An unconventional transformation: GSM Retail partners with Selcom to become one of the first large-scale retailers in Tanzania to provide Wakala services
Selcom and GSM began their journey together almost three years ago to digitize payment collections at GSM stores. With multiple branches across Tanzania, GSM Group realized the opportunity to serve its vast walk-in customer base even more by providing them the convenience to make every day recurring bill payments for electricity, GePG, airtime, television subscriptions and insurance seamlessly at the checkout counter.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Selcom, the largest payments systems provider in Tanzania, has entered into a strategic partnership with GSM Retail, one of the leading retail companies in Tanzania. Their partnership began in 2017 when GSM Group wanted to focus on digitizing and centralising its payment collections at its stores, with a target to reduce cash acceptance. Focusing on convenience, which has always been their topmost priority, all GSM stores implemented Selcom’s QR payment solution, Selcom Pay, at its cashier counters, offering customers the convenience to pay electronically using any mobile wallet, over 20 banks using mobile money and scheme cards.
As of 2020, with the shift in customer behavior in the retail sector in Tanzania, the GSM team explored means of attracting more foot-fold into their primely located outlets to offer convenience to consumers who typically have basic, everyday, recurring payment needs that they can complete at one location. From insurance, flight ticket purchases, to electricity or government payments, any walk-in customer can now complete their payments without having to go to a bank branch or the location itself.
Selcom Huduma, previously termed Selcom Paypoint, is Selcom’s flagship product that allows businesses to electronically vend services such as utility payments, television subscription airtime, insurance, air ticket and travel payments using a simple point-of-sale device, online portal or mobile app. Typically, a consumer would have to wait for hours in line to make routine bill payments.
This partnership with Selcom intends to not only facilitate payment solutions, but also be a platform with a range of digital financial options where customers have access to easier and faster transactions through GSM being a marquee Selcom Huduma wakala.
Selcom is pleased to have been a part of this partnership which focuses on customer convenience, saves time and cost. We look forward to forging similar partnerships across various other retail segments with similar large retail establishments as we strive to increase consumer touchpoints to promote and enhance financial inclusion at all levels of society.
“GSM Group is a remarkable forward-thinking retailer who understands the changing landscape of the industry with a keen interest to maximize returns through diversification. Their locations are prime and pristine, like none other in Tanzania. By extending complementary services through the Selcom Huduma partnership, the Group is proactively creating appeal and awareness for more Tanzanians to visit their stores to be exposed to wares and products that are well priced and of exceptional quality. The cross-sell opportunity is massive and extremely lucrative. The partnership will only get better and stronger once the parties announce our ecommerce initiatives.”
About Selcom:
Selcom is the largest cross-segment financial and payment services provider operating in Tanzania, providing its customers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a full range of payment processing services.
About GSM Group Retail:
GSM Malls, Tanzania’s first brands Shopping Malls are revolutionizing the retail experience in Dar es Salaam. GSM mall Msasani, GSM mall Pugu and Individual shops in Mlimani City and Samora, namely Babyshop, Splash, Max and Anta – Mlimani City is built to meet international quality standards and offer brand Retail outlets.