Spotlight: ZNAP Wallet

Aware of just how many ‘next big thing’ solutions have been launched in the mobile wallet space recently David Pipe, CMO of mPayMe, the company behind ZNAP, is keen to push its product as a ‘mobile business platform’. 

“Payments is just where it starts,” he said. “Today, this is not a huge problem that needs to be solved.” Pipe says ZNAP is more interested in retailers being able to manage loyalty schemes, mobile ticketing and even bill payments using the platform.

Unlike current couponing and ticketing options on offer today, it is the merchant that controls the QR code with ZNAP, not the holder of the ticket. “The direction of scan is critically important,” Pipe says. 

The customer scans the merchant’s QR code to authenticate the ticket or coupon stored on the phone. This means tickets or coupons can’t be replicated, a practice Pipe says costs Dunkin Doughnuts franchisees between $200 and $300 per day. “If this process was used for airplane boarding, the app can also push visa and passport information to the merchant too.”

Another benefit for retailers is that once a customer starts scanning ZNAP codes, they will be able to target offers based on the customers purchase history and voucher usage.

Payments

ZNAP does offer a mobile payments solution, of course, using the company’s proprietary QR codes to initiate payments in store, in print and outdoors, with both transaction and payment details stored in the cloud. 

“Our codes have about a third of the information compared to a typical QR code as they can be insecure. No personal information is shared with the merchant and there is no information held on the handset. As far as we know, only NFC is faster to initiate a payment like this.”

Users need to enter credit and debit card details in the consumer-facing dashboard, which works on desktop, and can choose which account to use, plus any coupons, for each transaction. The system requires dual factor authentication; the account can only be accessed on one mobile phone and works with a PIN entered on the handset to confirm the transaction. “This takes the burden and risk away from merchants.”

Partners

The company is trialling payments and coupons with Hypermart in Indonesia and will launch at Chester Racecourse in Q4. The company has also signed a strategic partnership with a large US billing organisation and is in the early stages of getting their mobile bill paying function into the mainstream with utility companies.

Pipe pointed to one of the top three US carriers, which loses $20m per year on the admin it takes to refund bills that are paid twice. With ZNAP, users can scan the unique code on their bill to pay the balance, which also opens up the opportunity to explore discounts and encourage the customer to opt for autopay via ZNAP.

Progress

The solution could also be transferred to emerging markets, where Pipe says pre-pay credit could be loaded for customers to make payments, or employers could use the bill pay function to get payments on printed paychecks to unbanked workers.

He says what the company now needs to do is get merchants on board. “We offer real value, solve serious business problems and give them opportunities to improve ROI.” If all goes to plan, and using ZNAPs existing and significant financial backing, expect some co-marketed consumer awareness campaigns soon, possibly from a big supermarket, a stadium or another large chain.