The following content is paid for by Nedbank.
Small-business owners, content creators, traders, and side hustlers often struggle to find convenient ways to generate and keep track of invoices, and receive payments from their customers.
But with Nedbank Money Message, those days are over. Whatever your business, you can now create and send invoices to your customers and receive payments into any bank account of your choice via WhatsApp. You don’t even need to be a Nedbank client to use Nedbank Money Message. This useful, secure payment solution is quick and easy to set up – and best of all, there are no set-up costs or payment-processing devices to buy.
If you have a business and need a flexible, easy way to generate professional invoices and get paid by your customers, then Nedbank Money Message is your better money choice.
All you need is a smartphone that runs the latest version of WhatsApp and an internet connection. Simply register with Nedbank Money Message by sending a WhatsApp to 087 240 6272. There is no set-up needed from your customer’s side. You will send them an invoice via WhatsApp and all they need to do is upload their card details safely and securely to make payment. It’s all on WhatsApp – and it takes only a few minutes.
How does it work?
Money Message is ideal if you sell products or services where the customer isn’t necessarily present or able to give you a bank card to swipe. This makes it perfect for online stores, work-from-home businesses or people on the move. It allows you to create and send an invoice and receive payment from your customers – all without complicated payment gateways or excessive transaction fees.
There’s no daily limit on the number of transactions you can process, although bills are currently restricted to a maximum value of R4 000 each and a total monthly limit of R50 000.
Will I qualify for Nedbank Money Message?
Although formal businesses can also use Nedbank Money Message, it’s perfect for small or informal businesses, because you don’t need any official company registration to use the service. You do, however, need to have proof of identification – like a South African identity card or document – and a South African bank account. Foreign traders would need a valid passport and South African bank account.
How do I register?
To register for Nedbank Money Message, make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp on your smartphone.
Save the number 087 240 6272 to your contacts, then send the word ‘Hi‘ to that number and start a chat with Nedbank Money Message .
The bot will take you through the registration steps, which involve confirming your identity and your business name. You will have to load your banking details for the payment of invoices from your customers. Since your banking details are not stored on WhatsApp, it’s safe to add them.
During the registration process, you can also create your invoice template, including your business logo and business details. You can later update this invoice with your customer’s details and purchase information before you send them the invoice.
It should not take more than a few minutes to complete and requires no paperwork or waiting period.
How to use Nedbank Money Message?
Once you’ve set up your profile, you can start doing business immediately.
The interface is simply a chat window, with the Nedbank Money Message bot prompting you to give it commands. These commands (with shortcodes in brackets) are typically the following:
- Get paid (Gp).
- Make a payment (Mp).
- View your transaction history (H).
- Edit your profile (Pp).
- Edit your business details (Bz).
- Get help (i)
All these commands are entered as shortcodes. To send an invoice, enter the short code, your customer’s name and details, the amount due and what you’ve sold.
Your customer will then receive an SMS with a link to open the invoice and view it on WhatsApp. They must use the shortcode Pb for ‘Pay bill’ and enter their card details. They can pay with any South African credit, debit or cheque card.
Their payment is completely safe, as the system uses 3D Secure protocol to ensure secure and accurate payments for all online purchases. No card details are stored on WhatsApp, which makes security even tighter.
How much does it cost?
Using Nedbank Money Message is free. There is no sign-up or subscription fee.
All you need to pay is 2,75% of the value of every transaction and a flat fee of R2 per generated invoice.
For more information visit www.nedbank.co.za/moneymessage.
