Case Studies

Great long-term partnerships are built on excellent communication. As a long-standing strategic partner for one of South Africa’s major retailers, Imperial manages everything from the retailer’s transport services to nationwide logistics aided by Clickatell’s powerful platform. Imperial leverages Clickatell to manage deliveries and movement of retail goods, ensuring quality and efficiency gains for both companies. Background - Delivering excellence in a competitive environment Technology advancements, coupled with the pandemic, have changed shopping behaviors for consumers worldwide. While consumers prioritize convenience and speedy delivery from their favorite retailers, supermarkets, and distribution centers are still reeling from the rapid shift to a digital world. Heightened sanitation requirements and the mounting pressure to manage costs have added to the burden. Globally, many large retailers are expanding their online delivery offerings to adapt to the increasing demand for the service. As a result, razor-sharp logistics have become crucial for fresh, fast deliveries in a competitive market. However, a recent study showed that 39 percent of African companies found logistical problems to be a “barrier to their integration into the online market.” To stay ahead, companies like Imperial are turning to technology to help retailers deliver on time while remaining profitable. Pre-adoption challenges - Lost in translation Before implementing the Clickatell platform, each of the retailer’s stores would communicate with the Imperial team using various platforms including SMS, email, call centers, and WhatsApp groups. Not only was this unwieldy and inefficient, but there was also no centralized record of communications. Data records were incomplete and lacked clear timelines. Moreover, Imperial teams frequently responded to department queries on their private phones - often after-hours - through these various, difficult-to-track channels. To uphold a successful logistics service and keep up with consumers’ new demands, effective communication between drivers and stores is a must. Constant, excellent communication helps both parties cut down on unnecessary delays, waste and uptick in labor costs. The solution - Streamlining communication Imperial deployed Clickatell’s Chat Commerce Platform, implementing the automated messaging capabilities of Chat Flow and live-agent messaging capabilities of Chat Desk. This allowed Imperial to immediately improve how they engaged with the retailer across nearly 2,000 stores with a single source of truth: a mini-app built into WhatsApp. Using native backend integration and automated workflows built in Chat Flow, Clickatell built a WhatsApp bot that allows store managers and logistics teams to stay informed with real-time delivery status updates. This improvement ensures 24/7 support for teams, offers the advantage of collaboration on a familiar channel, boosts productivity and protects employees’ time. By sending “Hi” to a central number, store managers can quickly access a self-help menu to find the information they need. If they can’t resolve their question, they can conveniently message an Imperial agent or escalate the query through Chat Desk. Unlike their previous communication practices, each agent now has access to chat history with the store, plus the ability to serve multiple queries simultaneously. The result? A significant boost in efficiency, speedier resolutions, and higher customer satisfaction. Clickatell’s Chat Commerce Platform allows Imperial to: Deliver a sophisticated micro-app on a well-used, understood channel that requires no training to deploy nationwide. Support more inbound inquiries faster and more conveniently with better results. Manage conversations, track tickets, and save chat histories. Set autoresponders and switch to automated workflows to keep the conversation going, even when agents aren’t available. Monitor agents’ productivity and performance on dashboards with a supervisor view. Attain deeper insights by tracking chat volumes or call frequencies to identify where customers need assistance most or where further automation is appropriate. The result - Better communication = better relationships Clickatell has been a game changer for Imperial’s work with the retailer’s nationwide chain. By finding a solution for piecemeal, unstructured communication, the Imperial team can now streamline their communications effortlessly. Brits shares that the communication improvements have resulted in greater efficiency and ensured a closer, more productive working relationship between the two organizations. These process optimizations lay the groundwork for future enhancements and fortify both businesses’ common, long-term goals.

FlySafair is South Africa’s largest domestic, low-cost airline. Clickatell began working with FlySafair in 2021 when we partnered with them to roll out a WhatsApp customer communication channel.  The introduction of this widely popular messaging app with integration to the Clickatell platform has received a lot of positive responses from FlySafair customers specifically around the increased customer communication along their travel journey. FlySafair uses the Clickatell platform for its WhatsApp service offering. This includes WhatsApp access and platform applications Chat Flow, Chat Desk, and Chat 2 Pay, which enables in-messaging payments via Visa Cybersource. The Challenge Staying Ahead of Rapid Growth As local and international tourism in South Africa picks up, airlines are still hunting for ways to tame the high costs in an industry already plagued by razor-slim margins. One South African airline that is seizing the industry opportunity by expanding and integrating mobile messaging to efficiently serve its customers is low-cost airline, FlySafair. In answering the growing demand for affordable travel, FlySafair has recently added new routes to its existing schedule as well as new aircraft. To better manage these new routes and added capacity, the airline was looking for ways to effectively serve its rapidly growing passenger list. The airline was particularly interested in finding ways that would fulfill customer preference for digital channels to provide them with time sensitive information like flight details, delays or cancellations, upgrades, boarding passes, and even the option to make quick, easy mobile payments when needed. Quality customer service was also a primary consideration. Like every airline, managing a busy call center was a key challenge for FlySafair. The airline’s call center receives thousands of calls during a normal day, with call volumes increasing significantly during promotional runs. Reducing pressure on call center agents, decreasing the wait time in queues at the airport, and empowering customers to manage their bookings themselves, including enabling them to make mobile purchases, were attractive options for FlySafair and key motivators for them to contact the Clickatell team for help. The Solution A Comprehensive, Next Gen Passenger Experience In 2021, FlySafair launched its WhatsApp customer communication channel, expanding their customer service offering by leveraging the messaging app that is used by 96% of South Africa’s population. The Clickatell platform makes it possible for FlySafair to provide customers the means to find helpful information, connect with a customer service agent, and make a purchase by simply sending “Hi” on WhatsApp to FlySafair’s dedicated WhatsApp number +27 87 357 0030. The FlySafair WhatsApp channel hosts key information about flight cancellations and changes, luggage restrictions, identity requirements, as well as the option to chat with a live agent. Customers can also choose to receive their boarding pass on WhatsApp, significantly improving and streamlining the passenger experience. In addition, customers can also make quick and secure payments via FlySafair’s WhatsApp channel for their luggage. There is no need any more for FlySafair’s customers to go stand in a queue at the airport to pay for luggage. FlySafair makes full use of the Clickatell platform and its applications. Clickatell’s digital contact center tool , Chat Desk , which allows organizations to run and manage live agent support in chat, has enabled FlySafair to resolve basic customer queries faster. Clickatell’s workflow builder and automation tool, Chat Flow allows FlySafair teams to design intelligent self-service engagements for their customers, ensuring ongoing improvements based on customer behavior. Great self-service has been an important part of the FlySafair WhatsApp channel, especially when it comes to reducing pressure on the airline's busy call centers and ground crew at airports. FlySafair also leverages the Clickatell platform's Chat 2 Pay solution which integrates Visa Cybersource’s payment and fraud management platform to enable passengers to make faster, secure, and more convenient mobile payments to the airline via FlySafair’s WhatsApp channel. Passengers can now make purchases and payments, such as luggage fees, in advance, and avoid standing in lines at the airport to make the purchase. The Result Improved Convenience and Increased Customer Satisfaction The Clickatell Chat Commerce solution has helped FlySafair improve communication during their customers’ their travel journey, providing passengers a more convenient experience, allowing them to use their preferred messaging app to make payments, check in to flights, and access customer service. And by being first in market to enable Chat Commerce, FlySafair has set itself apart as a travel brand committed to providing its customers the most robust and convenient customer experience. FlySafair has seen significant, rapid customer adoption and use of its WhatsApp customer communication channel. On average each month more than 30,000 passengers check in to their flight using WhatsApp, more than 12,000 people use WhatsApp to be notified of flight status, more than 5,000 people request help to chat with a live agent. About Clickatell Clickatell is the global Chat Commerce leader powering businesses to connect, interact and transact with consumers anytime, anywhere in chat. The low / no-code, feature-rich Chat Commerce Platform sits at the intersection of communications (CPaaS, CCaaS) and commerce (digital payments). Clickatell serves over 10,000 customers, including Fortune 50 brands. Clickatell is headquartered in Silicon Valley, CA, and has offices in Canada, South Africa and Nigeria. Learn more at www.clickatell.com .

One of South Africa’s oldest and most trusted ISPs, Webafrica, turned to Clickatell to help it scale, improve CX, and better manage customer needs around the clock. Background – A hotly contested market There are close to 42 million internet users in South Africa with 46% of the population regularly using social media. South Africans now have their pick of internet service providers (ISPs) with more than 200 registered with industry body, ISPA. When it comes to delivering customer service to a savvy digital population, outstanding customer service is one of the most important differentiators in an increasingly crowded market. Webafrica is a popular internet service provider in South Africa offering fibre, fixed LTE, and naked ADSL. One of the country’s best known and oldest ISPs, Webafrica has over 200,000 customers and aims to provide South Africans with fast, affordable, reliable, and better internet connections. The company is a household name to many and regularly puts in a strong showing in the top 10 service provider lists. The company describes its target customer as the average South African, from remote farming towns to bustling cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg – all of whom are looking to stay connected with family and friends using popular platforms like WhatsApp and other social media outlets. Challenges - Scaling up without dropping the ball The strict Covid-19 lockdowns saw most South African users relying more heavily on their internet connection to work from home and complete their studies. But many also turned to the internet as their main source of entertainment and a reliable, affordable internet connection became as important as water and electricity. Unsurprisingly, the quality of service of the country’s local ISPs became a key talking point and, while Webafrica saw a big jump in its customer base, the rapid growth came with its own challenges. Scaling up a business without compromising on service delivery is the number one priority for all business leaders, but in a market as competitive as the one Webafrica found itself, dropping the ball on customer satisfaction could have resulted in brand suicide. The company realised that with over 200 000 customers, one-on-one relationships and individual phone support was simply no longer feasible. What’s more, Covid restrictions had made staffing a traditional call centre all but impossible. Webafrica needed a communications solution that allowed for serious multi-tasking. One that would remove the hassle of juggling individual customers, while enhancing the quality of service being provided. Phone calls and email tickets were no longer an appropriate solution to adequately support its rapidly growing customer base. Automation was the only way to boost its CX and stave off the threat of customer attrition. The Solution – Merging the best of both After extensive consultations with the technical teams, it became clear that the best possible solution lay in an integration between the existing in-house chat offering and the Clickatell WhatsApp Business API solution. Key benefits of the solution include: The ability to communicate with customers over multiple channels with a single integration End-to-end encryption guaranteeing message security and privacy Real time transaction capability over South Africa’s favourite messaging platform 99.9% uptime with 24-hour support The teams integrated the Clickatell solution, adding powerful new capabilities while retaining features which were clearly working, including Webafrica’s much-loved chatbot, Willie. The new solution saw immediate benefits, including the ability for Webafrica agents to engage with more customers simultaneously, easing the pressures on the team. The Webafrica team was able to quickly scale to meet customer demand without interrupting operations. What’s more, the ISP was now able to offer their customers the ability to engage with them using platforms they already knew and trusted. The integration made the chat experience seamless, creating a more engaging communication option and Webafrica saw an immediate uplift in customer satisfaction. What the client has to say - Customers win in an optimised environment Mark Frater, Webafrica’s IT Infrastructure Manager, and the person responsible for all things infrastructure related as well as heading up the customer-facing tier-2 support team, is best suited to sum up the result of the implementation: Frater sums up by explaining that the new support platform’s ability to seamlessly function around the clock has gone a long way to making their customers feel heard and valued, no matter what time of the day. What’s more, by merging the best of what they had with the power of the Clickatell solution has meant that their bot, Willie, has become a real drawcard for customers and has boosted the trust in the brand. About Clickatell Clickatell is the global Chat Commerce leader powering businesses to connect, interact, and transact with consumers anytime, anywhere in chat. The low / no-code, feature-rich Chat Commerce Platform sits at the intersection of communications (CPaaS, CCaaS) and commerce (digital payments). Clickatell serves over 10,000 customers, many of which are Fortune 500 companies and leading global brands activating their own digital commerce transformations.

Clickatell helps National HealthCare Group leverage the power and reach of WhatsApp to ensure more South Africans can access decent healthcare during the pandemic and beyond. Background – A widening healthcare gap Around *71% of South Africans rely on the state-funded public healthcare system. The private sector, meanwhile, is funded from individual or company contributions and caters to just *27% of the population. However, there remains a big gap in the quality of care and many lower income individuals are paying for private healthcare out of pocket each month. Fortunately, there are companies who are actively trying to close the gap. The National HealthCare Group is a fully accredited healthcare administrator and managed care organisation in South Africa, focused on providing members in the low-income and emerging segments of the healthcare market with access to affordable services at the best possible cost. It provides members with an extensive network of more than 12 000 healthcare service providers and has developed an intimate understanding of the needs of the low-income market. National HealthCare has consistently grown lives under management to more than 50,000 beneficiaries by providing administration and managed care services. The Challenge – Data costs cut off millions from adequate care Access to healthcare, particularly amongst the uninsured and lower income communities has always been limited. However, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, accessing medical care became particularly challenging. And, while telemedicine was available, it was largely available to higher-income groups who already had good medical cover. In addition to the lack of available telemedicine services, the cost of data in South Africa is prohibitively high , cutting off what few service options there were for the majority of the population. The National HealthCare Group saw an opportunity to address the country’s needs by making use of WhatsApp. The affordable chat platform was already prolifically used by the majority of South Africans across all demographics and regions, making it the perfect delivery mechanism for the company’s healthcare innovations. The Solution – Fast, reliable care in the hands of those who need it most Just two months after South Africa went into a full Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, National HealthCare Group made news headlines when it offered its members a ground breaking online and interactive access to doctors and nurses via the WhatApp chat platform. National HealthCare Group decided to act, turning to Clickatell to help it design its MediClub ConnectTM service offering which ultimately led to the establishment of BeWell – an employer-funded healthcare solution which makes primary healthcare more affordable and accessible for businesses and their employees. This product is marketed in partnership with Standard Bank. The solution’s success lies in its reliability and simplicity. When a customer engages with the self-service bot on WhatsApp, a series of prompts will enable members to establish contact with a nurse who will assist them in identifying their healthcare concerns. Not only will they then be able to obtain immediate healthcare advice but where necessary a person, telephonic or video consultation will be arranged with a doctor. Following the consultation, doctors can either prescribe medication, which can be collected at one of the Group’s approved network pharmacies, or they can be referred to the nearest network doctor for a physical consultation. The self-service Chat Commerce offering from Clickatell was perfect for the job, giving members an affordable and effective way to connect with a health professional wherever they may be. By harnessing the power of technology that is already very familiar to the target market, Clickatell and National HealthCare Group ensured thousands of people could affordably and conveniently access basic medical assistance. The Result – Building a platform to future success Working with Clickatell, the National HealthCare Group was able to significantly expand its footprint and ensure the fair distribution of healthcare services to all. Not only did the Clickatell partnership revolutionize the existing offering, but it also laid the foundation for new business partnerships which have significantly expanded the reach and customer base of the National HealthCare Group. Building on its success, the company has since gone on to forge partnerships with TymeBank as well as Standard Bank thereby bringing primary healthcare services within direct reach of many more individuals and businesses. Reviewing the impact of these partnerships, Dr. Reinder Nauta, executive chairman of National HealthCare Group, speaks about how working with Clickatell benefitted his company as well as hundreds of thousands of South Africans. About Clickatell Clickatell is the global Chat Commerce leader powering businesses to connect, interact, and transact with consumers anytime, anywhere in chat. The low / no-code, feature-rich Chat Commerce Platform sits at the intersection of communications (CPaaS, CCaaS) and commerce (digital payments). Clickatell serves over 10,000 customers, many of which are Fortune 500 companies and leading global brands activating their own digital commerce transformations. * https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/opinion/2021/2021-07/healthcare-in-south-africa-how-inequity-is-contributing-to-inefficiency.html