Redwood City, CA - Clickatell, the global leader in mobile communications specializing in SMS messaging as a service, today announced its relationship with WYDE-I Ltd that has made possible the wildly popular mobile lotto results service from Premier Lotto. The partnership with WYDE-I, a leading Lagos-based wireless application provider, is a successful example of Clickatell's expanding presence in the Nigerian market to meet the growing demand among consumers for receiving information and services through their mobile phones.
Premier Lotto is just one of the thousands of brands worldwide that are discovering new ways to engage customers, and their own employees and partners, using the ubiquity of SMS messaging. Almost all of the world's five billion mobile phones are able to at least receive SMS text messages. One of the world's largest providers of SMS services, Clickatell has provided customers with real-time, priority alert messaging through its Secure Enterprise Mobile Messaging Gateway since 2000. Clickatell works with developers worldwide to build applications that help brands increase customer contact and conversation, form social communities, motivate and reward buying or referral behavior, deliver just-in-time deals and incentives, as well as prompt usage, consumption or purchase. Additionally, organizations tap Clickatell for programs that assist partners and employees with process or operational improvement, cost reduction initiatives, disaster avoidance, emergency management and a host of other mission-critical goals.
"We have employed the industry's best practices in delivering our product to Nigerians and that includes providing results as soon as draws happen," said Adebisi Adebutu, Executive Director of Operations at Premier Lotto. "Working with Clickatell and WYDE-I has helped us extend our reach to customers who may be traveling, live in more remote areas of the country, or who otherwise may simply be away from a television or radio. We can still reach them with the nearly real-time information they crave. Word of mouth has led to the dramatic rise in our subscriber base, showing how popular mobile delivery of information truly has become."
Launched with just 200 subscribers initially, the mobile results service from Premier, also known as Baba Ijebu, now draws a daily average of 3,000 lotto players who sign up for draw results. After purchasing a Premiercard, lotto fans use their phones to send a PIN number printed on the card to create an account with credits for 30 results. As drawings take place, the subscribers are notified and when their credits run low, they receive an alert.
"Premier Lotto demonstrates how pervasive the demand for mobile information delivery has become and how even organizations like Premier, who are excellent at reaching huge customers bases through mass media channels, can improve their customer engagement using SMS services," said Pieter de Villiers, CEO of Clickatell. "Working with WYDE-I Ltd. was a rewarding experience for our company and we welcome such relationships that will help use expand to meet the demand in Nigeria for mobile messaging services."
"Mobile penetration and capabilities are increasing at a rapid pace and WYDE-I has been able to quickly develop and successfully launch new mobile products and services in order to meet market demands", said Bosun Olukoya, Managing Director of WYDE-I. "We believe the partnership with Clickatell illustrates WYDE-I's continued goal of providing the most reliable and value driven content service provison over the web and to mobile phones."
About Clickatell
We create a better world through technology, making commerce in chat accessible for everyone, everywhere. Consumers can now connect with brands to find goods and services, make purchases, track orders, and resolve issues with a simple text or chat. No need for cash, phone calls, in-person interactions, or apps. Founded in 2000 with now over 10,000 customers, Clickatell is powering the digital commerce transformation. Clickatell is headquartered in Silicon Valley, CA and has offices in Canada, South Africa, and Nigeria (www.clickatell.com).
SMS and two-way channels, automation, call center integration, payments - do it all with Clickatell's Chat Commerce platform.