Introduction:

This case study examines how leading digital communications solutions provider, Grapevine, successfully addressed the challenges faced by a South African financial services company specialising in outsourced retail credit programs. The company aimed to empower its extensive base of over a million cardholders to conveniently set their card PINs and access account balances using a mobile device. Grapevine developed a secure USSD self-service solution, leveraging their enterprise-grade Communications Platform, to meet these requirements.

‍Challenge:‍

The financial services company faced a significant challenge in providing cardholders with a convenient and efficient way to set their card PINs and access account balances. Traditional methods involved cardholders calling the company's call centre, which resulted in increased call volumes and long wait times. This not only strained the company's operational efficiency but also diminished the overall customer experience.

‍Solution:‍

Grapevine, as the company's existing digital communications solutions provider, developed a custom secure USSD self-service solution tailored to meet the specific needs of the financial services company. This solution leveraged Grapevine's enterprise-grade Communications Platform and was designed to cater to multiple stores with the potential for future expansion.

The solution incorporated multiple API integrations to facilitate seamless user verification and account information queries. It featured two custom USSD workflows presented in a single real-time session, enhancing convenience and efficiency for cardholders. Importantly, this solution enabled cardholders to perform these operations without requiring internet connectivity or data.

‍Benefits:‍

The implementation of Grapevine's secure USSD self-service solution yielded several positive outcomes for the financial services company:

1. Enhanced Convenience: Cardholders can now effortlessly check their account balances and set their card PINs using their mobile devices. This eliminates the need for calling the call centre, providing a faster and more convenient option for customers.
2. Operational Efficiency: By leveraging the USSD self-service solution, the company successfully lowered call centre volumes. This streamlined operational efficiency, allowing the call centre agents to focus on more complex customer queries, ultimately reducing costs.
3. Improved Customer Experience: The self-service solution significantly improved the overall customer experience. Cardholders no longer need to endure long wait times in call queues, enabling them to manage their accounts conveniently and efficiently.
4. Scalability and Expansion Potential: The solution developed by Grapevine was designed with scalability in mind. As the financial services company grows and expands its retail credit programs, the solution can easily accommodate additional stores and a larger customer base without compromising its performance.

‍Conclusion:

In summary, optimising self-service in retail credit programs plays a vital role in improving customer experience and operational efficiency. Through the adoption of an integrated self-service platform, retailers can empower customers to conveniently handle their credit accounts, fostering higher satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, the automation of credit processes reduces manual workload, decreases errors, and expedites turnaround times. This ultimately results in cost savings and improved productivity for the retail organisation. To remain competitive in today's dynamic retail landscape, it is essential for retailers to prioritise the implementation of self-service solutions that cater to the evolving demands of tech-savvy customers, while ensuring seamless experiences across various touchpoints.