ABC goes e-ticketing on InterSwitch

The Nigeria’s pioneer leading electronic payment company, InterSwitch has powered the leading transport firm in the country, the Associated Bus Company (ABC) Plc, with the introduction of electronic ticketing (e-ticketing).

Chief executive, ABC, Mr. Frank Nneji, made this known in Lagos, noting that road travellers using its fleets may no longer need to be physically present at bus terminals before they could book and pay for trips as the company has launched an e-ticketing service that enables customers to book and pay on-line and real time.

He also said at a press conference to announce ABC 2009 Travel & Win Promo last week, that the e-ticketing service was introduced to make life more convenient for its customers. “Once you have an InterSwitch enabled Nigeria Debit Card (ATM) or Verve card, you can buy ABC ticket on-line, real time from the convenience of your home, office or cyber cafe,” he explained.

Nneji commended InterSwitch, Nigeria’s premier transactions switching company and Fidelity Bank for a successful implementation of the e-ticketing platform. He also added that ABC is currently implementing a call centre to further make life easier for its customers and has completed full integration of GPRS tracking system in all ABC buses.

ABC e-ticketing platform is powered by InterSwitch’s PayDirect solution (Web Channel). PayDirect (Web Channel) is a secure internet payment gateway developed by InterSwitch to facilitate payments on the Internet (across various banks), using debit cards issued by banks on the network.

Currently, all Nigerian Debit or ATM Cards, Cash Cards and Verve chip and PIN cards are supported by this solution.

PayDirect (Web Channel) provides the simplest and quickest method of integrating e-commerce websites to the InterSwitch payment platform. It plugs-in seamlessly with existing websites and acts as a bridge between a merchant’s website and financial institutions (banks) that process payment transactions. Fidelity Bank is the processing financial institution for ABC e-ticketing services.

In her remarks, InterSwitch’s Chief Marketing and Client Engagement Officer, Mrs. Tito Adeniyi-Aderoju commended ABC for putting in place a loyalty scheme tagged “Travel & Win Promo” in order to reward loyal ABC customers. She added that ABC’s culture of enhanced customer convenience has continued to endear it to the travelling community in the country.

Aderoju said that InterSwitch is ready to collaborate with ABC to further make life easier for its customers by deploying various state-of-the-art electronic kiosks (e-kiosks) at the company’s terminals across the country. “Through the e-kiosks, customers would be able to check and send e-mails, pay bills and subscriptions (DSTV, HiTV and PHCN), recharge their mobile phones and perform electronic transactions while they are waiting to board the bus.”  

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