Facilitating Digital Transactions, OVO Partners with Bank Mandiri to Top Up Balances Offline

OVO as one of the leading digital payment platforms, rewards and financial services in Indonesia continues to collaborate to make it easier for people to transact digitally. Especially during the Eid Al-Fitr celebration, where the tradition of going home in the second year of the pandemic is still not possible, so the distribution of THR (Holiday Allowance) to relatives and friends is more likely to be done digitally. Therefore, OVO is committed to providing maximum service for its users by working with Bank Mandiri to top up or top up OVO balances offline through Mandiri Agents throughout Indonesia.

OVO's Head of Corporate Communications, Harumi Supit said that the collaboration with Bank Mandiri to top up OVO balances offline further underlined OVO's efforts to answer the needs of the community, especially for those who are "unbanked" or "have not done financial transactions optimally". underbanked)' whose number is still quite large in Indonesia.

"With banking penetration still in the range of 48,9% and at least 77% of Indonesians still unbanked and underbanked, of course this collaboration is very profitable and makes it easier for the unbanked and underbanked segments of society to top up OVO balances. This is in line with OVO's commitment that digital finance can also be enjoyed by the unbanked and underbanked communities. Moreover, it is still in the moment of Eid al-Fitr celebrations and the distribution of THR, where users only need to go to the nearest Mandiri Agent with cash, then the Mandiri Agent will carry out the process of topping up OVO balances, making it easier for people to send money without having to meet face to face or give cash during a pandemic," he explained.

Collaboration with Bank Mandiri is also a form of OVO's open ecosystem that can collaborate with all parties. "We believe that conventional banks are still strategic partners in developing digital finance in Indonesia," he continued.

Senior Vice President of Micro Development & Agent Banking for Bank Mandiri, Ashraf Farahnaz, said that the Mandiri Agen collaboration with OVO is very positive because it will provide added value to Mandiri Agents, both financially and in the number of customers.

"Indirectly, this collaboration also opens opportunities for Bank Mandiri to expand its customer base because not all OVO users are Bank Mandiri customers. Conversely, OVO users can also experience the benefits or ease of transactions that can be obtained from Mandiri Agents," said Ashraf.

He said this step was also concrete evidence from Bank Mandiri and OVO to support MSME players, who currently dominate the background of Mandiri agents. "We realize that MSME actors are an important part of driving the wheels of the country's economy, especially in the context of the current national economic recovery," he added.

Meanwhile, Supadmi, a 52-year-old woman from Klaten, Central Java, who has worked as a housemaid in Jakarta for decades, feels that the solution presented by the collaboration of OVO and Mandiri Agent is very beneficial for her. "This is the second year I can't go home because of the ban on going home, but I'm not worried I can still send money to my grandchildren, my grandchildren asked to buy goats and new clothes," he said.