<div>Of late, consumers have become more accustomed to using their mobile phones for shopping, e-banking, bill payments etc. <strong>Harinder Takhar</strong>, CEO of PayTM, a mobile payment service firm backed by One97 Communications, speaks to <strong>Businessworld Online's Tanuja Chatterjee</strong> about PayTM's latest offerings in the M-commerce sector.</div><div> </div><div><strong>PayTM has been around for quite a while now. How has been the response?</strong></div><div>I would say phenomenal! In about two years of its existence, PayTM has acquired over 6 million users. The PayTM app has consistently maintained itself as the number 1 shopping app on Google Play with a 4.6 star rating. It has also maintained the number 1 spot among utilities apps in the Apple store. In fact, it is currently being featured as the Editor's choice app on Apple. Prior to this, the PayTM app has also been featured in the 'New and Noteworthy' section and the 'What's Hot' section.<br /> </div><div>PayTM has grown into a preferred destination for mobile recharges, bill payments and now bus tickets too. Today we are considered the most trusted and secure app.<br /> </div><div><strong>How is PayTM different from other e-commerce payment gateways?</strong></div><div>We understand that one of the most critical factors is success rate. Our users access the payment gateway through multiple channels across mobile and web. We have also armed ourselves with multiple bank gateway tie-ups for system redundancy. We capture every error, analyze it, and are constantly improving. We have come to realise that some banks are not too optimised for mobile payments, so we help by customising interfaces for them. <br /> </div><div>Supported by a keen 24x7 customer service, PayTM resolves customer queries and issues very fast. <br /> </div><div><strong>Reliability has always been a major concern for payment gateways! How do you deal with it from the customer's and client's point of view simultaneously?</strong></div><div>We give constant and consistent value to our merchants and their customers.<br /> </div><div>Apart from hygiene factors such as a partnership with all major banks of India, enabling all modes of payment, such as credit card, debit card, net banking, and a PCIDSS (Payment card industry data security standard) certified secure experience; PayTM keeps innovating to make life easy for its customers.</div><div> </div><div>To add value, we educate our customers, help them build their tech teams, and discuss their needs, based on which we keep upgrading our solution. We also tell them how to improve conversions, how to improve their transaction funnel and how to reduce fraud and chargeback. <br /> </div><div><strong>Brief us a bit about your other latest offerings</strong></div><div>We launched BB 10 app recently. Then we have launched Bus Bookings on mobile for more value to customers, released Nokia Asha touch-phone native app, launched Pilot reseller programme, GPS tracking of buses, featured on iOS store. We have also launched premium coupons for recharges.<br /><br /> </div><div><strong>Elaborate on your bus ticketing service</strong></div><div>PayTM offers online bus booking for over 12,000 bus routes across India. The top searches on it are for Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. It has recently added real-time bus location alert service for the convenience of its customers. Having extended the booking facility over mobile phones, PayTM has fast grown into a quick and trustworthy online bus booking destination. <br /> </div><div><strong>Your future plans</strong></div><div>We plan to have a Windows phone app soon. We are also going to add utility bill payments on mobiles, add at least 10 new billers in existing categories, offer more categories in quick succession and evolve as a marketplace offering varied services and products.<br /> </div><div>Our goal is to become the most frequented destination where most people will transact for the largest number of goods.</div><div> </div>
