At a time when being connected has become an imperative for many, Sprint PCS has just made it easier for its customers to keep their phones on. Sprint PCS, Times
By Jason Seaborn
offer wireless users
option to buy air time
in checkout line
jseaborn@starbulletin.comThis week Sprint and PreNet Corp., an electronic cash transaction company, added the Times Super Market chain to Sprint's national retail network of refill locations for Sprint PCS PreCash Payment Cardholders. The network already includes all Radio Shack corporate-owned locations nationwide, all 100-plus Plaid Pantry locations in the Northwest, and a growing number of independent wireless dealers.
All 13 Times stores on Oahu will offer Sprint PCS wireless customers the opportunity to buy dinner, then purchase air time to call home and make sure there will be someone around to eat it.
Times was interested in the project because it fits the chain's ongoing efforts to use technology to better serve its customers, said Bruce Yokochi, Vice President of Sales for Times Super Market.
Hawaii customers who use pay-as-you-go or wireless-allowance methods for their cellular use will be the nation's first to be able to make payments to their accounts at the checkout counter in a supermarket, according to Les Young, Senior Marketing Analyst for Sprint PCS.
The procedure is fairly simple. For a $3 fee (charged per PreCash transaction), a customer informs the cashier he wants to make a payment to his Sprint PCS wireless account and then presents the cashier with the cash amount to be credited to that account. The $3 fee goes directly to Times Super Market.
"It's much more convenient for customers," said Young.
"Previously, to use this payment option, customers could only go to a Radio Shack, during store hours," he said. Now, customers needn't worry about running out of airtime after normal business hours. "If you're out of airtime on a Sunday night, you don't have to wait until Monday to mail in your payment."
That's where PreNet, the vendor Sprint contracted to supply the software for the service, steps in. "Just stop into a Times Super Market, pay using your PreCash card, and you're up and running again."
Well, four hours later at any rate. That's the amount of time it takes for a transaction to be credited to an account, said Young.
Although he couldn't provide exact figures on how many Sprint customers were using this payment option already, the entire concept is only six months old, Young expected the number to rise with the addition of Times.
"Not many people visit Radio Shack on a regular basis, but everyone goes to the supermarket," said Young.
The new payment option also cuts down on Sprint's costs associated with mail-in payments, like paperwork and administrative duties. "It doesn't necessarily make bill collecting easier for us, but it does cut down on our operating costs."
The transactions require no personal identification numbers or preset denominations. Customers can credit their accounts with any amount from $20 to $300. If the card is lost, the funds are protected because the Sprint PCS Payment Card doesn't hold any value. It can only be used to credit an existing Sprint account.
Expansion plans include opening refill locations at gasoline and convenience stores, drug store chains, office supply stores and department stores.