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The use of multi-channel payment platforms is a growing trend among utility companies to enhance revenue collection and reduce delinquency. This technology encompasses various tools such as websites, mobile applications, and WhatsApp. While traditional physical devices, technically referred to as PoS (Point of Sale), are not new, they differ from the intelligent devices known as Smart PoS.
In the case of Equatorial, which currently employs 2,600 of these devices with its field electricians, it has proven to be a highly efficient payment mechanism. At the time of service disconnection, the utility company offers the option of credit card payment and even installment plans. This is where the Smart PoS demonstrates its strength, as it has the ability to connect with any operator in the area where the customer is located, thanks to their ability of capturing even the weakest signal compared to conventional mobile devices.
This payment method is part of the solution developed by Bemobi, which has already been implemented by Equatorial. Other distribution companies such as Energisa, Neoenergia, and Enel also utilize these multi-channel platforms, covering 56% of the energy consumer base in Brazil.
According to Denis Maia, vice president of Corporate Development at Bemobi, the use of smart PoS terminals among utility companies has increased by 35%, expanding opportunities to avoid disconnections and reconnections. Additionally, billing represents a significant cost for companies, as outsourcing this process does not guarantee service payment and encourages customers to resort to clandestine connections to avoid service disconnection.
The use of these intelligent PoS terminals is part of the new generation of digital solutions featured by utility companies. According to Denis Maia, automatic debit accounts for less than 30% of bill payments. The remaining 70% is divided between physical and online payments.
Bemobi's approach, which began operating in the Utility sector in 2023, involves implementing this technology at no cost to companies in the initial stage, with installation processes typically taking around 60 days. Pricing is transaction-based, with rates adjusted according to the volume of customers and other parameters utilized by the channels provided by the company. With Equatorial, channel integration was carried out during this period, starting with 1,800 Smart PoS devices.
Across the four serviced distributor groups, Bemobi has 4,000 operational devices under a leasing model, which includes maintenance. At this point, Denis Maia anticipates that the number of Smart PoS among these types of companies has the potential to reach 10,000.
Having a multi-channel platform of this nature can reduce payment system operational expenses by up to 50%. Prioritizing a digital channel and making payments with a credit card is a way to increase compliance levels. It's the same mechanism as shopping on websites, where card details, along with the customer's consent, are stored.
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