Mobile Asset Management (M3C)

E-commerce sales are increasing as a percentage of total sales and becoming an important channel for retailers across the world, including emerging markets. But in countries where most retail transactions are still cash-based, the multichannel experience is not so seamless — and merchant service providers in these markets have started to focus their resources on mobile solutions to manage large distribution networks.

E-Commerce in Emerging Markets

In Asia and the Middle East, e-commerce is a reality when it comes to product offering, but not for online payments. Large independent merchant networks are very active in selling vouchers and prepaid cards that can be purchased in chain or mom-and-pop stores and redeemed online. As the lines between the virtual and the physical world blur, a seamless multi-level model is the first step in a broader transformation of the retail industry.

A Mobile Solution for the Field

The key is an integrated solution that takes care of all independent merchant-salesman needs — from locating the store, through managing the digital inventory, to monitoring the merchant balance, which is often prepaid. Ogloba's M3C Android application achieves this: merchants can be located via Google Maps, so they can be tracked in distribution markets where no exact address is available, such as extensively non-urbanised regions of the Middle East or Asia.

Day-to-Day Business in One App

The app facilitates all the actions necessary for conducting and managing day-to-day business: purchasing credits and products for re-sale, paying invoices, and managing, declaring, processing and logging deposit payments made up the sales chain. Credit status — maximum credit limits and the current credit and cash levels available — can be monitored easily, and acquirers can track assets such as payment terminals provided to merchants.

Advantages Beyond Mobility

The M3C app empowers the salesman with information while allowing the company to manage its risk. Salesmen can view their own and each merchant's credit limit and balance, place orders, collect payments, arrange deposit of collected payments at a cashier or ATM, register the GPS location of merchant POS, and sort their route by merchant balance, stock or distance.

More User-Friendly Than a POS

M3C brings new flexibility and usability to the EVD solution. It has the same basic functions as a fixed or portable POS but is more user-friendly thanks to the smartphone's full-colour touchscreen, which allows better interaction than a keypad and menu. Feature development is easier and faster, smartphones enjoy better connectivity and faster data processing, and a smartphone costs much less than a POS.

FAQ

What is M3C designed for?

Managing large, cash-based distribution networks: it is an Android app for field salesmen covering everything from locating the store and managing digital inventory to monitoring the merchant balance, which is often prepaid.

How does M3C find merchants that have no exact address?

Merchants can be located via Google Maps, so they can be tracked even in extensively non-urbanised regions of the Middle East or Asia where no exact address is available.

What does the app let salesmen and acquirers do day to day?

Salesmen can view credit limits and balances, place orders, collect payments, arrange deposits at a cashier or ATM, register the GPS location of merchant POS and sort their route by balance, stock or distance — while acquirers track assets such as payment terminals provided to merchants.