How UMS Delivers 6,000+ Daily Tokens Instantly with DecodeHash

Overview

UMS is a utility company specializing in token generation services for customers with smart meters. Processing a rapidly growing volume of over 6,000 token requests per day, their business relies on the instant and accurate delivery of electricity tokens upon payment. By integrating DecodeHash, UMS has successfully automated a critical step in their workflow, ensuring tokens are sent to the correct recipients without delay.

The Challenge: The Payer Isn't Always the Owner

UMS utilizes an M-Pesa Paybill for customer payments. However, due to Safaricom PLC's data privacy measures, the payer's phone number (MSISDN) arrives encoded in the payment notification. This presented a major operational hurdle. The person paying for electricity - often a tenant, family member, or property manager - is frequently not the registered owner of the smart meter. To ensure customer satisfaction, the electricity token must be sent to the person who made the payment, not to a static account holder on file. Manually handling thousands of these requests daily was unfeasible and would lead to significant delays and customer support issues.

The Solution: Automated and Accurate MSISDN Decoding

To automate their token delivery system, UMS integrated DecodeHash into their payment processing workflow. Using the robust DecodeHash API, they can now instantly decode the hashed MSISDN from each M-Pesa notification the moment a payment is received. This provides them with the actual phone number of the payer in real-time.

Key Benefits for High-Volume Operations

Instant Token Delivery

By decoding the payer's number instantly, UMS' system automatically sends the electricity token to the correct recipient via SMS. This eliminates manual intervention and ensures customers receive their tokens within seconds of payment.

Scalability for Growth

With over 6,000 daily transactions and growing, UMS required a solution that could handle high-volume API calls reliably. DecodeHash provides a scalable and resilient infrastructure that effortlessly manages their current and future needs, ensuring service remains uninterrupted during peak periods.

Enhanced Customer Experience

The speed and accuracy of the token delivery process have significantly improved customer satisfaction. Tenants and other non-account holders can now pay for electricity and receive tokens directly, creating a seamless and user-friendly experience without needing to contact the property owner or customer support.

Implementation and Results

Integrating the DecodeHash API into UMS' existing payment backend was a smooth process. The clear API documentation allowed their developers to get up and running quickly. The results were immediate and impactful:

• Full Automation: The token generation and delivery process is now 100% automated, freeing up staff to focus on other critical tasks.
• Drastic Reduction in Support Tickets: Issues related to missing tokens have been virtually eliminated, leading to lower operational costs.
• Improved Data Accuracy: Having the correct payer phone number for each transaction has improved the accuracy of their internal payment records.

Conclusion

For a high-volume business like UMS, efficiency and accuracy are paramount. The integration of DecodeHash has proven to be a mission-critical component of their operations, enabling them to solve the hashed MSISDN challenge and deliver exceptional service at scale. This partnership allows UMS to maintain its competitive edge in the smart energy market by providing a reliable and customer-centric payment experience.

Keywords

smart meter, token generation, M-Pesa Paybill, DecodeHash, hashed MSISDN, utility payments, automated token delivery, electricity token, API integration.