Several ground-breaking innovations have been birthed during this pandemic as companies and industries are at their wits’ end, figuring out how to lessen the financial burden on their customers.
One of the most pioneering initiatives during the period was introduced by Vodafone Cash as part of its comprehensive support for Ghanaians. The Mobile Financial Service operator completely waived charges on any amount of money transferred from Vodafone Cash to all networks in addition to its already existing no charges to other Vodafone Cash customers.
In essence, customers do not incur any charges when they send money from their Vodafone Cash account to friends and loved ones on Vodafone and other networks.
What persists across industry is all mobile money operators allow customers to make up to GHC100 person to person transfer daily on their respective networks, but they charge for any transfer beyond GHC100 and also charge for all transfers across networks.
But Vodafone has not only made all on-net person to person transfers free, but also made off-net transfers free as well, and the package extends to any amount, and not just GHC100 daily.
Making off-net transfers free means, Vodafone is not only absorbing the fees for customers, but also paying the component of the service charge that is meant for the interoperability platform operator, Ghana Interbank Payments and Settlements Systems (GhIPSS).
This initiative, which remains the most innovative product in the mobile money space, has brought great relief to millions of Ghanaians as well as Small and Medium Enterprises across the country, as Vodafone continues to absorb charges.
Vodafone Cash customers have expressed their appreciation and commended the operator across various social media platforms for the bold move. Some of the positive comments picked from Twitter include the following.
Sharing his delight about Vodafone Cash, Jude Focus said, “Vodafone Cash is too good, there have been no charges on all transactions since last year”.
One Samuel Amenyo also wrote, “I started laughing when I realized other networks charge as much as 10 cedis for sending money, meanwhile I send money on Vodafone Cash without any charges”.
Gerson Ato Essel wrote, “Just transferred all my money from that network onto my Vodafone Cash wallet because I know my money is safe from fraudsters”.
Cobby Ing Jr. also tweeted, “Thanks Vodafone Cash, this has made my transactions more convenient than ever without thinking of the charges, I’m grateful”
Commenting on the positive feedback, Head of Vodafone Mobile Financial Services, Martison Obeng-Agyei, said “It is very heart-warming to hear these testimonies from our cherished customers. We are excited that our decision to completely waive off charges on money transfers to other network is making such a great impact in the lives of our customers and businesses.”
He noted that besides the financial relief, the bold step has also broadly expanded digital financial inclusion which remains the focus, adding, “I am extremely excited that we have brought such relief to customers saving them millions of cedis in what would have been charges.”
Prior to this initiative, Vodafone was the first operator that allowed customers to enjoy free charges on interoperability transactions below Ghc100 before the Bank of Ghana’s directive for all operators to waive the charges.
A statement from Vodafone said customers who have not yet subscribed to the service can simply dial *558# to register, adding that non-Vodafone customers can also visit any Vodafone Retail Shop or Agent to port their number or purchase a SIM card, register with a valid ID card and then activate their cash wallet to enjoy the package.
