Primary Data Collection: How to Get Started!

In a world ruled by data, where every profitable decision is always backed by the right kind of data, where the use of wrong data can send even a nation crashing down, emphasis should be laid on the nitty-gritty of collecting clean and veritable data as required.

Data collection is simply the method of gathering quantitative and qualitative information to glean useful insights. It sounds simple when defined, but in theory, this process can be stressful and still be futile for informed decision-making process if done wrong. To begin, you would need to be certain of the category of data you need — that is primary data or secondary data.

Primary data is data collected from first-hand sources by the person in need of the data and for the reason “it is needed”. This differs from Secondary data which is data collected by someone else for some other purpose and to be used by another person for yet another purpose. The major differences between these two are the various ways they are collected and the sources (who collects the data).

Methods of collecting primary data

As raw, untapped information from a direct source, primary data has a higher likelihood of being accurate, more secure and useful in its entirety. Also, primary data opens the investigator to the possibility of obtaining additional data when needed.

The methods often employed to collect these data are;

Surveys (Web survey, one-on-one survey, Mail survey, etc.)
Questionnaires
Field Observations (Passive or Active )
Interviews (Focus Group, personal interview, open interview, etc.)
Experiments
Case studies

As someone who has set out to collect primary data on any scale and for whatever reason, you should know some popular negative views on the primary data collection process. For one, it is largely seen as expensive as it involves a fresh start. Also, for that same reason, the process is considered time-consuming and even impossible on a nationwide scale.

The advantages, however, outweigh the perceived disadvantages, especially the unique capability of primary data to solve specific problems, unlike secondary data. Hence, because of the many advantages, people are leaning solely towards primary data to make data-driven decisions, even on a national scale.

A recent example would be the latest directive by the President of Nigeria to make use of primary data for economic planning. This is to empower the government to make better decisions backed by data and to keep them abreast with the progress or futility of economic initiatives applied. To this effect, the president has set up an Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to champion the collection of primary data useful to proffer solutions to move the country and economy forward. This has set in motion the need for the different stakeholders in Nigeria to begin gathering primary data within a given time frame.

How to get started

Here’s how to get started with primary data collection;

First, clearly define the objective of the data you need to capture. This will enable you to make the right choice on the tool that will ensure a successful data capture project.
Next, identify the exact type of data you need. This will further prepare you to filter through the noise and get only the necessary primary data. This will also guide you in sifting through numerous sources.
Next, determine the various data requirements. By doing this, you can know where you need to source for the data and deduce the limitations you might encounter. It also gives you clarity into planning for the data transport, security measures and storage.

It should be noted that primary data collection when done digitally offers impressive speed, accuracy, good turnaround time and scalability.

How Seamfix can help

Globally recognized as a tech giant in the data collection and identity management space, Seamfix is dedicated to powering the process of primary data collection, by offering a robust mobile platform that guarantees seamless, end-to-end data capture with speed, either online and offline.

Seamfix has successfully powered primary data collection across the nation with our platform. Our track record ranges from telcos to government institutions to private organisations with over 20 successful nationwide primary data capture projects and over 110 million primary data captured nationwide. Primary data collected on our platform have been used for diverse purposes including; to successfully enumerate statewide civil servants and eliminate ghost workers, register mobile subscribers nationwide, carry out a nationwide retail census, and so much more.

The Seamfix platform offers the following enabling features;

1. Flexible Form builder

Easily build responsive forms to suit your chosen method of collection — be it surveys, questionnaires, observations and so on — and collect any type of first-hand data needed to make decisions. The forms can be modified to collect notes from interviews, focus groups of field observation consecutively.

2. Mobile capture

Make use of any mobile device (e.g. smartphones, tablets, etc.) to collect information needed from any location. This allows for flexibility as there will be no need to carry heavy devices or worse, tons of paper-based forms from location to location.

3. Offline Capture

Capture data in internet-dead zones enabled by the offline capabilities of our platforms. This will allow for maximum inclusion especially for nation-wide primary data collection projects where agents are deployed to remote areas, or in continents like Africa where internet connectivity is poor.

4. Access to capture agents

Successfully carry out nationwide capture with access to a pool of ready-to-use, trained agents. The platform also offers an agent management portal that will allow for real-time monitoring of deployed agents to ensure they are doing as told.

5. Pictures and location evidence

Get pictorial and geographical proof of the data collected. The location feature goes beyond to allow you fence your agents in a particular location so they are restricted to capture data only in the location assigned to them. This also allows for utmost compliance.

6. Real-time reporting

The platform offers an intuitive dashboard interface for advanced reporting and analytics in real-time. The captured data immediately syncs with the admin’s system so you can see everything as it is happening. With this, you can know where your data archive is lacking and make quick decisions to capture more data while the agents are still in the field.

7. Data compliance and security

We ensure that every data collected on our platform meets regulatory standards with compliant background checks during the process of data capture. Our platform also allows for connection to existing databases to verify biometric data when necessary. Our security measures transcend to the data in whatever state it is — at rest or in transit — upholding GDPR and NDPR regulations.

8. Easy integration

Do you already have a standard workflow process or a working application that doesn’t offer quite enough? Our platform allows for easy integration into third-party systems and processes, thereby maintaining your data repository and ensuring everything can be done in your environment.

Now that’s primary data collection powered by one mobile solution. No more wild estimates, no more assumptions, start collecting clean and verified primary data with the Seamfix platform.

To request a demo call +234-1-342- 9192 or send us a mail at info@seamfix.com.

Using Technology to Achieve Excellent Customer Service.

By Adesewa Adenle & Mella Iliemene

What is customer service?

Customer service is the direct one-on-one interaction between a customer making a purchase (goods or services) and a representative of the company that is selling or assisting to resolve an issue to achieve satisfaction for the customer and great user experience.

The growth of a company is dependent on the growth of the customer base, which is largely dependent on how seamless the service rendered is. With the customer base increasing, phone calls cannot be used to track all customers individually to assist them with issues across all products and platforms, which makes the introduction of tech solution very paramount to achieving excellence in customer service.

As earlier mentioned, the quality of customer service is imperative to the success or failure of any business, hence, it is very important that all available resources, including third-generational technologies, are availed to ensure that customers’ needs and concerns that reflect disquietude are being looked into. When your company can predict a customers demand and iterate your processes in order to meet them, you should enjoy a clear competitive advantage. And who doesn’t want to be on the cutting-edge of technology, right?

Metrics and KPIs

Before going into details on the specific customer care metrics that need to be tracked, it is key to clarify the difference between metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to steer clear of uncertainty.

Metrics are represented by quantitative data we collect at different stages of the customer and the company journey, which are useful to measure behaviour.

KPIs however, are connected to targets and are set to measure performance.

In a way, KPIs are a subclassification of metrics which are connected to specific goals and linked to benchmarks for analysis. Metrics are generic measurements that can be used to make strategic decisions that influence KPIs.

Customer Service Metrics

Customer service metrics are not just some fancy numbers that fill up your monthly performance dashboards. They are key performance factors that give you a clear idea of the contribution your services department is making to the overall progress of your company.

The 7 Crucial Customer Service Metrics

Customer Request Volume.
Average Number of Replies per Request.
Resolution Rate.
First Response Time.
Average Reply Time.
Average Time to Resolution.
Customer Satisfaction.

Technology As-A-Service Tool to Track Customer Service Metrics

Having to calculate the performance of each customer service representative manually would be so hectic, don’t you think? Which is why Technology makes this so easy to track without having to start calculating the performance of each customer service agent in alignment with the metrics.

One of the tools we use at Seamfix is Tawk.to. With this, we can chat in real-time with customers and resolve their issues as they arise which resonates to great customer experience. We are able to monitor website activities and traffic in terms of number of visitors at a given time, page views, and daily site report.

Tawk.to is also perfect for Geo IP tracking and shows the country and location of a visitor. In addition, Tawk.to has customizable widgets and in-built ticketing. One feature of Tawk.to we love is its flexibility when initiating/ joining a chat.

We are able to monitor the chat volume per time and day and have a detailed reporting on the time it takes each agent to end the conversation, the volume of missed chats, offline messages received, average chat duration, user satisfaction, First Response Time and the average time resolution.

Conclusively, we can all agree that technology is important and necessary to achieve excellent customer service as it will help each agent focus solely on their tasks to serve customers knowing there is a tool that can automatically measure customer churn rate and other parameters on-the-go. This then will improve productivity, lead to KPIs being achieved and overall excellence and satisfaction for both the business and the customers at large.

Are you, or your organization passionate about data? collecting it? collating it? verifying it? analyzing it? then you are the kind of people we write for. Follow our publication, and you would gain knowledge on everything data, from the process of easy capture to the end goal of making data-driven decisions. Find out about our company SEAMFIX and how we solve big organizational issues with third-generation solutions HERE.
Don’t hesitate to clap

Celebrating 12 Years of Innovation and Awesomeness!

Wow! A decade and 2 years has been an incredible and wonderful ride, no doubt with some ups and downs.
For us, our anniversary goes beyond any kind of celebration, but a subtle reminder and true evidence of 12 years innovation,
12 years continuous existence, 12 years awesomeness, 12 years agile-problem solving, 12 years building award-winning
solutions, 12 years of making dreams come true and impacting millions of African people and businesses to achieve more
daily, now that’s a good way to celebrate!.

On this note Seamfix turned 12 years on the 19th of October and it was celebrated in Grand style for two days.

Day 1 was themed with a dress code “REPRESENT YOUR STATE” as to recognize our roots (AFRICA) of which our company was
birthed from. All Seamfixers came glamorously dressed in their traditional attires representing various tribes in Africa. Not leaving
behind our traditionally decorated red carpet where all seamfixers were paparazzied.

Seamfix is Hiring: Join Our Mission To Build A More Connected Africa!

Are you a talented problem-solver, passionate about digital identity and its power to transform lives? Seamfix is on a mission to make secure and inclusive digital identities a global reality, and we’re expanding, so we need YOU!

Who We Are

Seamfix has grown from a bootstrapped startup to a global leader in digital identity management. We’ve helped over 1,000 businesses create, verify, and manage identities, building a network of over 300 million identities and verifying over 160 million.

Our award-winning technology, including patented facial recognition AI, empowers organizations in key sectors like telecoms, financial services, and the public sector to:

Securely onboard customers with digital identities.
Fight fraud with accurate verification.
Manage user access for a safer digital world and much more!

We believe that identity is a right, not a privilege, and everyone deserves equal access to services and opportunities, regardless of location or background. This fuels our commitment to building seamless solutions that bridge the digital divide.

Seamfix secures $4.5million funding investment

Why Join Seamfix?

At Seamfix, you’ll be part of a passionate team of rockstars making a real difference. We offer:

Meaningful Work: Solve complex problems and contribute to a mission that makes a real difference in people’s lives, helping individuals and businesses access opportunities globally.
Award-Winning Innovation: Recognized by the London Stock Exchange. Also by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, United States of America (NIST) for our image quality engine. These are in addition to over 20 other awards! Need we say more?
Diversity & Inclusion: We champion equal access to opportunities and a work environment that enables you live your best life and do your best work.
Growth Opportunities: Develop your skills and advance your career in a supportive and collaborative environment to reach your full potential.
Innovative Culture: Work with some of the industry’s brightest minds and be at the forefront of digital identity management.
Competitive Benefits: Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that recognises your contributions.

Don’t just take our word for it. See what our Seamfixers have to say:

“Seamfix transformed my life. Here, I’m constantly encouraged to innovate and improve. It’s a place where you can truly become your best self.” – Nnmadi Amobi

Ready to Join the Fix?

Become part of the solution! Join Seamfix and help us build a more connected and inclusive Africa!

(View Open Roles)

15 Life Lessons on Work and Life from Co-founder, Chibuzor Onwurah

As we commemorate our 15th year in operations this month of October 2022, we’ve learnt some valuable lessons along the way. None more so than from our co-founder, Chibuzor Onwurah, who over the years has been a beacon of wisdom, generosity and inspiration.

Every week, Chibuzor shares some valuable nuggets with our internal staff on life and work, here are 15 of the lessons we love the most. Take your pens or bookmark this page!

If you want to go fast, go alone. Want to go far, go together. It would have been more difficult coming this far without my partner and a solid team.
Relationships > Technical skills. This equation holds true nine times out of ten. Thus! while it is very important to build up skills, also invest in quality relationships.
A relationship is not what you can get but what you can give. Over time, you will get yours multifold. However, if you focus only on what you can get, you end up alone.
Your Integrity and values speak for you when you are not in the room, and open doors for you (especially if you also have the relationship part covered).
It is not enough to have great ideas. One who executes small achieves more than a big dreamer
Be humble, understand your limitations and recognise when to reach out for help. Be it releasing the reins to others to lead, getting coaching, getting more education or acquiring new skills. The first house built in a village isn’t usually the finest so that you started the business or initiative doesn’t mean you will always be the best.
Luck plays a big role in success. It is what places you at the right place at the right time, and the one who shapes luck is God.
Faith can keep you going when common sense dictates you should give up. Often times your success is on the other side of your faith. And the ultimate source of faith for me again is God.
Celebrating small wins is essential. Helps you realise how far you have come, appreciate those who have helped you along the way and renew your strength for the milestones ahead.
Family and health nothing matters more. The struggles of life and desire for success pale in significance if you fail in these two. In fact, the enjoyment of success is with these two. Do not sacrifice them for success or you will lose them and the success loses meaning.
A structured life is a solid life. A structured business is an institution. Many times it is easier and tempting to wing things on instinct, but it does not scale.
Invest in yourself and your future. You are the only you, that you have.
Build others. Of what use is a single tree in a forest? Over time the success of the people around you that you have impacted will bring you more joy than money. That is why even the Bible said to be fruitful and multiply. Multiply yourself not just familiarly, but by developing those around you.
Know when to stop. This is a paradox when juxtaposed with faith. This life is about balance and realising when to channel your energies in a different direction.
Focus! A scattered approach dissipates energy. A single beam pierces the darkness. This point has been a struggle for Seamfix over the years and has slowed us down. Find focus and you find the most impact and resilience. We have been blessed to be able to keep refining our focus over the years and we will keep sharpening the beam.

Enjoyed this? You can download a copy of these lessons in a PDF file so you can save and review them anytime you want. Just click here to access the file.

15 years have come and gone with millions of customers impacted and thousands of businesses empowered to do better work. We look forward to the next 1 billion customers. Keep up with our journey by following our social media page on Linkedin and Twitter.

SIM Swap Swindlers Schemes and How to Prevent Them

If you’ve read about SIM swapping, you probably thought it was funny for someone to steal someone else’s identity. It might be funny at first, but once you’re a victim of it, your laughing ends abruptly and quickly turns into crying.

“It was a slightly chilled night in Lagos, Nigeria. I had recently moved into my own apartment and was deeply asleep in my bed when I was woken up by a call from an unknown number. This was odd because the number I had on the caller ID was my own. When I answered the call, I wasn’t too surprised to hear one of the generic voicemails that play when you dial an out-of-service number. It wasn’t until much later that day, when my other family members began receiving calls from strange numbers enquiring about my whereabouts and requesting sums of money sent into an account to get the information.”

This is a story from a person who only wanted to be identified as Victoria. In the end, some of Victoria’s friends and family members were cheated out of huge sums of money.

The prevalence of SIM swapping fraud has posed to be one of the biggest threats to identity security and privacy. The concept is relatively simple to understand, but the potential damage that can be done to the individual is scary, to say the least. SIM swap fraud is a type of account takeover fraud that utilizes a weakness in SIM registration processes.

Recently, a common fraud has been to exploit a mobile phone operator’s ability to seamlessly port (transfer) a telephone number to a new SIM. Cybercriminals use this attack to steal credentials and capture OTPs sent via SMS (text message) as well as cause financial damage to victims

The Sim Swapping Threats Across the Globe

SIM fraud

Uncompliant SIM swapping can pose a huge identity theft. Besides stealing the victim’s phone, an attacker can even go as far as presenting fake documents to a communications provider’s department in order to impersonate the victim. The authentic SIM card in the victim’s phone will then disconnect, and all future SMS communications and phone calls will be re-directed to the attacker’s phone.

The instant messenger Whatsapp has become a valuable tool in the hands of criminals. After a SIM swap, the first thing the criminal does is to load Whatsapp and speak with all the victim’s contacts. Then they begin messaging the contacts, citing an emergency and asking for money. In some cases, they feign a kidnapping situation, asking for an urgent payment and some of the contacts are persuaded enough to pay the lump sum being requested.

In some cases, fraudsters have used SIM swaps to hijack the accounts of company executives and request payments from their financial departments. It’s a bit like a BEC (Business E-mail Compromise), but using Whatsapp instead of email. Some of the attacks claimed to have been orchestrated by company executives, with requests for funds supposedly coming directly from staff accounts.

In the past few years, there have been several instances of SIM swapping in banks and other financial institutions in countries where bribery is common.

For example, in Brazil

Brazil’s fintech boom was heralded by the 2013 launch of Nubank, a company that offered bank accounts and credit cards with no charges. Most fin-tech startups relied on two-factor authentication via SMS. Fraudsters targeted these companies with SIM swaps that allow them to empty user bank accounts.

In a story reported by Gizmodo Brazil, a Brazilian fin-tech firm suffered an attack resulting in the loss of thousands of dollars. The criminals performed a SIM swap, activating the victim’s number on another SIM card.

Then, on a smartphone with the ‘pag! app’ installed, the criminals used the app’s password recovery function and a code was sent via SMS, allowing the criminals to gain total control of the user’s account in the app. Once access was obtained, the criminals performed several illegal payments using the credit card tied to the account. Some victims reported losses of US$3,300 in fraudulent transactions.

However, SIM swapping has been an increasing menace in Africa for a few years now.

For example, in Mozambique,

Though financial inclusion is prospering in Mozambique, a downside to this is that it opens doors for fraudsters. Syndicates target bank employees and gain access to personal information and verification codes. A phishing attack follows, which can allow fraudsters access to the customer’s online banking account.

Some banks use one-time passwords (OTPs)—and they often prefer not to use physical or software tokens. The banks keep the process simple by using an SMS as the second factor; they share the responsibility of securing their customer’s accounts with their mobile operators.

However, there were syndicates that identify bank employees and collude with them to obtain money from the victim. The bank employee will provide the fraudster with detailed information about the victim’s bank account and its verification codes. Armed with this material, the fraudsters conduct a SIM swap to gain access to the victim’s online banking account and take out money from it.

How can telecommunication companies help reduce SIM Swap crimes?

Front view of hands holding smartphone sim cards Free Photo

At a time when the world is increasingly becoming digital, hackers’ activities increase in sophistication as well. With smartphones and internet services reaching the masses, likely no one on the planet is not either a victim or does not know someone who has been robbed.

This can be mitigated by identifying key areas of risk and using emerging technologies to address them. Some telecommunication operators have introduced security mechanisms that require all users to undergo air-tight identification and verification during SIM re-registration. This ensures that only registered subscribers have access to their accounts, which reduces the risk of identity theft.

As it currently stands, BioSmart is one such emerging technology that aims to provide invariably strong security during SIM Registration. As a compliance-driven SIM registration solution, BioSmart offers everything mobile network operators need to address the issues of SIM-cloning and identity theft, proving an effective deterrent against crime, as well as a useful tool in helping to track down perpetrators who have stolen SIM cards.

How We Achieved Nationwide Digital Identity Inclusion By Powering Limitless NIN Enrolment

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has grappled for years to own a central foundational database from which her increasing population can be uniquely identified and be managed appropriately. The absence of this has affected nationwide inclusion as some citizens are locked out of necessary amenities like health, banking and education because they do not have ‘a verified proof of identity. This has also created a divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ and further widened the status gap.

As a response to this growing concern and necessity, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) — a statutory Nigerian organization with the mandate to establish, own, operate, maintain and manage the National Identity Database — came up with a solution in form of a unique identifier to be used for all transactions in Nigeria requiring identity verification. This unique digital identifier will serve as the nation’s central foundational database harmonizing citizen data with various agencies across Nigeria.

This unique digital identifier is called NIN.

NIN: How to retrieve your National Identification Number – NIMC - Nairametrics

National Identification Number (NIN) is a set of unique numbers assigned to an individual after a successful enrolment process, to serve as an identifier for life. This enrolment process involves capturing data such as an individual’s demographic, biometric such as the ten (10) fingerprints, pictorial data such as head-to-shoulder facial pictures, and a digital signature also known as e-signature.

The captured data will go through a second-level validation — cross-checking existing data in the National Identity Database — to ensure there are no duplicates. Once all these have been concluded, the data is then stored and NIN will be assigned to the individual.

NIN, as a single source of truth for unique identification, comes with numerous benefits that go beyond identifying citizens. It also offers the government, companies and corporate entities access to widespread digital identity for the purpose of cubbing criminal and insecurity issues across the country. In that sense, the government is provided with necessary data and the ability to identify citizens on the spot so that they (citizens) can have access to various amenities. There is also the added benefit to the government to toughen up identity security nationwide.

Again! FG Extends NIN-SIM Verification, As NIN Enrolment Figures Exceeds 71 Million | Science Nigeria

A case in point for NIN as a ‘security and compliance check’ was the mandate by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that all mobile telecom subscribers link their NIN to their SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) cards. This, once achieved, will offer Nigerians a truly centralized database sitting pretty on NIDB — a database that holds details of every citizen of the nation; one that can serve as an access card or proof of authentication whenever; one that can be recalled as a source of truth in situations where a person’s identity needs to be validated.

NIMC, as mandated by the law, has created an enabling environment for the enrollment of Nigerians and legal residents into the national database with the provision of standards and business rules in line with global best practices for identity management through partnerships with reputable companies like Seamfix to provide the required technology for data enrollment.

The Technology behind it all: NIN Enrolment Solution Powered by Seamfix

NIN

As a renowned name in the data collection and identity management space, Seamfix earned the title of the technology company that will power this NIN enrollment project nationwide. We leverage our experience and on our existing platform base that has driven full-on data collection and validation projects across the board, and stepped in with a custom-made Android platform for NIMC to simplify this NIN enrolment process and ensure success on all fronts.

The platform has the capability to securely acquire sensitive demographic and biometric data for the generation of NIN. The platform enforces quality checks with preset compliance rules that ensure that all data meet the highest standard of quality required to capture biometric data. It goes further to match data against existing data in the national database to confirm uniqueness before NIN is issued.

As a mobile-enabled platform, this solution offers flexibility to capture data anywhere, anytime and offers a streamlined onboarding process ensuring that everything from capture to validation can be done in one sitting. Months down the line, the Seamfix android enrolment platform has captured over 1,644,732 valid identities, digitally; eliminating the need for paper forms, physical storage spaces, and multiple touchpoints. And we made sure that no one is left out, by extending limitless NIN enrolment to Nigerians living in the diaspora (in the UK).

This digital approach to NIN enrolment has improved the capture process in terms of speed and efficiency of personnel. Captured data is immediately synced to the backend without the need for human interference which keeps the regulatory body within the purview of the privacy laws. This approach also ensures a clean data output, which means that there is little to no chance of erroneous NIN assignment.

Nigeria is on the fast track of digital transformation, joining the rest of the world on the journey to digital everything and Seamfix is glad to serve as an enabler for this.

4 Challenges Identity Verification System is Tackling in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, identity verification services have been useful in battling a lot of fraudulent activities and verification challenges today. Businesses, including the banking sector, are facing an increasing need to know if their customers are who they say they really are. They all need to be Know-Your-Customer (KYC) compliant. These processes are in line with regulations which helps to validate who customers claim to be.

The ability to verify an individual’s identity in real-time using a digital identity verification system is therefore very crucial. Thereby, this has tackled some key challenges here, in Nigeria;

The complex customer onboarding process

It is important that KYC and AML protocols are strictly followed. This is important during customer onboarding. Unfortunately, this slows down the onboarding process, and it also affects the user experience. We all want a customer-centric experience. Apparently, a great user experience strives to reduce any barriers that customers might have while simplifying processes

Due to this, lots of companies are turning to identity verification software to take care of the identity verification process. As a result, it speeds up the process as it keeps customer checks on file.

Distrust amongst businesses and customers

Trust is ideally important in any business. We all know customers actively seek out businesses they can rely on. In an era of endless privacy breaches, running identity verification checks builds trust. This is important in what’s becoming an unsafe online world today. Failure to identify this need for trust between customers and businesses can damage a business’s reputation, and also its source of revenue.

As online fraud rates increase, so are the digital needs of businesses. Nothing has been more important for businesses to be able to trust that their customers are who they claim to be. Again, this is where identity verification solutions in Nigeria come into play. Businesses do not just need to create a reliable process, but customers also expect a smooth, secure online experience as well.

Identity theft and fraud

An accusation of fraud can be the end of the road for a business, regardless of its size. As a result, organizations are increasingly leaning towards using models that embody identity verification. The models would have assessed suspicious users. Thus, this data can be used to create authentication levels. Furthermore, this is based on the risky possibilities of certain transactions.

Administrative burden

Having staff manually request and process ID documents can be a time-waster. This manual process can be completely avoided if a link is created directly from the user on your website to an online ID checking service. When done manually, there may be back-and-forth communication required over incorrectly formatted documents. But if the user is uploading it directly to the service, then validation is done instantly. This gives the user instant feedback if at all the format is incorrect, so they can retry.

Conclusion

As you know fraud rates are consistently growing yearly. We might likely continue to see this fraud rate increase as more businesses move online and go digital. As in this case may be, trust must be prioritized for businesses to succeed. This will not be possible without a secure and reliable Identity Verification Technology. Frauds and theft have scared businesses and customers. So it is important for businesses to implement a smooth identity verification process. A process that is customer-friendly and adheres to organizational guidelines. Bring into being, it could ease fears, avoid costly fines and fraudulent concerns.

Major SIM Registration Challenges African Telecoms Face and the Solution

The telecommunications space, like every other that rides on human identity can be riddled with identity theft and fraud. The SIM registration process makes it possible for telecoms and law enforcement agencies to identify mobile phone SIM card owners, track criminals who use phones for fraudulent activities, manage incidents such as loss of phone through theft, and ultimately help service providers know their customers better.

Now, with several mandates in different countries, the process involves a high level of verification — matching the mobile phone numbers with personal information of a subscriber including the subscriber’s photograph, name, date of birth, gender, address, details of valid identification documents, etc. all in a bid to prove they are who they say they are. This process, though optimized can still record loopholes.

These loopholes in the registration of mobile users, especially in African countries, is one of the major reasons for the lack of reliable identification document(s), and also why it is difficult for TELCOs to effectively support the government and law enforcement agencies to effectively track phone-related fraudulent activities.

Here are some fictional case studies based on true reports

The case of pretentious identities with no link to real humans

Bob was an agent hired by a large telco to capture subscribers a day. For each capture, he got paid N50, and if he met his daily target of 1000 captures or exceeded it, he was to be paid N200 per every 5 extra captures. Bob was as a hustler and so he devised a way to cheat the system by capturing filling out fake identities with the intent to pad his capture number. The system was so porous that he could go as far as capturing still pictures from magazines or even live animals and tying them to a particular identity. He met his cut every time and got his incentive. Years along the line, a crime is committed using one of the fake registered SIM Cards, with no link to Bob. Who is the culprit? Mr John Doe registered with the picture of Samuel L. Jackson.

The case of pre-registered SIM cards and the notorious swindlers

Remi and Mike were both notorious swindlers in the business of conning people out of their monies by using the famous strategy of calling and pretending to be anyone important – like an account manager from a bank in need of the customer’s full bank details, a distant estranged family member nosing for private information, or even a businessman with a profitable deal that will require a small deposit. This they do without leaving bread crumbs. How? They have met with an agent like Bob and purchased a bulk of pre-registered SIM cards (sold at a padded cost of course). With this, they are able to remain anonymous as the numbers are not tied to any real identity.

The case of compromised Integrity of captured data

A prominent man was kidnapped one day on his way from his hometown. The kidnappers kept constant communication with the family over the phone, making demands and threats. They were convinced they had done it right by hiding their number so it displays as ‘Private Number’ when they called. However, when the family involved the police and they, in turn, involved the network providers, the network provider was able to conveniently bypass their security system to see whose identity the SIM card was tied to. One big problem though, the data was useless — The captured image was unrecognizable, the fingerprints captured were mismatched and were not up to NFIQ standard, the text entry (full name and address) were inputted incoherently. That feat proved to be a wasted effort.

The case of inconclusive biometric capture of handicapped individuals

A one-handed man walked into a roadside telecommunications service centre to re-register his SIM card, since it was said to have elapsed its registration period. Immediately, the workers all knew they were in for a long day. The registration process was hectic, long, and unfruitful as the process could not be completed without fingerprint capture. In the end, he was referred to the headquarters to file a complaint. This man feeling cheated was forced to seek the backdoor alternative to re-register his SIM.

What is the solution to issues like these?

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Free eBook: 4 Key Strategies to Ensure 100% KYC Compliance During SIM Registration – An African Use Case.

This eBook will elaborate on real-life crisis faced by major telecommunications companies in Africa and the 4 ultimate key strategies they applied that still serve as long-lasting solutions today.

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The Power of Tech Partnerships: 7 Benefits of Partnerships

Technology is becoming more and more complex, and the number of mediums has increased, so clients are looking to partners to help them navigate the increasingly competitive landscape. Technology partnerships basically exist to help companies implement and optimize their technical systems. These partnerships basically take place between technology vendors who provide the product and the agencies and businesses who use these systems in their daily operations.

Besides assisting companies to experience smooth implementation processes, technology partnerships can also provide platform integration support for companies that use IT systems from different companies that have to work in sync with one another.

BENEFITS OF A TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP

Tech partnership is more beneficial in businesses when it is long-term instead of a one-time or one-sided experience. We have outlined the direct and indirect benefits a technology partnership offers;

Tech partnership drives growth

When it comes to implementing long-standing technology systems, two heads are better than one- but just as a tech partnership can effectively deliver any technical know-how, don’t underestimate the value any business acumen can offer in return. Merging and sharing resources can be a highly effective way of advancing both parties on the path to innovation and success.

Encourages communication and trust

The pillar of any successful relationship is communication, and in partnerships, this isn’t different. In order to achieve highly successful collaborations, regular and genuine conversations are a must. Here questions such as are objectives being met and if there are new challenges that need to be addressed can be discussed, and key goals and timelines kept on track.

Partnerships offer a great opportunity to practice and develop good communication skills, which are very important in business. Setting up in time for both parties to step back and measure performance at regular intervals can only strengthen a partnership as it moves forward.

Photo by Savvas Stavrinos from Pexels

A partnership can Boost Innovation.

For any renowned technology partner, the success of your business will become as important to them as it is to you. A reputable technology company will be creative in its approach to driving innovation to achieve the most effective technology systems for your business needs. This can mean not only helping a company achieve a whole new level of digital transformation but keeps tech specialists abreast of all the latest cutting-edge technology and at the top of their game.

Grows Technology Expertise

Not every company can afford to have a CIO, CTO, Engineering, Developer, and Technical expert knowledge in-house. Sometimes all we need is the right technology partner to complement and broaden the company’s existing scope.

Access to Advanced Technology Support

Sometimes paying employees 24/7 to support your business’s technology internally can be expensive. Perhaps it’s easier to depend on an outsourced IT support team, or maybe, your internal IT team needs help during a critical or busy season.

With a technology partner, there is greater access to experienced technical support when needed.

Discover New Technology Solutions.

The technology landscape changes quickly. Do you have time to dedicate your business to constant research in technology?

A technology provider can help keep your business’s technology relevant and help you uncover new technology solutions. Particularly, a technology provider can help you see through trends in technology and ensure that new purchases are relevant for your business in the long run.

Improves Longevity in Business

Like any relationship, the more time and effort that goes into it, the more profitable it becomes. For a technology company to get an in-depth understanding of a company’s systems and operations, as well as any technological challenge it faces now (and could potentially) takes a considerable amount of commitment, time, and trust.

A sustained, committed partnership offers, on one side, the benefit of ongoing, innovative work and, on the other, the delivery of the most effective technology systems. But more than this, a long-term partnership offers both companies the opportunity to get to know each other’s business and build quality relationships with the people who are the driving force behind it, making it easier to work together and quickly adapt to any challenges.

Are you interested in exploring how partnering with us can be beneficial?

Does a partnership sound like the right solution for your business?

Click Here to Learn More on our Website.