It’s Settled: Digital Class Action Payouts Improve Recipient Trust & Satisfaction

70% of respondents agreed that an improved settlement payment process would have positively impacted their overall experience.

CHICAGO & PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Onbe, a leading corporate payouts platform, recently published its Winter 2024 Legal Services and Class Action Payments Survey uncovering the demand for convenient digital payments among class action payout recipients. 80% of respondents stated that receiving a fast and secure digital payout would be more convenient than receiving a check in the mail. When offered digital options, nearly a third of respondents said they would prefer to receive a settlement via payment apps and digital wallets.

54% of respondents are not given a choice of how they receive their settlement payment, creating an opportunity to improve recipient satisfaction and trust by delivering a faster, more convenient and secure payout experience featuring popular payment choices. Onbe’s survey, which polled 577 U.S. consumers who have received a settlement as a result of a class action lawsuit, found that the payment process is currently far from seamless, with many respondents experiencing confusion about when and how they will receive their funds. 55% of respondents questioned the validity of the lawsuit or settlement process for reasons such as a confusing or subpar experience (32%), or errors in the communications they received (21%). By delivering a smoother payment experience with clear branding and communications, brands can rebuild trust with recipients. Leveraging a flexible payouts gateway makes it simple for brands to meet recipients' demand for digital payout options while also reaching recipients around the world with global payment capabilities.

"We’ve found that simplifying and customizing the payment experience, including adding convenient digital payout options, leads to wins for brands, claims administrators and class action claimants,” said Tracy Monson, Chief Product Officer of Onbe. “Payout recipients can enjoy a seamless and secure experience with their choice of popular payment methods, and they’re left with a positive impression of the brand.”

Additional findings from Onbe’s Winter 2024 Legal Services and Class Action Payments Survey include:

• 59% of respondents felt unsure about how or when they’d receive their potential settlement payment.
• When asked what is most important to them when receiving a settlement payout, respondents selected convenience (25%), accuracy (25%) and speed (20%).
• Respondents said they would prefer to receive future digital or electronic settlement payouts via direct deposit (31%), payment app (30%) or a physical or virtual card (30%).

With class action litigation on the rise, being ready to issue payments as quickly and efficiently as possible can help brands and claims administrators stay agile as they meet the growing need to administer settlement funds. Using Onbe’s payout gateway, brands and claims administrators can streamline and automate payments, reduce the risk of fraud and compliance errors associated with checks, leverage global capabilities and provide recipients with a payment experience offering transparency, convenience and closure.

You can learn more about Onbe’s payout solutions here.

About Onbe

With more than 25 years of industry experience and offices in Chicago, Philadelphia and London, Onbe is a fintech that manages and modernizes customer and workforce disbursements for corporate clients ranging from mid-market to the Fortune 500. Onbe’s team of experts and technology platform offers clients a turnkey solution to offload their entire B2C payment operations, relieving them of the cost, complexity and risk that come with orchestrating these payments in-house. Backed by top-tier investors, Onbe delivers on today’s consumer expectations for instant, digital and seamless payments. To learn more, visit www.onbe.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Methodology

The Winter 2024 Legal Services and Class Action Payments Survey is the fifth iteration of Onbe’s monthly payments market research survey. The purpose of this particular survey is to learn how consumers prefer to receive class action settlements and to better understand the challenges they currently face when receiving these payments. Respondents were asked to complete a survey with 21 questions during December of 2023. We received a total of 1,041 responses with a 55% qualifying rate, collected from across the United States and from demographics reflective of national diversity. Respondents must have been at least 18 years of age to qualify for the survey; another piece of qualifying criteria consisted of respondents needing to have received a class action settlement payment.