Clickatell, a business messaging and chat commerce leader, has launched a Chat 2 Pay feature for Telkom, South Africa's largest integrated communications company. Telkom's customers can now pay their phone bills, recharge, and buy new service bundles through WhatsApp, thanks to this new feature. The move comes in response to the growing demand for digital, self-help services that are safe and effortless.
Telkom's chatbot already provides customers with mobile support by giving them access to their accounts and billing information. Sales deals are also made accessible for viewing, and upgrades, cancellations, and directory inquiries can be made. The addition of the Chat 2 Pay feature will allow customers to benefit from convenient and personalized services for bill payments and VAS top-ups using regular debit and credit cards from providers such as Mastercard and Visa.
To use the Chat 2 Pay feature, Telkom users must initiate a menu selection to generate a payment request, after which they will receive a link to a hosted checkout page via WhatsApp. The user can then securely input their payment details, which will be followed by a confirmation and receipt of the chat message.
"Telkom continues to look at ways to advance our customers' digital experiences, and our digital channels are core for future delivery," said Gugu Mthembu, CMO at Telkom. "Chat 2 Pay helps us optimize our payment channels and payment collection. What's more, the ease and availability of VAS services are expected to further boost revenue opportunities."
Lindemann, a representative of Clickatell, stated that "with 93% of conversations transpiring on Clickatell's Chat Commerce Platform and ending in a transaction, Chat Commerce, including Chat 2 Pay, is especially relevant for telcos that are looking for new revenue channels and better efficiencies. Chat Commerce doesn't just respond to your customer's needs; it fulfills many of your shareholders' needs too."
The Chat to Pay feature on WhatsApp is expected to improve Telkom's payment channels and the collection as well as boost revenue opportunities. Clickatell's Chat Commerce platform is expected to provide Telkom with new revenue channels and better efficiencies, given that the vast majority of conversations on the platform end in a transaction.
Telkom is not the only telecoms company to embrace the use of chat commerce and messaging platforms to provide customers with self-help services. MTN Nigeria, for instance, launched its MoMo Agent chatbot service last year, which allows customers to initiate transactions via messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
In conclusion, the launch of the Chat to Pay feature by Clickatell for Telkom is a significant development in the telecommunications sector in South Africa. It is expected to make it easier and more convenient for Telkom's customers to pay their bills, recharge, and buy new service bundles, and is an example of how chat commerce and messaging platforms can be used to improve customer experiences and drive business growth.
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