The verdict in three sentences
Keeping a customer costs 5 to 7 times less than winning a new one, yet most stores have no reminder mechanism. By backing reminders on mobile money payment history (date, amount, frequency), you trigger the right message at the right time: SMS for the urgent and local, email for the detailed. In Kumasi, this setup lifts the repeat-purchase rate from 22 % to 38 % for an investment of 250,000 to 600,000 FCFA.
Mobile money as a cycle signal
Every MTN or AirtelTigo transaction tells a buying rhythm. A customer who bought every 30 days and has paid nothing for 45 days is leaving: that is the moment to reach out, not three months later. You segment on recency, frequency and amount (RFM logic) to prioritize high-yield reminders.
| Segment | Mobile money signal | Action | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loyal active | Purchase < 30 d, frequent | VIP offer, early access | Email + SMS |
| At risk | Last purchase 45 to 75 d | Reminder + incentive | SMS |
| Dormant | No purchase > 90 d | Strong reactivation | SMS + email |
| Big basket | High amount, rare | Targeted upsell | |
| New | Single purchase | Welcome + 2nd purchase | SMS |
SMS or email: each its role
SMS has a 90 %+ open rate and near-instant reading, ideal for the urgent and geolocated, but it costs per unit and carries little content. Email is nearly free, rich and measurable, but opens less. You combine: SMS to trigger, email to tell the story.
| Criterion | SMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | 90 %+ | 20 to 35 % |
| Cost / send | 15 to 30 FCFA | ~1 FCFA |
| Read delay | Minutes | Hours |
| Content richness | Low | High |
| Ideal use | Urgent, local, reminder | Detail, catalog, story |
Mini case study
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Comfort runs a perfumery in Kumasi: 900 customers, 15,000 FCFA average basket, 22 % annual repeat rate. We connect the MTN/AirtelTigo history to a reminder tool: SMS at D+45 with no purchase, an email reactivation sequence at D+90, a VIP offer for loyals. Repeat purchase rises to 38 %, i.e. 144 extra customers who buy again, at 15,000 FCFA: +2,160,000 FCFA/year. Setup cost 450,000 FCFA + ~35,000 FCFA/month of SMS. Paid back in under three months, then recurring net gain.
FAQ
Why back reminders on mobile money? Because payment history gives the real buying rhythm. Reaching a customer exactly when their cycle breaks beats ten reminders sent at random.
SMS or email, which to favour? Both, by use: SMS (90 %+ open) for the urgent and local, email (nearly free) for detail. SMS triggers, email tells the story.
How much does setup cost? Budget 250,000 to 600,000 FCFA for segmentation, data connection and scenarios, plus the variable SMS cost (15 to 30 FCFA/send) by volume.
Do I need customer consent? Yes, a clear opt-in is essential, especially for email. A simple unsubscribe protects your sender reputation and compliance.
What repeat-purchase gain to expect? Typically from 22 % to 35-40 % over 6 to 12 months, depending on base quality and segment relevance. Most of the gain comes from the « at risk » segment reached in time.
Let's talk about your project. We connect your mobile money history to segmented SMS and email scenarios to lift your repeat purchase. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
