Three of SA`s leading brands - Telkom, Vodacom and Absa - have entered into a strategic alliance that is expected to see the development and marketing of innovative communications and banking solutions.
While this is not an exclusive arrangement between the three parties, the alliance is intended to grow the customer base of each company through the cross-selling and up-selling of their different products and services to each other`s subscriber base.
The three companies, in their own right, offer lifestyle products and services to residential customers and business solutions to the small, micro, medium and large business. The alliance creates a competitive opportunity within the marketplace, through the bundling of unique products and services that will suit different customer profiles and offer real value for money.
"Telkom is very excited to be part of this alliance, and it is likely to bring significant benefits for our customers as we harness the synergies of each partner and develop innovative solutions," said Telkom`s Managing Executive of Corporate and Global Markets, Randall Seidl.
Working teams representing product development and communication have already been established, and the alliance is expected to retain a competitive first-to-market advantage.
"In Telkom`s case, we will be looking at customising a range of products and services and bundling these with complementary services from our partners. We`re covering a number of market segments by focusing on data services (ISDN and ADSL), value-added services (VAS), Smartmoves, Telkom Internet services (fixed and satellite), PrepaidFone, Phonecards, PABXs, Primenet and fixed-mobile solutions," said Seidl.
Vodacom and Absa have already launched a location-based service where the bank`s customers can locate the nearest branch or ATM using their cellphones.
Mthobi Tyamzashe, Vodacom`s Group Executive - Corporate Affairs, said: "For us this partnership is about translating the technological convergence between telecommunications and banking into practical value-adding services to benefit our customers."
Absa Group Executive Director, Louis Von Zeuner, said corporate social investment (CSI) had always formed part of Absa`s business model. "This alliance creates opportunities for further social investment, procurement and delivery of products and services that are not only affordable but are also customer centric in nature, in line with our quest to give back to our communities. Black economic empowerment (BEE) and future Pan-African expansions are some of the joint initiatives that are part of the alliances focus area," he said.
The foundations of the alliance companies have already forged a partnership to drive CSI in the ICT sector, having pledged an initial R1.5 million annually to maths and science education and sector-related social upliftment projects.
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