How customers can set up direct debit in the customer portal (term based)

How customers can set up direct debit in the customer portal (term-based)

First Class's direct debit integration with Ezidebit allows your customers to easily "self-serve" when it comes to setting up direct debit payment plans.

Below are instructions on how customers can set up a direct debit plan via their customer portal or via the online booking link.

Setting up direct debit via an online booking (First time)

If you are using online bookings, customers can set up a direct debit plan on checkout by selecting the direct debit payment type. 

If the direct debit payment type is not set up on your account please contact support@memberretentionsystems.com

When selecting the direct debit payment type the customer will be able to select their preferred debit frequency based on your available options.

Additional frequency options can be set up in your account payment settings.

The customer will then be directed to an Ezidebit EDDR form (Direct debit request) where they can enter their preferred payment method for the direct debit (Credit card or bank)

When the customer completes the form, their payment plan will be established and shown on their customer profile under the direct debit tab as well as on the Ezidebit report.

Invoices that have been scheduled for payment via direct debit will go into a "scheduled" status until the payment plan is complete.

The direct debit payment arrangement will schedule the first payment of the agreement to start on the same day.

Eg. If it is September 2nd, and the customer chooses a monthly instalment plan, they will have 3 payments scheduled across the following dates

1. September 2nd

2. October 2nd

3. November 2nd

Keep in mind, debits are only taken on business days so these dates may vary slightly if they happen to fall on a weekend.

Re-enrolling and setting up a direct debit for a new term

If you require customers to re-enrol at the start of each term, and they have previously established their direct debit authority, they can simply choose the direct debit payment type option on check out and the system will automatically schedule the debits for their new term enrolments.

If you are using a rollover method where you roll over bookings from the previous term, customers can go into their portal, go to my payments, and select the direct debit option when paying their invoices.

Paying an additional invoice via direct debit

There may be instance where a customer has a direct debit authority and you have created an extra enrolment on their behalf via the admin scheduling (weekly view). In such cases, an invoice will be raised but despite the customer having a token this invoice will not automatically be turned into a direct debit payment schedule. 

In such cases, the process outlined in the previous section also applies. The customer can go into their web portal, go to my payments, click and choose the direct debit option to create a direct debit payment schedule for that invoice. 

NOTE: The facility to submit an invoice to be turned into a direct debit schedule is only available via the web portal. This function is coming soon to the First Class app.

Other options

Setting up direct debit via the established direct debit email

You may wish to assist a customer in setting up a direct debit authority by sending them a direct link via email.

You can do this by using the establish direct debit button found on the customer profile (found bottom left corner)

This will email them a link where they can fill out their direct debit authority.

NOTE: This will not set up a payment arrangement, it will only establish them as "direct debit ready" 

Setting up a direct debit via the create schedule page- See here 

Often for term-based operators, if you have rolled over the term, you may also roll over direct debits on behalf of the customers.

You can do this via the schedule Ezidebit page.

These are your back-end controls for establishing direct debit plans.

You can read more about this feature via the link below.

https://memberretentionsystems.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/51000430611-how-to-create-a-direct-debit-schedule