Shoprite Checkers has joined forces with Prism Holdings, the JSE-listed secure electronic transaction technologies and services company, to make it easier and more convenient for SA consumers to pay utility and other bills.
The companies have jointly launched Prism`s EasyPay payment service at Shoprite Checkers Money Market Kiosks and Hyperama outlets nationwide, opening up over 350 additional payment points to the consumer.
Carel Goosen, Deputy MD for Shoprite Checkers, says: "The overall focus surrounding our customer service strategy is to make our stores the only stop that the consumer has to make.
"Shoppers use The Money Market Kiosks for a number of daily tasks - account payments being one of the most important."
Mike Smith, CEO of Prism TranSwitch Services (PTSS), the transaction processing subsidiary of Prism Holdings which developed and maintains the EasyPay service, says South African consumers are switching rapidly to this cheap and convenient way of paying utility and other bills.
When EasyPay was launched in 1992, it initially enabled Cape Town residents only to pay their city municipality accounts at a single retail group. Today, it handles around one million bill payment transactions every month for the majority of the country`s municipalities as well as other service providers such as Telkom, Eskom and the SABC.
Consumers can pay any bill using the EasyPay service if there is an EasyPay logo or a (chevron) sign on the bottom of their regular account statement. Consumers can go to any EasyPay payment point - including those at Shoprite Checkers and Hyperama - and pay their accounts using cash, credit cards or cheques.
EasyPay payments can also be made at Pick `n Pay stores nationally, selected Engen Quick Shops via 24-hour TranZact kiosks (bank cards only), selected Spar outlets; Foodworld, Saveworld and Hypersavers stores. Alternatively, consumers can pay their bills without leaving their homes by calling the VoicePorte Call Centre on 083 123 9000 or via the Internet at www.easypay.co.za.
EasyPay technology is also being used by the UK-based PayShop bill payment service, which is spearheading the technology internationally. Having established its first service in Portugal earlier this year, PayShop is now planning to move into other European countries, South America and Japan.
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