First National Bank has quietly started to sell Vodago airtime packages at its non-cash services terminals countrywide.
FNB customers may have been surprised to see the Vodacom logo on the banks non-cash machines. On closer inspection, the notice proclaims "Vodago recharge vouchers sold here." FNB calls it transactional banking.
The sale of Vodago airtime vouchers went live at 46 BOB CATs, as the non-cash touch screen machines are known, around the country during last week. Clients choose one of the three available values and the amount is deducted directly from the client`s account. At present, the service is available to FNB customers only.
"We are testing customer reaction," says FNB public relations officer William Ramwell. "If it goes well we will look to expanding the range of non-banking online services we can offer."
Electronic cellular pre-paid vouchers have been available for some time. The client receives a number and phones this through to his service provider to "top up" the card. The FNB terminals provide these numbers on printed slips.
The service is provided in conjunction with Teljoy, to whom FNB sold the Vodacom portion of its Firstcall customer base two years ago.
According to Ramwell, the service is part of a strategy to wean users from regular ATMs by providing added customer convenience. "We want people to use the BOB CATs for functions like account payments. The more services we offer, the more people will use it for all their non-cash transactions." He says that the non-cash machines are not being utilised to their full capacity.
Vodacom spokesperson Joan Joffe says trials are being conducted, but did not have further details available.
FNB has previously had a similar pilot operation, with freestanding terminals offering movie tickets in conjunction with Computicket and Ster-Kinekor. The pilot never progressed to a full-scale operation.
No sales figures for the recharge vouchers are available at this stage.
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