Mobile money has been a game-changer in Africa, bringing financial services to millions of previously unbanked or underbanked people. It has revolutionized how people make payments, send and receive money, and access credit, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses to thrive.
Today, Africa is the world's leading market for mobile money, with over 50% of the world's mobile money transactions taking place on the continent.
A standout innovation in the African mobile money sector is M-PESA. Few innovations in the global fintech space can boast of the success, utility, and iconic status that M-PESA has achieved. With 52.4 million customers in the financial year ending 31 March 2022, it has emerged as the most popular mobile money service in Eastern Africa.
What is M-PESA?
At its core, M-PESA is a mobile money transfer service that allows users to send and receive money, pay bills, and purchase goods and services. The product, however, has a dynamic set of far-reaching benefits for its consumers. Its evolution has brought us ingenious financial solutions such as M-Shwari, Fuliza, M-PESA Express, and M-PESA API.
What is Pesapal Sabi?
On the other hand, Pesapal Sabi POS is a revolutionary product launched by Pesapal. The point-of-sale solution enables businesses to accept both card and M-PESA payments from customers via one device. The Sabi POS PDQ machines and their latest Sabi Smart POS counterpart simplify how you manage digital payments within your business. The devices accept both card and mobile money payments and offer you and your customers a digital or physical receipt for each transaction.
Six years after its debut, the Pesapal Sabi line of PDQs continues growing towards becoming a market leader in the East African region. Over 10,000 merchants from various business sectors prefer Sabi as their go-to PDQ terminals. Integrating M-PESA on the terminals has made it easier for businesses to process mobile money payments. As a result, Sabi is quickly becoming a game-changer in Kenya's payment processing industry by providing merchants and consumers with a secure means of making and collecting card and mobile money payments via one device.
What is M-PESA integration?
M-PESA integration automates payment verification, disbursements, and payment record management by synchronizing an application, website, or system with the M-PESA API. This is done through the validation API allowing the recipient to validate any payment parameters, including the account and amount. Developers can directly connect to the core M-PESA and create innovative systems using open interfaces and standard protocols provided by the API through web services.
How it’s done
The Pesapal Sabi POS is integrated with M-PESA via M-PESA Express. This means a merchant is not required to provide a till or paybill number upon registration on Pesapal. Once the integration is set up, businesses can accept M-PESA payments through the Pesapal Sabi POS system. The merchant is also granted access to a dashboard from which they can monitor their POS’s sales reports in real time. Multiple users can be granted access to the dashboard with different authorizations at the merchant’s discretion. The Pesapal Sabi PDQ also prints receipts for each transaction thus ensuring easy visibility for the business’ transactions. Funds are collected in the merchant’s Pesapal business account and thereafter settled to their preferred bank account upon withdrawal.
Our Sabi PDQ terminals can also be integrated with your on-site POS system at your request. Depending on compatibility, a dedicated team of technical assistants will integrate your POS or property management system (PMS) with our Sabi POS terminal. After the PDQ has been configured, your clients will make payments to your POS system via the PDQ automatically.
Integrating your M-PESA payments on Pesapal Sabi is a simple process that enables businesses to accept payments made through M-PESA. Clients can opt to make mobile money payments on-site or remotely. The transaction can be processed through the PDQ terminal when they pay for products using M-PESA.
To do this, follow these simple steps:
The M-PESA Express option makes things easier because customers don't have to type in paybill, account, or till numbers when purchasing. Instead, they just need to enter their PIN, and the money will be debited from their M-PESA account after you initiate the transaction on Sabi.
User-friendly
Businesses can enjoy many benefits when integrating M-PESA with Pesapal Sabi POS. To begin with, it improves the customer's payment experience by providing a user-friendly payment process. The M-PESA STK push eliminates the need to input a paybill or till number when transacting. This enables businesses to process payments faster and more efficiently.
Minimizes errors
Additionally, the integration automates the payment process, thus reducing the need for manual data entry and reconciliation. As a result, it reduces the risk of errors, which can lead to financial losses for your business. With reduced reversal requests, you can say goodbye to the lengthy waiting times on the customer support hotline seeking refunds for erroneous transactions.
Increased sales
Another benefit of the integration is increased sales. Many customers prefer using M-PESA to make payments. By integrating M-PESA on Pesapal Sabi POS, your business can offer customers a convenient payment option that they are familiar with, which can lead to more sales.
Reduces transaction costs
The integration also reduces transaction costs for businesses. M-PESA transactions are cheaper than other payment methods, such as card payments or bank transfers. This can help you save money in transaction fees, which can be reinvested into the business. The reduced cost factor benefits the merchant since Pesapal uses simple pricing and no hidden fees.
Customer convenience
Furthermore, the integration improves customer convenience. Customers can pay for goods and services using their mobile phones from wherever they are. The M-PESA STK push is received on the transacting number indicated on the PDQ machine, regardless of the user’s location. This convenience leads to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Digital solutions for digital challenges
The digital payments world has its fair share of challenges. One of the main challenges faced with contactless payments is technical issues. System downtimes and connectivity problems can bum you out. In addition, they lead to delays in payment processing and can affect business operations. The 4G+ and Wi-Fi connectivity on the Sabi PDQ terminals prevents costly downtimes while ensuring you are processing transactions effortlessly as and when needed.
Regular updates and maintenance procedures are done on the PDQ terminals periodically. Sabi merchants also have round-the-clock access to a customer support and technical support centre as an additional service. With these measures, you are assured of a seamless and uninterrupted mobile money payment experience for your clients.
The Pesapal Sabi POS has undoubtedly lived up to its name by giving business owners a comprehensive understanding of their business. By integrating M-PESA on Pesapal Sabi POS, businesses in Kenya can now take advantage of a fast, convenient, and secure payment system that allows them to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving digital payments space. As more businesses transition to digital payments, we stand out as a reliable partner that goes the extra mile to help businesses thrive. With our commitment to excellence and innovation, Pesapal Sabi is poised to transform Kenya’s payments landscape and beyond. Get Pesapal Sabi today.
