Telkom will also be rewarding its customers with Data when they use T-kash to pay bills. Payment of monthly utilities such as Nairobi Water, Kenya Power – for both pre-paid and post-paid bills, and to pay-TV platforms such as GoTV, Star Times and Zuku, have been included into this reward bracket. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital financial payments has enabled societies to exchange value with less physical contact. In this regard, digital wallets have gained acceptance as an alternative to cash therefore promoting safer communities and more efficient commercial interactions. Telkom’s Chief Executive Officer, Mugo KIBATI says the technology company is alive to the need for a convenient and secure financial services platform that enables customers to easily send money across networks. “COVID-19 has brought with it heightened cost sensitivities with the discerning customer looking for more value at the best possible price. What T-kash is offering the customer for the next 60 days is a platform that takes away the stress of having to constantly make calculations of how much extra money you will need to successfully make a transaction, in this particular case, sending money.” Telkom is working on further improvements and add-ons to T-kash. These will be announced progressively in the year, notably, to address: distribution and service availability through a growing agent network, as well as the launch of additional customer channels that will enhance the financial services experience. “We have been collating feedback from our customers that has informed the immediate next steps, with respect to the desired T-kash customer experience: simplicity, affordability and availability,” adds KIBATI. Financial services, partnerships and digitisation form part of Telkom’s focus areas. In this strategic direction, Telkom seeks to enrich its financial services offering to reflect evolving customer demands. Recently, the company announced its partnership with the Ministry of ICT’s National Youth Council of Kenya (NYCK), to co-create FURSA, an e-wallet that will open up a portfolio of financial opportunities to the youth in Kenya and more so at the grassroots levels. The objective is to increase the youth’s resilience in the midst of physical and infrastructural barriers that obstruct their access to financial services and products. “Telkom’s Digital Financial Services function is now focused on strategic and deliberate partnerships for impact, in line with our brand’s over-arching focus areas. Our partnership with the NYCK is a clear indicator that more can be done to advance the financial inclusion of our youth. Further digitisation and investment in the mobile money ecosystem will help address a crisis that has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” adds KIBATI. Telkom customers can sign up for T-kash after registration at an authorised agent, upon which the service menus will be shared. The T-kash menu can be accessed through USSD by dialing *160# or via DSTK.
