Kenya, Nairobi particularly, can be characterized as a “quick” city, where Kenyans are always in a rush to quickly get somewhere, sometimes nowhere really and more often trying to get something done as a matter of urgency.

Living in a digital world has eroded the famous good old saying that “patience is a virtue” as the modern Nairobian wants something done now like yesterday.

CASHLESS PAYMENTS

Paying bills, which is a way of life for Nairobians, is one of the inconveniences that consume a lot of time for most people especially since in most cases trips to the bank have to be made and subsequently a bank slip has to be rendered to the relevant parties as proof of payments.

It’s that need for a “convenient yet time saving technique” that a new online payment system, dubbed, QuickPay aims to address and at the same time allow organizations to collect money in a more cashless, paperless and efficient manner hence saving massive administration costs.

QuickPay as the name suggests, is the latest tech product in Kenya’s dynamic hub of technology, which seeks to provide the much desired “quick and convenient” way for Kenyans to pay basic bills like school fees, rent etc.

HOW QUICKPAY WORKS

Users will only be charged $ 1 – $2 (sh 100-200) for using the Quickpay online payment model. For you to enjoy the services;

• Your school or landlord has to be registered with the system on the platform as it aims to provide convenience for both parties. Quickpay has already registered with quite a number of both public and private learning institutions in order to facilitate quick payments of school fees.
• Login to the QuickPay web platform and transact either via mobile money transfer or through your debit /credit card. The website gives you the function to search for the institution you need to make payments to, verify account details and also gives you an overview of your transactions.
• Once a payment is done, you will get an Email /SMS notifications on your transaction and after a successful transaction, the institution the payment has been made to will subsequently be provided with notifications of the full details of the payment.

According to IT consultant Evans Kithuku, CEO of Binary Ltd and the brain child behind Quickpay, the idea to come up with the payment module was motivated by a personal experience.

“Paying fees was a nightmare for me where I had to contend with long queues at the institution and many are the times I went back and forth even up to three times a week because of time, the same thing with my rent where I have to go to the bank and submit the slip at my agent’s office, which is way off my direction,” said Evans.

Currently, Quickpay has partnered with the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), which is certified by PCI, hence the safety of customer’s money is guaranteed.

WHY QUICKPAY?

Even with the fast rising mobile money payments that are currently providing convenience to most Kenyans, the young CEO believes that Quickpay has an edge by the virtue that the  system is integrated with both the customer and the service provider in mind.

“While the existing cashless methods bring convenience to customers it’s not entirely seamless on both ends. The quickpay revolution provides convenience to the person paying as well as the one receiving.” He says.

He however says that talks are underway to partner with Safaricom as its Mpesa service is also a mode of payment for Quickpay alongside debit/credit cards.