ABSTRACT:

Customers have the potential of playing an important role in the control of computerized billing systems. Yet, the extent to which they are experiencing billing errors, their beliefs about the accuracy of computerized statements, and the level of their involvement in monitoring computerized statements have not received much attention in the literature. This study, based on the responses of over 1,200 customers, reveals that over 80 percent of the respondents believe that computerized billing systems are either as accurate or more accurate than manual systems, despite the fact that almost 50 percent experienced a billing error in the past year. The study also reveals a high level of customer involvement and interest in monitoring the computerized statements they receive. Results of the study suggest that organizations should encourage and facilitate customer involvement as an additional means of insuring the reliability of computerized billing systems. Several specific suggestions are offered, based on conclusions drawn from the study.