Global cloud communication firm Infobip has integrated voice and SMS capabilities for Jiji Africa, an online marketplace in pan-African countries including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania.

Aside from the initial project in Nigeria, the voice and SMS channel implementation was recently expanded to Jiji’s operations in Kenya and Ghana as the company’s activities in those markets increased and services were extended.

Jiji Head of Africa, Yuliy Shenfeld says the company needed a solution that would enable it to seamlessly send out vital transactional information to buyers and sellers that use Jiji’s platform to exchange goods.

According to a statement released to the media, the company was established six years ago and acquired OLX’s business in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda in 2019. It currently has between 12 million and 15 million active buyers and a range of between 200 000 and 250 000 sellers.

“We experienced challenges with our previous SMS service provider in terms of delivery rates. Not all transactional SMSes, relating to registration on our platform and inquiries about advertised items, would reach our customers,” says Shenfeld.

Global company

He says the company engaged Infobip as it is a global company with local presence in the markets in which Jiji operates. In addition, Infobip beat its competitors on pricing, enabling Jiji to lower its SMS and voice costs by almost tenfold, while its delivery rates improved to over 90%.

“We have benefitted from a reliable service, because Infobip offers direct connections to carriers, which ensures high delivery rates for our customers. This is obviously very important for our end users in terms of transactional traffic and allows us to ensure that they have a seamless experience,” Shenfeld adds.

Dorotea Vatavuk, Enterprise Sales Lead at Infobip and Jiji’s dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM), says the online classified platform also benefitted from Infobip’s local presence and support as its business expanded.

“We have a deep understanding of their business, which enables us to serve as advisors and consultants to Jiji as its business and customer needs expand. They also benefitted from 24/7 technical support and a dedicated CSM who is looking after them and their business,” says Vatavuk.

Local support

“When it comes to any transactional traffic, reliability and stability of the service is crucial and this is something that Infobip can secure for its clients. It was really important for Jiji to receive support from local experts and also ensure that their subsidiaries – in Kenya and Ghana – also benefitted from a dedicated CSM that takes care of their needs and ensures that local regulations are followed.”

She adds that Jiji currently has no plans to roll out additional channels as its management feels that the SMS and voice solution are adequate to their customers’ current needs. However, Infobip will continue to provide support to the business as its needs evolve.

“As an omni-channel solution provider and a consultant to Jiji, we are able to support them with any new projects and the enablement of communication solutions that may come along on their digital journey as the needs of their customers evolve.

“We will always share new ideas and introduce any new solutions to ensure that they are aware of new possibilities. It’s about having their business in mind and thinking how to support them and add value with our solutions to help their business grow.”