Zirtue, the relationship-based lending app with a goal to promote financial inclusion, has announced the launch of their Alternative Payment Solution for businesses.
As mentioned in a release, the solution allows businesses to “utilize Zirtue as a payment option for their customers to pay bills directly through the platform.”
With low or no interest rates along with the ability to obtain a loan without impacting consumers’ credit scores, the Zirtue platform “opens up options for a company’s customers – helping them collect timely payments while keeping consumers out of high-interest debt situations.”
The update also noted that the new feature has been in stealth mode “with Fortune 500 corporate partners in the energy, medical, and telecommunications industries since early 2021 and is now launching the B2B product feature widely.”
For its corporate partners, Zirtue sits “at the nexus between two major pain points: A person needing a financial lifeline to pay their bills and a company struggling with bad debt.”
Corporate partners reportedly use Zirtue’s Alternative Payment Solution to “allow individuals with past-due accounts to request loans from friends or family members in order to pay their bills directly with Zirtue’s patent-pending technology.”
This feature will “help businesses better support their customers and provide a more financially inclusive customer experience with affordable payment options,” the update explained.
Dennis Cail, CEO and Co-founder of Zirtue, stated:
“Zirtue’s Alternative Payment Solution provides a new level of convenience for those who are living in underserved communities and those who are simply struggling to pay their bills due to an unexpected event in their life. As we reinvent lending, borrowing, and bill payments , we are working with our corporate partners to reduce collections and support their customer’s essential needs – like keeping their lights on, having internet at home to complete their studies, or paying for necessary medical procedures.”
Dennis added:
“We are partnering with companies to open up viable payment options for their customers, which in turn, furthers human dignity and financial freedom, while ultimately creating a better customer experience and supporting our partners’ bottom lines.”
Only 39% of Americans are able to afford a $1,000 unexpected expense and over 80 million Americans have had “difficulty paying their bills during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many in dire situations and struggling to make ends meet.”
The Zirtue Alternative Payment Solution will “allow struggling Americans to lean on friends and family when they need it most and give loved ones the confidence that the money borrowed will be used for its intended purpose, increasing their likelihood to loan.” On the Zirtue platform, loans used to pay bills directly are “twice as likely to be approved by loved ones, proving the accountability and trust provided through Zirtue’s Alternative Payment Solution,” the announcement added.
Zirtue simplifies loans between friends, family, and trusted relationships by “turning informal promises into structured agreements and automating the repayment process.”
With their Alternative Payment Solution feature, Zirtue offers further accountability and trust for lenders by “allowing loved ones to send their loan directly to Zirtue’s corporate partners – making loans to loved ones more trustworthy and approachable.”