Few reactions
Experts see RTP as a potential revolution in the European payments market. However, the participants for the revolution have been lacking so far. Efforts to launch products based on RTP are hardly discernible. The question arises as to the reason for this reluctance. Are financial institutions worried about a lack of demand? Is the implementation too complicated or too expensive for them? And what can help financial institutions if they want to launch SRTP products?
There is no lack of interest
The demand is there among the ultimate addressees, i.e. the private and corporate customers of the banks, at least on the business customer side. A survey by the European Banking Association (EBA) in cooperation with PPI clearly shows this. Regardless of which potential application scenario European companies were asked about, the willingness to use RTP in their own company was generally well over 80, sometimes over 90 per cent.
Manageable effort
Of course, a new payments standard does not come for free and cannot be implemented overnight. If a corresponding project is approached with the classic waterfall methodology, a duration of 18 to 24 months is to be expected. With modern means such as agile development, however, this period can be shortened. The key is to have a clear strategic idea of what an RTP product should be able to do. Furthermore, it must fit into the long-term business plans of the financial institution. The actual costs depend on the specific circumstances. But they are likely to be similar to those of an instant payments introduction. Institutions that have already introduced this service have advantages, because some of the important aspects for RTP have already been taken care of. They then only have to apply about 30 to 40 per cent of the mentioned cost framework.
In any case, the investment should pay for itself quite soon. After all, RTP products and services strengthen customer loyalty and can help institutions win back market shares. Especially since at least no major player has yet announced plans to enter the RTP market.
Launch the first projects soon
Financial service providers should definitely take advantage of this. Minimum Viable Products (MVP) are suitable for a quick market entry. An alternative is cooperation with one or more business customers. Companies in particular should have a strong interest in RTP, as the use of the standard can save considerable sums in billing process costs.
Sooner or later, an entire product world will emerge around RTP – that much is foreseeable! Institutions that enter the new market early on can look forward to this development with joyful anticipation. We are happy to support financial service providers with the implementation. We have summarised the basics in the latest white paper "How Request to Pay becomes a success story for financial service providers", which is available for free download here.
Authors: Eric Waller, Anuschka Clasen