MANILA, Philippines — PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. have expanded their self-service payment kiosk machine to more sites to enable customers to conveniently pay their landline, internet, and mobile bills by themselves, without having to line up to transact with personnel inside stores.
PLDT and Smart piloted their digital kiosks called Paybox in Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna in February.
The retail innovation is part of PLDT and Smart’s continued digital transformation, which is aligned with the group’s broader initiative to elevate the quality of service delivered to its customers through technology and innovation.
PLDT and Smart said customers now have more access to the service as they roll out more Paybox kiosks in select mall-based hubs and standalone stores in Rizal, Batangas, Quezon and Cebu.
Paybox is now available in 56 sites spread across key cities.
“This is part of our commitment to put our customers at the center of our business and develop platforms and innovations that best serve their needs,” said Jeanine Rubin, first vice president and head, customer experience group at PLDT.
Paybox accepts cash, credit or debit cards, PayMaya QR codes, and virtual change, eliminating face-to-face interaction and allowing customers to do contactless payments.
Customers can also combine two payment methods for a more convenient transaction, and the only information that customers need is their PLDT or Smart account number.
Payments will also be reflected real time on their accounts.
“This also allows us to introduce a more convenient service to our non-digital-savvy or even unbanked customers and offer them a faster way to pay their bills,” Rubin said.
To pay for their bill, customers need to go to a Paybox kiosk, select PLDT or Smart on the touchscreen, input their account number and choose the mode of payment that they prefer.
An additional feature allows customers to divide their payments into a combination of two modes, making the process more flexible and convenient.
After selecting their preferred mode of payment, customers need to input the amount that they wish to pay and confirm. Once done, a payment confirmation will appear on the screen.