Grace Ashiru
FlySafair, a low-cost airline in South Africa, is the first company to use Chat 2 Pay, an innovative e-commerce solution that lets customers pay easily with their phones through WhatsApp.
Clickatell, a global leader in chat commerce and mobile messaging, says that its Chat 2 Pay feature is now live..
We’re always looking for ways to make things better for our customers, so we’re very happy that they can now pay for their luggage with a link sent to their phones through WhatsApp. “Our customers no longer have to wait in line at the airport to pay for their bags,” says Kirby Gordon, who is in charge of marketing for FlySafair.
Customers of FlySafair can use WhatsApp by sending “Hi” to +27 87 357 0030, which is the FlySafair business account. Once a customer is in the WhatsApp channel, they can choose “My Booking,” then “Buy a bag,” and then follow the instructions on the secure payment link to make a purchase. Customers can also get the secure payment link by scanning a QR code at the check-in counter.
TripAdvisor lists FlySafair as one of the world’s best airlines based on the number and quality of reviews and ratings for airlines worldwide. FlySafair is going against the trend of airlines using mobile apps to meet customer needs by using WhatsApp as a convenient, instant, and optimal customer service and transaction channel for its customers.
By adding Chat 2 Pay, FlySafair helps its customers save time and make payments safely by clicking on the Chat 2 Pay link in a WhatsApp message. This way, they don’t have to give their personal payment information to a call center agent or read the details of their payment card over the phone.
Travelers have previously welcomed the ability to interact and transact with airlines via mobile messaging. According to a Clickatell analysis from 2022, 89% of consumers want to communicate with airlines via mobile messaging, and 77% want to use a mobile payment link with travel brands.
The most popular way for consumers to do business is through mobile messaging, which accounts for 71% of retail traffic and 61% of online shopping orders.
We’re excited to work with FlySafair to give its customers a better experience by letting them pay with their cell phones. People no longer have time to wait in lines, and almost every adult on the planet has a cell phone.
Jeppe Dorff, chief product and technology officer at Clickatell, says that airlines around the world have a big chance to improve their customers’ travel experiences by letting them browse, book, pay for, as well as book travel and manage it all from their phones.
About a year ago, FlySafair added the popular WhatsApp channel through the Clickatell Platform to its customer service. The FlySafair WhatsApp channel has important information about customer bookings, flight status, general flight information, the option to check in and get boarding passes on WhatsApp, the opportunity to chat with a live agent, and now the option to pay for additional products, and services.
We aim to offer all of the features currently on our website through the WhatsApp channel. This will make a booking and making reservations as easy as possible,” says Gordon.
