Softeller’s founder Collins Fomba Ken is a Software Engineer, and first saw the opportunity to improve money transfers and other mobile operations while at university. Studying at the National Advanced School of Engineering of Yaounde, his pocket allowance was not enough for his academic needs. So he used to invest his monthly allowance into his private mobile “callbox”, and then use the profit for his needs. He equally felt frustrated when he used to spend hours on long queues waiting to pay his electricity and water bills.
When he graduated from school, he started thinking of a system that could continue doing his “callbox” for him, pay his bills and carryout many other mobile operations, given that with the nature of his job, he could never have the time to do all these manually. Ashe has been working, he equally felt difficulties sending money to his family in the village as he had to move over to a transfer agent, file papers and stand on a queue for close to an hour before his operation can be completed. It is at this point that the idea of a system for money transfer from anywhere and at any time sprouted.
After having worked for Delta Informatique (now Sopra Steria) and SCB Cameroun (Attijariwafa Bank Group), with the experience he had, he decided to set up an online service for all mobile operations. The name Softeller comes from the fact the service will be playing the role of a teller.
Softeller is an online service that lets people transfer money, top-up airtime, pay bills and send messages in Cameroon.
Softeller’s money transfer system is a convenient, low-cost. Money can be received as a bank deposit, cash pick-up on an ATM, Mobile Money, or mobile airtime top-up.
With Softeller, you can top-up airtime anytime anywhere and to any subscriber. You can equally pay your water bills, electricity bills, telephone bills, travel tickets amongst others.
For the moment, Softeller’s services are available only in Cameroon, but will go beyond the Cameroonian boarders as soon as possible.
The business of transferring money abroad has remained stuck in the past. Many money transfer companies still make their customers visit an agent and fill-out bits of paper. And despite the inconvenience, their rates are often punishing.
People can still be found forming queues in front of offices for hours waiting to pay bills or travel tickets in this same age. Citizens living abroad still find it difficult to send airtime to their loved ones.
Softeller brings money transfers, bill payment and much more online – making all these whole processes quicker, easier and more secure.
Softeller also recognizes that the way people use money is changing. Millions of us now rely on Mobile Money services instead of bank accounts, so we offer transfers directly to them.
Their aim is to get your money – to your recipient – however they want it – whenever they need it; let you pay your bills in time and at ease and remain connected by sending airtime to loved ones.
