Courts Customers Can Now Pay their Bills Through M-PAISA
Courts has joined hands with Vodafone Fiji to offer M-PAISA merchant services at all its stores Fiji wide.
Courts is the first Retail Company to offer another purchase and payment option to its customers.
The launched was held at Courts Mega Samabula yesterday
Courts Director Marketing Anil Senewiratne said: “Courts and Vodafone make this easy as the need to carry cash is reduced as a mobile phone would provide the convenience for payment of goods and services.
“There is greater safety for handling and keeping cash as customers can now pay directly to Courts via M-PAISA without the need of handling cash.”
Mr Senewiratne said this was highly accessible to all mobile users on the Vodafone network.
“Value also comes from time and costs saved in using MPAISA compared to the alternatives, easy access to credit and ability to purchase goods that customers would not have ordinarily been able to afford which raises the standards of living,” he said.
“Mobile money transfers mean that the society is beginning to accept the use of alternative methods of payment which are also more efficient, fast and secure. “Days of long wait is now over when Courts accepts payment through M-Paisa with great range, right price, and reliable after sales service”
M-Paisa account
Mr Senewiratne said there is no hassle to open an MPAISA account. As long you have a mobile connection, and you are by default registered for an M-PAISA account. Courts customers can make transactions on their phone at any Courts stores.
Vodafone Head of e-Commerce and Corporate Affairs Shailendra Prasad said they had over 550,000 registered M-PAISA users of whom nearly 100,000 conducted M-PAISA transactions of some sort each month.
“That’s a large base of M-PAiSA users that businesses can no longer ignore if they are to maximise their sales,” he said.
Mr Prasad said since the time of market based trading, money had been the main medium of exchange. “Money however, has changed its form from feathers to shells coins to notes over the years. However, there are many limitations of using cash because of the risks associated with handling cash.
“This is being replaced by plastic cards like the ATM cards but cards will probably have the shortest life span as it is fast being replaced with Mobile payments.”
He said M-PAISA users would now be able to make up to a maximum of $10,000 in direct merchant payment for any purchases at Courts.
Fees
Mr Prasad said the payment via M-PAISA to any outlet of Courts comes free of any charge to the customer. So there is no additional cost to the user to make their Payment via M-PAiSA.
“We have ensured Courts staff are fully trained to assist customers with M-PAiSA payments.
“We are confident that consumers Fiji wide will take advantage of this exclusive offer from Courts Fiji Limited and experience the new way to pay without depending on cash.
“We are very excited about this launch.” Meanwhile, Mr Prasad said in the next two weeks, Vodafone would be introducing its M-PAISA App for smart phone users that will take the M-PAiSA user experience to another level.