Prepaid phones offer great convenience, primarily by giving customers control over their finances. However, since prepaid credit is finite, the frequent need to top up—though it can heighten spending awareness—is rarely enjoyable. Moreover, each time customers run out of credit, they face a decision: to choose your service once again.

Topping up credit is boring

Common ways of topping up credit are rather tedious. Traditionally, one would have to leave the house and visit a supermarket or a local shop. For the lucky few, it’s a matter of crossing the street. For most people, it requires a lot more time and effort. Contrary to postpaid users, prepaid users constantly need to choose whether or not they want to continue. In a sense, the main benefit to the user, is also a potential cause of churn. Eventually, some might grow tired of topping up their phones and go a long time without credit. This begs the question. Isn’t there a better way? After all, whenever customers decide to reload their phone credit, they’re actually choosing you and renewing their commitment to your brand. At Alphacomm, we’re always on the lookout for new and innovative top-up methods that take into account what users really want. This is where modern top-up channels and automation come into play. After all, the goal is to make topping up an easier and quicker experience for all prepaid users.

Topping up mobile credit should be as simple as possible

When it comes to topping up, innovation can be implemented in numerous ways. The very best solutions make topping up a simple activity. After all, what really matters is that reloading phone credit is easy for the customer. From a business perspective, implementing methods that are a natural fit for customers will also help maximize conversions.

1. Top-up via chatbots

Customers can now recharge their mobile phones through chatbots on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, among others. These platforms are widely used globally, making them ideal for integrating seamless top-up services. Topping up credit via messaging platforms is as simple as starting a chat with an old friend. Via an automated question and answer system, users are able to recharge phone credit in a way that comes naturally and suits their preferences.

2. Pay later

Recognizing loyal customers by allowing them to postpone payment can be particularly beneficial. For instance, if a customer runs out of credit but must wait for their salary, they can still get credit when needed and pay later. This feature is also useful for families, allowing parents to approve purchases made by their children, thus preventing unexpected bills.

3. Automatic top-up

By enabling automatic top-up, customers can have their phone credit replenished automatically when it falls below a certain threshold or at set intervals. This method offers the simplicity of postpaid services without the contractual obligations.

Learn more about this topic: Automatic top-up - Future-proof or passing fad?

4. Paylinks

Automated paylinks streamline the purchasing process by using data from frequent transactions to pre-fill payment details, reducing the need for customers to navigate through multiple pages.

Learn more about this topic: To paylink or not to paylink? - The pros and cons revealed

5. Top-up via dash buttons & voice assistants

Physical dash buttons, like those introduced by Amazon, or digital ones on devices or in-app can make reordering regular products, such as mobile credit, as simple as pressing a button. Similarly, voice assistants allow users to top up credit through simple voice commands, further enhancing convenience.

The importance of convenience in customer retention

The decision to top up is a critical moment in the customer life cycle. A moment that can be simplified or made redundant by the introduction of automation. Automation simplifies the top-up process and potentially extends customer lifetime and increases average revenue per user (ARPU) by 10-20%. Like their postpaid counterparts, prepaid users value convenience, and those opting for automated services tend to spend more and stay longer. Sure, topping up phone credit might never become fun. Nonetheless, the liberating power of having choice and being in control can make the top-up process as painless as possible and perhaps, one day, a pleasant experience.

Top-up should be effortless

At Alphacomm, we believe that topping up mobile phone credit should be effortless for your customers. Keeping customers on board requires thinking beyond the realm of promotional activities and special deals. To that end, we’ve got plenty of proven solutions to help you do just that. Meet Checkmaxx, a complete SaaS solution for selling high-risk digital goods. Feel free to contact our revenue geeks to find out if Checkmaxx is right for your business.