what to use to replace cheques, charities are calling for a paper-free alternative to current donation methods to make it easier for people to donate, and to make donations far simpler and cost effective for charities to manage.
Adam Kennedy, product director, global transaction services at VocaLink, said: “As an important stakeholder in the changing payments landscape in the UK, we felt it was worthwhile researching the donation needs of the third sector. Our findings dispel the myth that charities aren’t open to new technologies and demonstrate the demand for more innovative payment solutions that are easier and more cost effective to manage.
“We are currently investigating the best ways to support financial service providers in the delivery of mobile payments. There is a significant opportunity for banks to capitalise on the payment infrastructures already in place and make mobile payments a reality for UK charities and, indeed, all consumers and businesses.”