Starcomms to offer Smart Center for pay-phone call centers

Starcomms, Nigeria's fourth-largest telecommunications operator, has outlined plans for a new offering for pay-phone call centers in the country.

CEO Maher Qubain said the offering, known as the Smart Center, is designed to enhance entrepreneurial development in Nigeria. It includes pay phones and special tariff plans for offering retail calling services.

In a statement, Qubain said Smart Center will "revolutionize" the pay phone business in Nigeria. It will be "a new way of doing business aimed at offering more empowerment, more profit and more business to call center operators," he said.

Starcomms Marketing Director Manoj Vashisht said call centers can take advantage of the package by joining the Starcomms network as a commercial telephone operator.

"All an operator needs is to simply buy a Starcomms Smart Center specially designed for tele-centers and get rewarded with up to 7,000 naira [US$60] in bonus on 60,000 naira of monthly airtime spent in the Starcomms Bonuzee loyalty program."

The Smart Center package comes at an affordable and competitive rate, according to Vashisht. "The aim of making this package very affordable is to empower more Nigerians, especially youths and entrepreneurs in general," he said.

Operators will benefit from a customized tariff structure, he said. "They will earn more profit per second and take part in the Bonuzee Millionaire a week promo, where every customer stands a chance to win a million naira every week plus cars, talkie phones, mobile phones etc. Each and every Smart Center customer also enjoys instant bonuses on usage. The more you use the more bonuses you get."

The Starcomms Smart Center comes in two models. The first is aimed at young entrepreneurs looking to start their own business. The second, called Shop-in-Shop, is for shop owners who want to generate a new stream of income.

Shop owners can make "huge profits and grow their businesses" thanks to the special tariff plans, according to Vashisht. The Smart Centers will also attract more people to their stores, allowing them to sell more of other products, he said.