FNB, WUC introduce self-service payment system
First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has partnered with Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) to develop the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) self service platform that allows customers to access WUC services through cellphones.
Launching the service on Tuesday, WUC Chief Executive Mmetla Masire explained that it offers customers the opportunity to pay for their water bill from the convenience of any location and it is accessible from all mobile devices across all cellular networks and WUC website.
“As an organisation in business, we are customer centric and strive to be abreast with information Technology developments for customers’ convenience hence we came up with these self service platform for our customers,” said Masire.
He said the collaboration solidifies their transformation journey from over the counter transactions to seamless self-service at customer’s convenience. “For me, this empowers water users with the much needed unlimited access to WUC services,” said Masire. The service is available to all WUC customers, even if they don’t bank with FNB. To use the service, customers are required to disclose the following: card number, Card Verification Value (CVV) number and card expiry date as well as customer and contract numbers with WUC. Users can also report issues such as leakages and enquire on outstanding bill statements. On the mobile phone, the service is available through the code: *186# and the service is accessible from all mobile devices across all cellular networks. The service is also available on the WUC website.
Masire also highlighted that WUC and FNB come a long way together as they partnered together with the German International Cooperation (GIZ) on a water conservation and water loss project in Gaborone, Mochudi and Lobatse named Somarela Thothi.
“This was successful as water conservation and water losses were reduced significantly saving 2.74 million cubic meters per annum. This translates to three percent of the total volume of water supplied annually,” said Masire.
For his part, FNB Chief Executive Officer, Steven Bogatsu said the partnership between FNB and WUC provides WUC with a cost effective revenue collection by bridging the gap between the payee and the payer. “From a management accounting perspective, it will also be easy for WUC to reconcile bill payments, a development we are proud to be a part of,” he said.