Vodacom South Africa this week unveiled an innovative and convenient way to 'Self-RICA' through TOBi, Vodacom’s chatbot and trusted self-service team member.
South African law, RICA requires user validation via user ID and proof of residence before activating SIM services. Since RICA came into effect in 2011, Vodacom has been working on ways to simplify the process, making it as quick and efficient as possible.
Offering immediate, relevant support to resolve a variety of customer queries, TOBi can be accessed via the MyVodacom App and allows existing Vodacom customers to Self-RICA prepaid SIMs from the comfort of their own homes.
Traditionally customers would have to visit a Vodacom store and present some form of identification, proof of residence and the SIM card. Now, with Vodacom adding additional self-service functionalities to their chatbot, customers can Self-RICA with TOBi’s help.
During the Self-RICA process, TOBi will assist with capturing and validating personal information against external trusted sources including the Department of Home Affairs, biometrics and AI - creating ultimate convenience for the customer. TOBi has been developed to give quick and easy access to information wherever and whenever customers are in need.
Jorge Mendes, Chief Officer Consumer Business Unit
Introducing Self-RICA on our self-service platforms is our way of encouraging customers to perform certain functions from home in support of governments’ call to stay safe and stay at home.
