Rwanda and the world are grappling with unpresented times due to the outbreak of COVID-19 which has affected in different ways and companies are embracing digital ways to enhance contactless services.

Local telecommunication operator Airtel Rwanda has come up with a mobile application that facilitates remote working and ensure that social distancing is maintained, as a way to prevent the spread of the virus, on top of improving customer convenience.

"Looking at customer patterns, we thought we could come up with an app which is a portal that allows our customers to interact in the confines of their home,” Amit Chawla, Airtel Rwanda Managing Director speaking at the launch.

"Therefore, we are launching this noble service: My Airtel app which is able to serve all customers and the community of Rwanda in a very effective and comfortable manner,” he added.

My Airtel App is a self-care application that offers its customers a convenient self-service channel to manage their account and interact with Customer Care, bringing the best of services together under one unified platform.

This new initiative is digital in nature and customers can access a whole host of functionalities including checking airtime balance, data, SMS and access their Airtel Money account.

Through the app, they will be able to recharge their airtime and data packs, purchase bundles and buy goods and services among others.

What’s more, the self-care app comes with a reward system, where Airtel will be rewarding a ‘Community Champion’.

To become a Community Champion, all you need to do is to download the self-care app and make a recharge for your friends and family. 

The champion will then get 5% airtime back instantly.

Airtel’s Managing Director also added that this is a self-interactive app, integrated with banks and credit cards, as well as mobile money accounts.

"It also gives the facility of paying all bills online”, he added.

The launch of online self-service capabilities for Airtel mobile customers is one of the company’s ongoing efforts towards delivering the best customer experience in the digital space and empowering customers with a convenient, non-intrusive and available way of managing their mobile accounts.

The specialty is highlighted especially during these times as we all look out for all prevention measures to curb COVID-19. The self-care app is a simple, secure and convenient way, which is expected to change the paradigm of how businesses are run in Rwanda. 

This initiative comes after Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) urged all telecom operators to shift their operations to a digital mode to ensure as many customers are remotely served as possible.