We’re pleased to announce a new collaboration between ourselves and the software platform Angaza for our Pay-as-you-go power device the SHS 200.
In continents with remote populations – notably Asia, South America and Africa – payment by instalment (PAYGo) allows communities to acquire life-changing products, power and services in a manageable way.
But that business model is labour intensive for retailers and service providers who often interact with distant customers on a weekly basis. Enter the sales and customer software platform Angaza.
On the Angaza platform companies can sell the SHS 200 on a pay-as-you-go basis, and access tools to manage their sales operations. Companies can easily keep in touch with their customers, including by sending automated SMS reminders about upcoming payments. They can accept mobile money, avoiding the need to physically collect cash. Businesses can also view payment collection data, enabling them to flag customers with late payments and strategize next steps.
The Angaza platform provides a wealth of features that goes beyond customer management. Businesses can track and manage their product inventory and team, and view powerful data analytics to drive decisions and grow.
This collaboration between Victron and Angaza helps increase consumers’ access to high-demand products that need power to operate – like mobile phones, rice cookers, TVs, solar lighting, and water pumps – to be used in locations where power is often not available.
The SHS200 is a solar charge controller with DC and USB power outlets and can be used to power DC devices around the home. Connected to a 200Wp solar panel, and a 160Ah battery – which has the option to be tamper proof – the SHS 200 will provide enough PAYGo energy everyday to run home devices such as a 24″ colour television for eight hours, a fridge or fan, plus six domestic lights for eight hours.
Reliable and easy to use – offline payments by mobile phone return a key code which, when entered into the keypad of the SHS 200, enables the device, providing 24 hour power for the period purchased – a week, or a month.
The SHS 200 has fifteen DC power outlets – 10 USB (1.5A), 4 Barrel (3A/5A) and a 10Amp pin plug.
The system is expandable, too, allowing the consumer to add more power as their needs grow.
The SHS 200 is a revolutionary device for many remote communities. Grid electricity is not available for hundreds of millions of people around the world – and probably never will be. Access to power using the SHS 200 is truly life changing, often allowing them for the first time to start businesses; communicate by mobile phone; extend their children’s education after dark; and enjoy the benefits of news and entertainment from around the world.
Victron Energy Sales Manager for the energy access market Yoann le Fol will broadcast a webinar for installers in which he will explain how the SHS 200 works and demonstrate how it is installed. You can join the webinar which will be held on Tuesday 23rd November at 14:00 Central European Time and ask questions. If you are unlucky enough to miss the event you will be able to find it, later, on our Past event video page (Victron Professional login required).
How does it work?
The Angaza sales and customer management platform is used by over 200 distributors across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Angaza’s sales and customer management solution provides distributors of all sizes with a complete set of tools to sell any product, anywhere by reaching new markets, meeting consumer demand for devices, and generating repeat business. With Angaza’s cloud-based platform and offline-compatible mobile app, distributors can make and monitor sales, offer multiple payment plans and track payments, manage their customer records, coordinate their teams, and drive decisions with powerful data analytics.
With Angaza, businesses can:
- Collect customer data when registering a new sale
- Offer multiple payment methods, including mobile money and cash
- Generate and send tokens by SMS to activate PAYGo solar home systems
- Manage their teams, including sales people and technicians
- View sales and payment performance, including payment history
- Monitor and manage product inventory
If you would like to become involved in the distribution of these systems, or add them to your portfolio you can contact Yoann le Fol directly.
You can read more about our energy access products on our energy access page.