On-line credit card authorization at your doorstep
By Elisha Mayallah
 Small and medium-sized
enterprises (SME's) in Tanzania have started benefitting from e-commerce to
access global markets, thanks to the Arusha-based Apollo-Ecom Business
Solutions.
According to its Director, Mr. Allan Sydede, services are already being offered
to some few clients based in Arusha. The Apollo-Ecom company based at the Arusha
International Conference Centre, will be launching this product soon . It will
enable their clients to access the ever-growing business opportunities available
in the International Network (Internet)
"Our main aim is to enable the SME's businesses to sell their products to the
increasingly developing global markets through the internet, in the most secure
way using the 128 bit encryption technology" said, Mr. Sydede.
Although the internet has been considered an industry developed in the last few
years, on-line transactions are already generating hundreds of billion of
dollars in revenue worldwide.
The use and application of the internet resources is by far an important service
in bridging the gap between the poor and the rich. The internet has become an
important enabler of economic growth through e-commerce, in particular by the
SME's. And as a result the internet is improving the quality of life by
increasing the social, economic and environmental benefits to many people around
the World.
However, most of the businesses in the Least Developed Countries (LDC's) are
unable to sell their products and services on the internet. Whereas the rapid
progress of the Internet has opened new opportunities to gain high levels of
development.
The product to be launched include: On-line - real-time - processing of the six
major credit cards. The credit cards to be processed on-line include: Master
Cards, Visa, American Express (Amex), Diners Club, JCB and Discover. This
service will enable clients to accept on-line payments through their websites
securely from all over the World.
The ease will ensure immediate on-line authorization of credit cards to meet the
clients' needs. And to make sure that on-line payments reach the clients bank
accounts within a relatively short time – from any part of the World.
Other services included in the range of Apollo-Ecom Business Solutions are:
currency conversion, market/client surveys pertaining to on-line sales, seamless
transaction transfer to the clients' accounting database, and encryption
technology for security and customer comfort.
Apollo-Ecom Business Solutions and its international partner say they are
committed to providing the extraordinary service using innovative and
award-winning technology, and at affordable rates – to boost business growth and
profitability.
While it is practical to accept that e-commerce is still unknown or in its
infancy in Tanzania, it is obvious therefore that the bridge of digital divide
is wide and calls for concerted efforts to tap the opportunities presented by
the internet.
So far, in this age of the internet, it has become easier to connect with
different businesses, suppliers, customers, and share the technology resources;
and that it has helped to increase business efficiency and profits.
The first phase of World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in
Geneva in December last year highlighted the need to recognize the economic
potential of ICT's in helping SME's realize and increase their competitiveness
in the global market.
E-commerce comprises multimedia information to support consumer decision making;
it supports global transactions and bookings; it delivers ticketing and
invoices; and it collects information about customers, which is transferred on
to databases.
Just as an example, more than 50% of American households use the internet for
planning, booking and purchasing both travel and non-travel items. They are,
therefore, classified as active iTravellers, with a population of nearly of 136
million internet users.
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