Nation Media Group’s prepaid card National hela, has introduced a a door-to-door marketing strategy that will see small and medium-sized enterprises use the card, in a move expected to revive the now somewhat passive service.
Introduced by the Nation Media Group in partnership with Diamond Trust Bank, (DTB) Nation Hela allows users to sent cash from overseas to their loved ones back in Kenya. Nation Hela is targeting 300 companies in this fresh swoop so as they use it for payrolls and general purposes..
Herbert Rajula, Nation Hela’s commercial manager said that the company intends to have the card used to facilitate payrolls and for general purposes.
“We have, therefore, targeted Jungle Nuts in Thika to kick start our project. Registration is ongoing for the 1,800 staff”, said the commercial manager.
DTB Pre-Paid Card programme manager Gilbert Shigoli believed that low income earners receive money from relatives abroad and for this reason there is the need to tap into the market by registering SMEs’ staff.
“We made the choice to start from Jungle Nuts because it is an SME that showed willingness to embrace technology and change its trends,” said Shigoli.
The programme manager said DTB will ensure that the registered card holders use it from Tuesday.
“Customers are allowed to deposit up to $10,000 in their accounts to kick start its use,” Mr Shigoli said.
The other companies, Rajula said , which have been approached to take up Nation Hela, are Van De Berg flower farm in Naivasha, KAPA oil, PwC and Mumias Sugar.
“We are knocking on doors of companies, selling the idea to them. Many have embraced it already,” Mr Rajula added.
He said the move is geared towards bridging the gap between the banked and unbanked.
“We want to erase the notion that cards are only for the wealthy. That is why we are reaching out to small and medium scale enterprises.”