In an age where instant messaging and social media have become ubiquitous, it may seem counterintuitive to find success in the world of short message service (SMS).
However, Gabriel Ng’ang’a’s entrepreneurial journey tells a different story.
Nine years ago, Ng’ang’a embarked on a path that many considered unconventional, if not outright eccentric: selling bulk SMS services.
Today, he is the founder and CEO of Afrinet, a thriving company that has reshaped the way businesses communicate with their clients.
Back in 2013, Ng’ang’a took the bold step of establishing Afrinet, focusing on the provision of bulk SMS services.
At the outset, his clients primarily consisted of schools with modest SMS traffic needs, ranging from 100 to 500 texts per month.
The skeptics were quick to ask, “How can you make money by selling SMS services for just 80 or 90 cents each?”
Ng’ang’a remained undeterred, confident in the untapped potential of this seemingly outdated technology.
The initial phase of Afrinet’s journey saw the company sending around 5,000 texts per month.
However, Ng’ang’a’s vision extended far beyond schools.
He recognized that the practical applications of bulk SMS services spanned across various industries.
This realization led Afrinet to expand its client base, attracting cooperative societies, manufacturing companies, and more.
“We have integrated with their systems such that every time a farmer delivers milk at the collection points and the weight is taken, they get an SMS alert. For instance, the SMS can read ‘you have delivered five litres today.’ This could happen three times a day and every time they deliver they get an SMS. It brings a lot of convenience to the whole chain,” Mr Ngángá says.
In a world dominated by instant messaging apps and social media platforms, one might wonder about the sustainability of SMS services.
Ng’ang’a’s perspective is clear: SMS remains a valuable and reliable communication tool, particularly in regions with limited internet access.
This belief has been vindicated by Afrinet’s impressive growth, now handling nearly three million SMS messages per month.
Afrinet’s pricing strategy has also been pivotal to its success. Ng’ang’a implemented tiered pricing, making SMS services accessible to clients of all sizes.
Whether it’s a school sending a few thousand SMS messages per term or a manufacturing company dispatching hundreds of thousands of messages each month, Afrinet caters to diverse needs.
“A sacco with 1,000 or 100,000 members cannot call all of them when paying dividends. So we do a simple text which is broadcasted to all of them at the same time,” he SAYS
Ng’ang’a’s journey took an exciting turn in 2019 when Afrinet ventured into customer feedback solutions.
This innovation enabled organizations to collect valuable insights from their clients via SMS surveys.
It proved particularly relevant as businesses increasingly sought to understand and improve their products and services based on direct feedback.
Charges are borne by the companies, running on tiered pricing where one text to 10,000 texts costs Sh0.80, between 10,000 texts and 100,000 texts is Sh0.70, and above that Sh0.60.
One key lesson Ng’ang’a has learned is that understanding the customer’s needs and solving their problems is the secret to success.
