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While PTA and State Bank of Pakistan are busy making a policy on mobile phone banking, the already launched mobile banking services are unable to follow any proper rules and regulation thus causing confusion for customers in Pakistan.
Just yesterday, a customer used Telenor EasyPaisa service to transfer Rs. 3,000 from Islamabad to Lahore. At senders’ location, the process was as per the guidelines of the company as the sender submitted the NIC copy and paid Rs. 174 additionally as transaction fee (Trx ID 5357813). The EasyPaisa shop at the receiver’s end in Lahore asked for Rs. 30 as his personal fee to deliver the amount. The shopkeeper did not provide any receipt of the amount nor did he ask for any NIC copy. The shopkeeper in Lahore was not entitled to receive any amount from the receiver(Waheed Ahmed Butt).
Similar issues are also being reported from other parts of Pakistan as well. Reason behind this appears to be the improper training to EasyPaisa staff and lack of check and balance system. Though, Telenor did conduct the training sessions prior launching the services but it is also the responsibility of the company to take care of the system in the post launch era.
Mobile banking is a new concept in Pakistan where people rely on stamped transactions in their daily lives because it brings them a piece of mind. To make digital way of transacting money a part of their lives is not an easy task and it requires a real home work. Just television and newspaper ads will not do much where due to shortage of time, space and a high cost all the details can’t be made public.
Pakistan is a country where hundreds of welfare schemes got failed because rule & regulations could not be executed properly. Telenor Pakistan is targeting masses and if it fails to exercise the procedures, then people will not be able to shift away from stamped and papers.
Things to do
Telenor Pakistan should educate its customers and the people, who are running the show within its network including sales staff and the shopkeepers, through adverts, roadshows or training sessions. Customers must be informed about the transaction fee structure. Company must ensure no one charges extra than the defined amount/fee. PTA and State Bank of Pakistan should not waste time to make a very clear Mobile Banking Policy and implement it.
