“Don’t worry if you don’t have cash or change as you can pay from your smartphone. Just scan the Paytm code (hung up at the shop) to make the payment,” Mohammed Shaikh alias Abu Ahmed, a roadside pan shop owner in Belagavi, tells his customers.
But, not all his customers are as tech-savvy as he is.
It was around two years ago, Mr. Ahmed (38), who discontinued his studies after SSLC owing to financial conditions and the need to support his family, found a solution to the problem of lack of change. He started using the Paytm wallet, not only to accept money from his customers, but also to recharge his talk-time or data pack and for the payment of various other bills. He would guide customers on how to download the mobile phone application from Google Play and pay through it.
He recalled how he could help a passenger, who around midnight wanted to top up talk-time or get a data pack for his cell phone, but did not have sufficient money.
Mr. Ahmed installed the Paytm app, transferred money from his bank account to it and further transferred the amount to his Paytm account within minutes.
“Not many customers are aware of this simple method of cashless payment, which not only saves time, but provides a solution to the the inconveniences of tendering cash or change.
“Now, the scarcity of cash in the market had prompted many to use this handy mode of cashless payment,” he said. Mr. Ahmed is not the only vendor who has facilitated his customers to make cashless payments.
There are few others too who have embraced this cashless system.
