The country‘s largest cement manufacturer and market leader. Ghacem Limited has taken the lead among its peers, in the use of e-zwich as a payment system. Distributors for the cement manufacturer will now pay for their bags of cement from the comfort of their offices or shop using the biometric smart card the e-zwich. Under this arrangement. Ghacem sales person in the region will visit the distributors with point of sales (POS) devices to enable them pay for their goods using the e-zwich card.

The programme started as pilot in winneba in the Central Region with eight distributors and has successfully run for a period of over eight months. The Acting Commercial Director at Ghacem, Philip Archer, says the pilot has been a great success encouraging the cement manufacturer to extend the programme to its distributors nationwide. Over 22 distributors in Achimota and Madina Sales outlets, the two Sales points in Accra have recently been trained on how the system works. Distributor who currently don’t have e- zwich cards are in the process on acquiring one and will soon start paying for their cement orders electronically.

The exercise will extended to Tema and Kumasi Sale point shortly and gradually to all corners of the country where Ghacem has Sale points. Archer explains that the e-zwich payment system shortens the process involved in placing order for cement, makes it less cumbersome and creates convenience for distributor. He adds that e-zwich system has enabled the company to bring its business closer to the clients and this he considers is an added value to distributors.

Throwing more light on how the e-zwich works, Archer said the Sale Representatives will go to the distributors with a POS device. The slip that is churned out after the payment is made with the e- zwich is then scanned and sent to the factory in Tema for supplies after going through the rest of the order processing. This new process, he said saves the distributor a lot of time and incurred in getting a payment draft. Ghacem has been working closing with Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) to ensure that its distributors use the e-zwich.

The two institutions will in future encourage Cement retailers to also acquire the e-zwich cards. This, Mr. Acher said will reduce the use of huge sums of cash that circulate within the cement trade. In the near future, the distributors will acquire their own POS devices so they can, from their office pay directly to Ghacem with a real time confirmation of payment “ what a pleasure it will be for us to sit in our office and know directly who has paid and immediately dispatch the consignment ………. that will be the ultimate,” the acting Commercial Director said. A Ghacem distributor in winneba, Adu Asamoah, Managing Director for Lowes Home Improvement, told fellow distributor at training workshop in Accra that life has been a lot of easier with the use of the e-zwich.

The distributor, who is a strong advocate of the e-zwich system, said he was initially skeptical but after few days of using the electronic payment system, he has seen its enormous benefits.

GhIPSS is expected to collaborate strongly with Ghacem to ensure this new electronic payment with e-zwich materializes.

Source: Business Week