E-commerce is finally taking toll in Kenya with various service providers making necessary arrangements to have a share of the pie; however, are we seriously ready for the change? I am one of the proponents for simplified solutions that will not only put Kenya at par with the rest of the world but those which are as well aimed at making our everyday life as efficient as possible. I am a big fan of mobile based services such as Mpesa for example, they’ve achieved some accomplishment in one way or another but that doesn’t mean they’ve also solved everything that has an ‘e-commerce’ tag attached. Mobile banking is a segment Kenya has proved to excel more than anywhere in the world, everything has gone mobile in this great nation, but just how do we mitigate this development to the spirit of simplified yet efficient online shopping?

I’ve seen businesses introduce online shopping options here in Kenya, some with even online payment solutions and free drop ship services, but those I must credit are utility service providers such as Kenya Power, Nairobi water and sewerage company as well as selected supermarkets and pay TV providers that allow customers to pay using mobile phones. Clearly, they’ve realized just how much technology could be important and this shouldn’t go without mentioning the main platforms used which include; Mpesa, Airtel Money, Yu Cash and Orange Money.

Airtel unveiled a text based location service dubbed ‘mLocator’ sometime back in collaboration with Gecko landmarks LTD. Since then, mLocator hasn’t been as popular as we’d thought but still it provides a service no other operator has come up with. Mobile based services are increasingly gaining popularity by day in Kenya as subscribers look for more efficient ways in managing their daily lives; I’d say, operators took up the challenge seriously and in time, hence the emergence of Bimamkononi and more alike services. I am not such a fan of mLocator, I rarely need it hence doesn’t use it that often, however, who knows when that time will come. It’s definitely one of its kind in this segment considering its uniqueness and deserves some appreciation especially for those who need it or have used it at some point.

According to Airtel Kenya’s Managing Director Mr. Shivan Bhargava, mLocator is a must have service for its subscribers especially in circumstances of crisis like that of Westgate mall. The service allows Airtel subscribers locate friends and family members through a short text message from an Airtel SIM card, he added. No one was expecting an incident such as that of Westgate mall as those of whom friends and family were victims caught unprepared and in disbelief. It was equally difficult to locate unaccounted family members or friends during that period even for those who were not directly affected by the terrorist act, something mLocator would’ve done effectively. In brief, mLocator allows subscribers locate their friends and family members without necessarily having to call them. The service was free at the time of launch but now attracts a small fee on every request made.

BimaMkononi product came as a result of the partnership between Pan Africa Life Insurance and Airtel Money, it’s a simple mobile based life insurance cover that’s available to subscribers with Airtel money enabled devices. Bima Mkononi was launched late last year to give Airtel customers reprieve with a simplified mode of paying their insurance premiums – with an automated weekly deductions depending on the cover, subscribers can cover themselves and a family member. After taking a deeper look, we now outline just how BimaMkononi life cover works and if it’s any better than existing payment options. Mobile based payment services are gaining popularity in Kenya than anywhere in the world, and for this reason, it makes perfect sense why this partnership was inevitable for both organizations.

There are a number of mobile based payment options from the main four operators in the country; however, not all of them works in the same way and Bima Mkononi is not an exception. Popular payment services involves an account and a business number from the provider, BimaMkononi works in a quite different way – much like a subscription service. Airtel Money customers can opt in by dialing *305# then selecting BimaMkononi and their preferred language. Unlike most payment services which are confirmed by the subscriber in a certain interval i.e. on a monthly basis such as pay TV subscriptions, Bima Mkononi premiums are automatically deducted from Airtel Money accounts on a weekly basis once customers opt in.