Author: Hubtel

Ghana’s indigenous eCommerce & SMS messaging company, Hubtel.com has entered into a partnership with Visa, to expand access to seamless payments on its eCommerce platform.

This partnership with Visa provides consumers with access to more merchant services on Hubtel’s eCommerce platform. It also allows Hubtel to explore further innovative payment services such as “tap to phone,” amongst others, to reduce the dependency on cash, especially among small businesses.

The onset of the pandemic saw more Ghanaians turn to eCommerce as well as safe and secure marketplaces like Hubtel.com. This upsurge subsequently led to an increase in the usage of digital payments.

In partnering with Visa, Hubtel’s merchants will be able to access payments made by customers in real-time avoiding delays sometimes experienced in the settlement process. In addition, consumers can count on Visa’s trusted security tools and solutions to make their transactions secure.

Country Manager for Visa Ghana, Adoma Peprah commenting on the partnership said, “Working with Hubtel is part of our overall strategy to eliminate barriers to global commerce for merchants and consumers. Through this partnership, we aim to help them navigate the exciting opportunities in payments, develop game-changing products that address real consumer challenges, and enhance their speed to market.

We believe that partnerships are key to strengthening Ghana’s innovation pipeline, drive emerging technologies and, over the long-term, safeguard the sustainable growth of the payment’s ecosystem,” Adoma added.

Since 2005, Hubtel has delivered billions of business-critical SMS messages and pioneered mobile banking and online payments in Ghana.

Hubtel has positioned itself to dominate in eCommerce just as it has done with its transformational work in fintech and bulk messaging, and the company has continued to innovate for retailers and their customers; through seamless integration of shopping experiences in-store, online and on mobile.

Hailing the partnership with Visa, Alex Bram, CEO Hubtel noted that: “Payments are the core of our business which is why we have collaborated with Visa to continue delivering convenient, secure and seamless payment capabilities to our customers who have embraced eCommerce in the wake of the pandemic.“

An upcoming update will help keep your messaging contacts refreshed and up to date…

A recent review of all contact groups saved on Hubtel accounts revealed that 84.33% of mobile numbers within groups have not received an SMS in the past 36 months.

SMS messages to contact groups that are up to date drastically improves the efficiency of your message delivery. In view of this, the latest update coming this end of March 2021, has been designed to put you in better control of your SMS messaging contacts on Hubtel.

Save your existing contacts

We strongly advise that you download your contact groups from your Hubtel account to your computer. Once there, please review and update the contacts with the latest details to support efficient delivery the next time you need to send a bulk SMS message.

Please note that contact groups that have not been updated since January 1^st, 2021, will no longer be available after 20^th March, 2021.

45 Days Expiry Tags

The latest update will also affix expiry tags of up to 45 days to your contact groups to help you review, resend or update them with the latest active mobile numbers only.

Please contact your account manager or email [email protected].

February 2021 Product Update

Save Time Making Bulk Payments to Suppliers

See what’s new in this update

Faster Payments, Happier Merchants.

Pay hundreds of suppliers at a go, to any mobile money wallet or bank account. Set up bulk payments for your vendors, workers, contractors, or commission payments.

How?

Simply download and update the sample excel file provided, with details of suppliers you want to pay.

– Upload your updated excel sheet for data validation.
– Select your preferred debit account and confirm funds transfer.
– Approve or reject requests as you deem fit.

“A more detailed overview of your daily sales performance”

More on your sales patterns

Additional information meaningful to your business has been added to your daily sales report, to help you monitor sales trends and patterns.

Sales summary of multiple branches are also sent individually.

ACCRA, GHANA – February 10, 2021 – Award-winning banking, finance, and insurance executive Patience Akyianu has joined Hubtel as a Non-Executive Director.

Hubtel is one of Africa’s fast-evolving fintech-shopitality platforms and the largest messaging service provider with operations in Ghana and Kenya. The company has been expanding in innovative ways focused on helping retailers sell and deliver to nearby communities.

In August 2020, Hubtel was given regulatory approval by the Bank of Ghana to operate as a licensed Enhanced Payment Services Provider. This also followed the company’s international certification for PCI-DSS and ISO 27001 bank card information security and general management standards.

The inclusion of Patience Akyianu to the leadership of the company brings her an impressive wealth of expertise as a solid executive with over 26 years of experience in Finance, Banking, and Insurance.

Patience is currently the Group CEO of Hollard Ghana Holdings, a subsidiary of Hollard International – South Africa, and a Director on both boards of the company’s subsidiaries, Hollard Insurance Ghana, and Hollard Life Assurance Ghana.

She was also the first Ghanaian woman to become the Managing Director of Barclays Bank in Ghana (now ABSA Bank).

In a chat from his base in London, the Chairman of Hubtel, Hans Nilsson, said that “….we are very very excited to have a Director of that kind of caliber on our board. A company with the type of ambition that Hubtel is pursuing needs the experience and advice of people who have done it at the highest levels. And that’s exactly what we know we will get with someone like Patience.”

Under her visionary leadership, the Hollard brand has now gained prominence and visibility in Ghana and has introduced some innovative products, including Ghana’s first virtual insurer, a Chatbot nicknamed Araba Hollard.

Her tremendous leadership skills and execution capabilities have been recognized with prestigious awards and accolades including Marketing Woman of the Year 2019, Outstanding Group CEO of the Year 2019, Woman of Excellence 2019, and Best Woman CEO of the Year 2018.

Patience is a certified professional accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana. She is also on the board of Ecobank Ghana Limited, and a founding member of both the Executive Women Network and the International Women’s Forum, Ghana.

She is married to Lawyer Kwame Akyianu and has two children, Awurama Ampima Akyianu and Nana Banyin Kojo Akyianu.

A Better Card Reader For Payment Convenience

Provide your customers the payment experience they expect with the new Hubtel POS contactless card reader. 

This presents significant advantages to both your business and customers.

• Faster processing
  Transactions are three times faster than your current card reader, ensuring speed and ease of transactions.
  
  
• Lower and flexible pricing
  Flat processing fees from 50 pesewas to as low as 1 pesewa for transactions below GHS 100.
  Transactions above GHS 100 are charged from 1% to as low as 0.55% of the transaction amount.
  
  
• Process contactless cards
  Customers with contactless cards can simply tap the card reader to pay for their items.
  

Each year’s holiday season is always a wake-up call for many merchants. To prepare for the rush, new tools are purchased, new staff members are hired and new processes are put into place. It has always been an awesome time for growth and an even better time to establish your brand.

But 2020 has been different. This year has been unlike any other, and perhaps one of the most oxymoronic periods with buying habits shifting and online sales rising. eCommerce has become more important now than ever before. As the holiday season fast approaches, many are wondering what it will look like….

So, how can you properly prepare for the holiday shopping season with eCommerce right at the center? Our eCommerce Holiday Checklist is a great place to start.

To capitalize on the holiday rush this year, while preparing your business for a more optimized customer experience next year, Hubtel has provided the dynamic tools you need to meet your customers wherever they are with whatever they need, however they want.

Breach Online and Offline
This year is all about organized and safe shopping. Engage your customers from multiple fronts as more customers are turning to online shopping to avoid all the challenges with shopping in-store. Customers are more and more involved with their mobile devices. Take your business to your customers. Delight and entertain them with seamless shopping experiences and be sure to reach them right on their smartphones with Hubtel.

Payment Convenience is a MUST…

Offer your customers payment flexibility and convenience. Remember, customers are usually pressed for time during the holiday season and need to complete their purchases ASAP. Secure your customers with multiple payment options from any mobile money network or bank card on Hubtel.

Speed can break or make sales
Fast same-day delivery is key to winning the holiday spend. Last-minute shoppers, impatient buyers, and busy people all want their products delivered quickly. By offering fast same-day delivery for your customers, you appeal to a wider range of shoppers rather than just the organized early birds! It prevents shoppers from missing out by ensuring items arrive on time to start their wrapping…

Be appealing
Personalize your customers’ experiences with recommendations and purchase guides on Hubtel. Customers are loyal to brands that make shopping easy, especially during the holidays. Gain insights into customers’ preferences, inspire and encourage them to make a purchase with holiday offers and season’s favorites.

Include your customers in your holiday celebrations this year.

Be uplifting and help customers get through a rather tough year by providing added convenience and peace of mind.

2020 has proven to all of us that the future is now, and there is no waiting!

Earn Attractive Commissions Selling Services on Hubtel

Your storefront can earn extra income from selling airtime, internet data, utilities, pay TV, lottery, betting, insurance and many other services
directly from your Hubtel POS.

These everyday services add value to your storefront and provides a competitive advantage for your business to add another layer of delight
to your products and services to customers.

For each service you sell, you receive an instant commission directly from the provider of the service.

Experience the difference…

– There are no fees to activate all commission services – it’s FREE

– Earn attractive commissions

– On demand, fast-moving services

– Few taps to sell each service directly from your Hubtel POS

Processing your commissions….

Commission rates vary based on the commission percentage of the service and are either calculated as inclusive or exclusive of the cost of the service to the
customer. Commissions are settled instantly on each sale.

The more services you sell, the more commission you can earn.

October 2020 Product Update

A new lifestyle hybrid! Where customers feel a sense of community & loyalty

See what’s new in this update

“Your Business Account: Fresh New Look, Simpler Navigation“

Your back-office is now more secure

Redesigned to be quicker and simpler to carry out daily tasks, with a new login page and a second layer of login security.

A few things to note:

– You can either login using Google or Microsoft account details.

– Only details of your business and associated business are available on the new portal.

– Hubtel.com login alternative will no longer be available.

Easy payroll for modern employers

Pay your salaried employees or suppliers in just a few clicks. Payments can be sent to any Hubtel wallet, mobile money wallet or bank accounts.

How?

– Update your employees or suppliers’ details with a valid remittance account detail(s) via “Manage”.

– Go to “Money” and then “Pay” to choose to pay Employees or Suppliers.

– Follow the steps to process payments.

– If you are the Business Owner, go to “Approvals” to follow steps to approve and complete the payments.

“It’s no longer enough to have a website just for customers to see what you sell; offer an online storefront to delight your customers with quick payment and faster delivery”

New customized portal

You can find and buy anything from stores nearby, with an enhanced search engine.

Explore – more items to love!

A more personalized experience page to see and buy items that are more relevant to you.

Flow with the Trend…

A new trending page to find what’s new with your favorite stores and providers. See updates on items that are back in stock, new items and special offers from stores and providers near you.

A refreshed view of Services

Access everyday services from your favorite providers (from airtime, internet bundle, to utility and entertainment) and pay with fewer clicks.

Shoppers’ delights!

Buy more items from multiple stores with multiple fulfillment options in a single payment transaction…

All wallets available

Add items to cart and pay with your preferred wallets in fewer clicks.

A better view of your Account

Manage your wallets, delivery addresses, repeat payments and inbox from a single easy to access attachment.

“SMS Messaging on Hubtel is now faster, quicker and more convenient for both business and customer accounts“

No SMS credits or bundles

Pay for your messages directly from your Hubtel wallet at lower than market rates. All you need to do is to top up your Hubtel wallet and send messages. No need to bundle or buy SMS credits anymore.

No Contacts/Groups

No need to create groups or store contacts again. Just send your messages and your report and associated contacts will be available to resend within 45 days.

Preview your message

Get a preview of your message and confirm content format before sending to your customers, friends and loved ones.

Easy API integration and management

Setup your API without any wait for approval. Your key will be available as soon as you create them. Top up your API account, link to your Sender IDs and you are good to go!

FAQs – SMS API Management

Question 1. I have enough money in my Hubtel wallet but my Programmable SMS or API is not working, messages are not delivering.

a) First ensure your SMS API account has been funded.

How to fund your SMS API account:
i. Login to your Hubtel account and go to Messaging.   
ii. Go to Manage and click on Programmable SMS to access the API Keys.  
iii. Select Details on an API Key and click Add Funds. 
iv. Add the amount to top up and your SMS API account will be funded successfully. 

b) Check and ensure your existing API Key has the correct corresponding ClientID and Client Secret. 

Steps to Verify / Confirm an Existing API Key  
i. Login to your Hubtel account and go to Messaging.   
ii. Go to Manage and click on Programmable SMS to access the API Keys.  
iii. Select the API Key and click on Client ID for the Client ID and Client Secret. 

Question 2. I have changed the API endpoint to the new one and have funded the account but my messages are still not going out.

You need to fund your SMS API account after topping up your Hubtel wallet.

How to fund your SMS API account: 
i. Login to your Hubtel account and go to Messaging.   
ii. Go to Manage and click on Programmable SMS to access the API Keys.  
iii. Select Details on an API Key and click Add Funds 
iv. Add the amount to top and your SMS API account will be funded successfully. 

Question 3. Where do I find my API Keys?

How to access/view your SMS API account: 
i. Login to your Hubtel account and go to Messaging.   
ii. Go to Manage and click on Programmable SMS to access the API Keys.  
iii. Select Details on any API Key to view account details.

Question 4. How do I top up our SMS API account?

How to fund your SMS API account: 
i. Login to your Hubtel account and go to Messaging.   
ii. Go to Manage and click on Programmable SMS to access the API Keys.  
iii. Select Details on an API Key and click Add Funds 
iv. Add the amount to top and your SMS API account will be funded successfully.

Question 5. Where do I find my reports?

How to view / download your messaging reports: 
i. Login to your Hubtel account and go to Messaging.   
ii. Go to Manage and click on Downloadable Reports to view or download all report requests.

Question 6. How do I generate new API Keys?

How to generate an API key 
i. Login to your Hubtel account and go to Messaging.  
ii. Go to Manage and click on Programmable SMS.  
iii. Click on Create API Key to generate new API Keys and top up your account.

Question 7. Do I have to make any other necessary changes…change any parameters? 

No, only the base URL changes from  
https://api.hubtel.com/v1/messages/send? or https://api.smsgh.com/v3/messages/send 
to https://smsc.hubtel.com/v1/messages/send 
All other details remain the same. 

Question 8. Where exactly do I make the changes, as in the endpoint, from? 

Simply change your base URL from https://api.hubtel.com/v1/messages/send? or https://api.smsgh.com/v3/messages/send 
to https://smsc.hubtel.com/v1/messages/send 
All other details remain the same.

Ever since we at Hubtel heard Baffour Awuah Tabury’s touching story on Citi FM, we have made it one of our 2017 goals to “Make Baffour Walk Again.” 

Before everything changed on the road to realizing his dreams and making his mother proud, Baffour was a final-year student at the University of Cape Coast and getting ready to graduate. He was involved in a motor accident that left him paralyzed from his waist down in 2007. Due to this unfortunate turn of events, Baffour had difficulty controlling his urine and bowels. Like any loving and caring mother will do, Baffour’s mum resolved to do everything in her power to see her son walk again. This included burning over GHS 200,000 of her personal savings and investments on various procedures and two surgeries in Ghana. Last year, Baffour successfully had another surgery in China which restored his urinary and bowel control. 

For Baffour to walk again, the next step will be to undergo physiotherapy at NextStep Orlando (no pun intended). This physiotherapy center in Orlando, Florida treats patients who have injured their spinal cords so they can fully recover their functions. Amazing right? Yes, but this procedure will cost a cool GHS 87,000 ($19,200). And this is where Hubtel comes in. 

We have developed a Point of Sale platform called the Hubtel POS. This platform is tailored to allow businesses to accept payments and charity organizations to receive funds from all mobile money wallets and bank cards in their stores, online, or on the go into one account. With our POS, we eliminate the burden of having to hold four different phone numbers to receive payments. Making it easier for everyone who is touched to help resolve situations like Baffour’s, to make a donation to help Baffour walk again. 

So now how do I donate to this cause? It’s simple – just dial *713*7140# on your phone – it doesn’t matter which network you’re on, follow the instructions, and make a donation. Think of it this way: if 8,700 individuals make a donation of GHS10, Baffour’s dream of walking again will be realized. 

Hubtel has not only provided this shortcode to ease Baffour’s access to donations for his surgery, but we are also waiving all network charges associated with mobile money transfers made to this donation.  

So go ahead. Dial *713*7140# let’s make Baffour walk again!