adminNgoni Dapira Business Correspondent
THE country’s leading mobile phone services providers, Econet Wireless, last Thursday launched its vehicle tracking system in Mutare. The launch is aimed at expanding the company’s massive investment in the transport and infrastructure sector. Econet Wireless sales manager Mr Robson Mafongoya said the system, Econet Connected Car, has fleet management services, management reports, points of interest, roaming, vehicle recovery and on-board diagnostic ports, among many others.
However, businesspeople in Mutare called for the need to have coherent pricing in business, taking into consideration the current environment of low business uptake and liquidity crisis in the country.
Transport operator Mr Blessing Madziro said there was need to lower the installation fees to draw clients to such innovative technological systems.
“We appreciate the innovation of the Econet Connected Car, but we also need you to be realistic about the pricing. The liquidity crisis in the country is dire and business uptake is low so every dollar spent counts.
“So, for you to get a favourable response I feel the $100 installation fee should be revised,” said Mr Madziro.
The service costs $100 per car as installation fees and monthly service fee of $20.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, another transport operator, Mr Lloyd Mapunga, echoed the same sentiments and said the cost of tracking should not be so hefty that one feels the pinch on the monthly overheads.
“This is a security measure which one can do without in the transport business, so if it becomes too costly transport operators will consider the opportunity cost of operating without the device regardless of its handiness,” said Mr Mapunga.
Mutare Bottling Company marketing services manager Mr Tariro Maringapasi said for those with large fleets of trucks $100 for installation was costly.
He added that it was important for the device to also detect truck incidences where drivers detach the horse from the trailer, something drivers do sometimes beyond the borders to do piece jobs.
Mr Mafongoya in response said payment plans were available, but disagreed that they were expensive. He cited how their pricing had actually been radically reduced compared to some established players charging as high as $300 per car for installation.
He added that the Connected Car concept was the beginning of their expansion to connect all aspects of people’s lives as the world goes hi-tech and inter-connected through satellite systems and smart phones.
“This is the first from a very wide range of products that will offer our customers what we call connected lifestyles by ensuring that everything is connected as we will offer customers an unparalleled, personal, spontaneous, effortless, and instant ability to remote control, monitor, manage, protect and maintain their various assets,” said Mr Mafongoya.
He added that the Connected Car facility would provide 24/7 service to their clients and convenience those in the transport business through their live tracking device and international data roaming for the transport operators that export goods beyond the borders.
“Our system is as foolproof as humanly possible, but as Econet we thrive on innovation and will always try to be innovative to beat the modifications with time,” said Mr Mafongoya.
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