Payment in message dialog - why integrated payment solutions are more than just "Checkout"
- espenstoraas
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
A modern, scalable and customer-centric payment flow directly where the customer already is
Payment should not be a stopping point in the customer journey, but a natural extension of the conversation. With today's mobile habits and expectations for seamless experiences, customers want to be able to complete their purchase where they are already – in the dialogue with you as a customer communicator or service provider .
At Target365, we have been working for many years on message dialogs that actually work in practice – from reminders and authentication to orders and transactions.
Integrated payment solutions build on this experience: it's not just about technology, but about user experience, conversion and trust at the moment the customer decides to make a purchase .
Multiple payment methods - flexibility for customers
Today's payment ecosystem encompasses multiple payment preferences and contexts :
Strex Payment – mobile-based payment linked to mobile number - owned by Telenor, Telia and ICE. Often used where the customer needs to easily pay for digital services, tickets, parking, donations or TV votes.
Vipps – one of Norway's most used mobile payment methods, known for its high user-friendliness and wide adoption.
Card payment – standard card solutions with a focus on security and automation, suitable for both one-time purchases and subscriptions.
Google Pay & Apple Pay – mobile wallet solutions that provide fast, secure and seamless payments via Android and iOS.
Klarna – flexible payment options such as “buy now, pay later”, partial payment or direct payment.
This variety makes it possible to offer a payment experience that suits the customer, not just the product – and that facilitates higher conversion and greater customer satisfaction.
When the customer must not leave the conversation
The best user experience occurs when we remove the classic “go to checkout” barrier. By allowing the customer to complete the payment without leaving the context, friction is dramatically reduced.
In an RCS dialog, for example, Strex payment is in a special position. Here, the customer can approve a purchase directly in the dialog thread, i.e. Zero-friction payment . If the customer chooses Vipps, however, the user is transferred to the Vipps app and must manually navigate back afterwards. Although this can be supported with a receipt message in the RCS dialog, the experience will never be as seamless as when everything happens in one place.
More than just technology - an integral part of the customer journey
We rarely approach payment without context; the customer has already engaged in a dialogue, whether to get information, order a service, or confirm an agreement. Payment integrated into this dialogue means that the customer's mindset is already right – and then it is easier to get execution.
It's not just about faster payment , but also about:
Security and compliance – ensuring data management and correct execution.
Scalability – handle increasing volume and new forms of payment and dialogue.
User experience – fewer steps, less friction, higher trust.
Why this matters now
The mobile payments market is constantly growing, and customers today expect payment experiences that are fast, intuitive, and integrated. By combining dialogue and payment – whether via SMS, RCS, or the messaging apps customers use – you meet customer expectations in the middle of the customer journey, not at the end of it.
For businesses this means:
Increased completion and lower dropout rates upon payment.
Improved customer satisfaction , because the experience feels natural and seamless.
Better data and insight from the entire dialogue and payment flow, which provides a better basis for personalization and further customer dialogue.
Many people perceive integrated payment solutions as a “hot new thing.” But in reality, it’s about bridging the gap between dialogue and action in a way that’s intuitive for customers – and robust for the business. That’s where the value lies: customers who actually complete the purchase because the experience feels simple and natural, and the customer is “taken care of” after the purchase as well. There’s no better advertisement than a happy customer.
At the same time, it is worth remembering: the market is developing , and customers want freedom of choice. Vipps, cards and Strex (mobile payments) are still very strong in Norway and the Nordic region – this will change continuously, in the same way that you must support the dialogue channel that the individual customer prefers, you must continuously support the payment channels that your customers want to use.
Would you like a free assessment of how you can improve payment in the message dialog? Feel free to contact us.
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