MTN Group Limited, said that it has begun the "world first" WhatsApp channel that allows customers to buy airtime and data bundles.
With customers able to purchase them through the messaging app, the company's GM Gareth Murphy said that he wants MTN's services to be more convenient by providing a better customer experience.
"It’s no secret that the telecommunications sector, around the world, has not excelled at this and we want to change that at MTN," said Murphy.
"Simple solutions that are easy to use, and which fit neatly into our customer’s lives, will help be a great differentiator for us."
Using this channel, customers can also check their balances and store their credit or debit cards in the app for future purchases.
The service by MTN is made possible with the help of another company that has a global reach, Clickatell.
The company is a WhatsApp Business Solution provider. Founded in Cape Town in 2000, it claims to be have developed the worlds' first SMS API, helping businesses to communicate using the standardized communication protocols.
Murphy further stated that the service should enhance customers overall digital experience.
"People don’t want to have to call a call center, they want control and this solution puts the control squarely in the hands of the consumer. We understand which social media platforms the majority of our customers use and how much time they spend on them – so we’re taking the solution there."
In South Africa, the Facebook-owned WhatsApp is extremely popular.
With the population of 58 million, 49 percent of the country's 38 million mobile subscribers are already using the messaging app, according to the Digital in 2018 in Southern Africa report by Hootsuite and We Are Social, which compiles statistics from various sources.
WhatsApp has 1.5 billion global users as of January 2019, according to Statista.
“It’s imperative that companies focus on improving self-service experiences to retain and grow customers and this is an important step for MTN, in addition to what we are doing to upgrade our overall customer journey,” explained Mapula Bodibe, MTN SA’s executive for consumer business.
MTN quotes Gartner research that found 25 percent of customers will use chatbots or virtual customer assistant by 2020 to manage their accounts.
MTN follows Absa, the South African financial services provider, offering personal and business banking, credit cards, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management as well as bancassurance.
Absa is said to have introduced WhatsApp-based “chat banking”.
Though MTN claimed a “world first” in allowing customers to buy airtime via WhatsApp, Absa customers can already do just that via its service.
