FDH Bank Plc encourages customers to maintain digital transactions to enhances chances of winning in Usampatse-Timpatsa promotion

* The promotion has indeed been welcomed by their customers as they have recorded a high number of digital transactions

* It was mooted in order to inculcate a cashless society, which is the modern day business practice in this digital era

By Duncan Mlanjira

As the Usampatse-Timpatsa promotion draws to an end on October 31, FDH Bank Plc is encouraging its customers to continue transacting through its digital platforms to enhances chances of winning beautiful prizes in the Usampatse-Timpatsa promotion.

Rolled out in June, Usampatse-Timpatsa promotion was mooted in order to inculcate a cashless society, which is the modern day business practice in this digital era.

At the third draw, Elizabeth Phoya — FDH Bank’s senior manager for business development, personal & business nanking — said they felt very encouraged that the promotion has indeed been welcomed by their customers as they have recorded a high number of digital transactions.

The promotion encourages customers to transact by sending money to their loved ones or as business transactions to any bank — through FDH 525 mobile; FDH Wallet or FDH Ufulu 525; Mpamba; Airtel Money; as well as cardless withdraws through ATM or at an FDH Agent spread across the country.

Lucky customers from the monthly draws are being rewarded with state-of-the-art PlayStation 5 (1), Iphone 14 Pro Max (2) while 12 are receiving K50,000 cash straight into their accounts.

The prizes were mooted so that they be used as presents, especially the Iphone 14 Pro Max and PlayStation 5 to customers children, spouses and other loved ones — Usampatse Timpatsa (don’t give them such a present yet, we will on your behalf).

But the winners still are the customer himself who transacted who will identify a beneficiary or might consider to keep the prize for themselves.

Thus Phoya said the bank will continue to come up with more digital solutions to serve Malawians better while at the same time urging customers — and the public in general — to opt for digital transactions, which is a sure, secure and hassle-free style of doing business.

Winner of Iphone 14 Pro Max during the second draw, Ikraam Makidad Manduwa from Nkhotakota was physically presented his prize during the third draw and he also encouraged fellow customers to embrace digital platforms describing the system as fast and efficient.

He was very appreciative of the prize and the innovation on the part of FDH Bank, saying: “I wasn’t expecting to win but I always transact using digital means.

“It is fast and convenient as one doesn’t need to physically visit a banking hall. I am going to treasure this excellent prize and I urge fellow customers to try their luck and transact more through FDH Bank digital platforms to stand a chance of winning a prize.”

FDH Bank Plc enhanced its drive for people to go cashless since last year when it rolled out a Swipe & Dash promotion, through which customers who transacted using FDH Bank point of sale (PoS) gadgets for the shopping and purchase of fuel were rewarded after monthly draws.

The lucky winners were then taken back to the supermarkets they purchased their shoppings from and given 60 minutes to dash around the shop with a trolley to pick whatever they needed but not to exceed K300,000.

The Swipe & Dash involved supermarkets such Chipiku Plus, Sana and Build Africa, which drew a tremendous jump in the usage of ATM cards, not just in withdrawing cash but paying for goods and services using their PoS placed in strategic service providers, including filling stations.

In 2019, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) held a digital financial services conference in Mangochi where former Governor Dalitso Kabambe highlighted that the high costs of using cash and cheques include time and money spent accessing a bank branch or an ATM to either deposit or withdraw money — as well as high cost of replacing bank notes.

After the conference that was to impress on financial services stakeholders to accelerate the shift from paper-based payments instruments, RBM took the cashless awareness campaign through the streets of Mangochi.

The awareness campaign started with a march from M’mbaluku led by the members of staff from RBM and various financial service that was spiced by the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) brass band with a car equipped with a public address system in front that had an official announcing the purpose of the march.

The parade ended at St. Augustine 2 Primary School where various banks and non-bank mobile money service providers erected pavilions to market their services.

The financial services providers included FDH Bank, Standard Bank, NBS Bank, Nedbank, National Bank, Ecobank, FINCA, First Capital as well as mobile money companies; TNM and Airtel.