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TELECEL Zimbabwe will be issuing float capital loans to both new and existing agents as it also introduce 10 new franchise stores across the country in a bid to expand its mobile network’s retail footprint through a new franchise model designed to meet increasing customer service needs.
Telecel’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Nkosinathi Ncube, said the retail expansion initiative would bring added convenience to Telecel customers and would be part of the company’s multi-channel customer experience strategy which would also include the rapid roll out of kiosks to complement existing retail infrastructure.
“These franchise shops are Telecel’s way of including locals in our business ecosystem which will empower local entrepreneurs in these tough economic times.
“During a franchise business partnership, Telecel takes care of setup costs which are usually a barrier for most people wanting to go into business”, said Mr Ncube.
The franchise initiative has already targeted rural and peri-urban centres which include Rusape, Gutu, Chiredzi, Norton, Gokwe and major cities like Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare with more expected to be commissioned.
The new franchise model will be different from the already existing model of Telecel agents in that this time the agents will have access to all Telecel products and its customer accounts which means the agent will not have to call the Telecel Call Centre for inquiries on sim card connections as the whole database will be at their disposal.
Telecel will train all its agents in this new franchise model.
Telecel Head of Mobile Financial Services, Mr Arthur Matsaudza, said the idea to assist its mobile money agents by providing float loans was meant to provide convenience into the financial services and means of business having realised that most of the agents were affected by the liquidity crunch currently bedevilling the economy hence the need to bail them out.
He said Telecel’s mobile money service has pocketed more than $100 million in its first year and was currently projected to have an increase of more than 50 percent in its current second year and increase on their 6 000 active agents.
“In our first year we pocketed more than $100 million, obviously from a second year perspective we hope to gain by 50 percent increase, but mobile money is unpredictable as we approach the last quarter of our financial year, we might get to 100 percent. It actually shows the market is hungry for a solution that is affordable,” he said.
“We are going to be issuing float capital or loans to our agents in a drive to assure confidence to our valued customers, any agent who currently is operating with us and obviously any new potential agent that has capability to serve our brand is eligible to acquire our loans,” he added.
Online Reporter