Bangkok Bank supports the move towards a cashless society by offering Bualuang Smart Bill Payment service to Rajapruek Taxi Cooperative and Bawon Taxi drivers. This enables them to conveniently, swiftly and safely accept fare payments and taxi rental fees via QR Code on Bualuang mBanking and receive real-time transaction reports that perfectly answer the needs of business in the new normal era.
Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Pipat Assamongkol says the bank is responding to the needs of business customers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak as well as changes in the new normal era. The transition to a cashless society has intensified and has now become a part of everyday life.
“As a trusted partner, Bangkok Bank wants to enable your SME business to reach success. Therefore, the Bank is proud to offer our Bualuang Smart Bill Payment service as an important support to business management with digital payment total solutions. This provides greater convenience to customers while reducing the complexity and errors that may occur from cash management procedures. At the same time, the service also helps increase the efficiency of business by allowing businesses to allocate personnel using digital technology instead of a manual management process. This technology will serve a variety of businesses, especially those with large numbers of daily transactions, such as property management businesses, fresh market operators, tutorial schools, and car rental services.
“The Bualuang Smart Bill Pay service is suitable for almost every type of business that has a lot of daily transactions. The service will help reduce the burden of reviewing these transactions, which can be both time-consuming and labor-intensive and might affect business competitiveness. Bualuang Smart Bill Payment helps business customers with their cash management by providing payment services that cover both Bangkok Bank and other bank channels. It will facilitate the company’s customers and business partners by providing summaries of income and expenses. In addition, business customers can request a report to check payments from their customers and business partners through electronic channels that are available anywhere, anytime. Moreover, this service also meets the needs of business customers in the new normal era as people try to avoid direct contact with cash."
The Rajapruek Taxi Cooperative and Bawon Taxi Cooperative are examples of entrepreneurs with many transactions through the Bank each month — they choose Bualuang Smart Bill Payment as it is a flexible and convenient way to manage their businesses. Smart Bill Payment enables drivers to receive fares via PromptPay QR Code, and the cooperatives receive taxi rental fees via QR Code on Bualuang mBanking, which sends instant payment notifications of all transactions to the cooperatives. It also links with a daily payment summary system, so the cooperatives can be confident that all transactions are secure. It helps reduce errors in financial accounting and users can see the source of each funds transfer and the category of expenses. Therefore, there is no need for the cooperatives to open many deposit accounts with many banks which will save them a lot of time.
“By understanding obstacles that customers or business owners face, Bangkok Bank is able to develop and deliver services that truly meet customers’ needs. The COVID-19 outbreak has been a catalyst for change as we move towards the new normal era. People find it quick and convenient to make online transactions and feel protected from a possible COVID-19 infection as they can avoid direct contact with bank notes. The use of Bualuang Smart Bill Payment has multiplied in the first four months of this year (January-April, 2020) as many businesses applied for this service to cope with the significant changes in society,” said Mr. Pipat.
Mr. Thapakon Asawalertkul, President Advisor, the Rajapruek Taxi Cooperative and Bawon Taxi Cooperative, said that the Bualuang Smart Bill Payment service can help increase the cooperatives’business potential by allocating personnel efficiently. The taxi rental business has to deal with a large number of taxi rental fees being transferred from members each month and as there are often many transactions coming in at the same time, it can be a complicated and time-consuming task to check all the transactions that occur during the day.
“This service helps us manage our business better while lowering our costs and it saves time as we do not need to contact many banks. This means we can focus on improving our services to be more efficient and this will lead to overall business growth. Currently, the cooperatives have many taxis providing services to passengers, and they plan to add new cars every month, so the system is needed to support the increase in transaction volume. At the same time, taxi drivers need to become familiar with accepting fares through digital payment channels to accommodate customer behavior in the modern world. Today customers need an easy, convenient, fast payment service that is secure and safe without any need for direct contact with cash. During the COVID-19 crisis, most of our taxi drivers had to learn how to use and become familiar with digital payments.”
Mr. Thapakorn added that the cooperative and the Bank have the same approach in terms of customer care. The cooperative is working as a trusted partner to the drivers, particularly with regard to finding convenient business solutions to drivers. “We order our taxis from car makers with high standards and cover the costs of car repair and spare parts as well as providing spare vehicles during maintenance, so driver’s income won’t be affected. In addition, we provide assistance to around ten thousand drivers within our network especially in times of crisis, such as reducing daily rental costs to lower the burden of taxi drivers and we also give away relief supply bags to member drivers.
“The cooperatives are confident that this service will be able to increase its efficiency as Bangkok Bank will facilitate accounts opening, QR code payments and PromptPay registration while also teaching all drivers how to use the mobile banking app. Moreover, as a cooperative partner, the Bank also offers our taxi drivers various benefits such as opening a new bank account and receiving a debit card for free with medical treatment privileges at Siriraj Hospital, with which we are very satisfied,” said Mr. Thapakorn.