20 Things You Didn’t Know About Flutterwave
Flutterwave is a Lagos, Nigerian-based company whose sole purpose is to bring Africans together through payments. It started its journey in a small office space in Lagos with less than ten team members. The team always believed that if such a system worked in continents like Europe and the America, Africa could also profit from it. That said, there are 20 things you didn’t know about Flutterwave, which will share below:
1. Flutterwave was born in 2016
According to Microsoft, Flutterwave was founded in 2016 to help Africans to:
- Become one platform
- Aggregate payment services from various gateways
- Pay and accept payments from anywhere globally
2. Flutterwave’s banking activities has raised over $20 million
Flutterwave has many partners, Microsoft 4Afrika included. Together, they’ve managed to raise more than $20 million in funds. It goes without saying the funds are meant to improve businesses in Africa to penetrate international markets and make an insightful contribution to their local economies.
3. Flutterwave offers payment protection for customers and entrepreneurs
Shoppers conduct online transactions through Flutterwave. The online banking system has adopted a promising approach to secure customers’ money, making them rest assured that their shopping online via the platform will be seamless. For example, if an item doesn’t arrive, is faulty or damaged when it arrives, Flutterwave will ensure they get their money back.
4. The Flutterwave gateway might not cover some liabilities
If, for example, a customer pays for goods that violate the Flutterwave gateway terms and conditions, they have themselves to blame. Other cases that might make Flutterwave deny liability include:
- Payment of transactions that the bank’s chargeback platform has previously disputed
- Payment of products delivered correctly as described by the seller, but the buyer changed their mind after the purchase.
- Payment of transactions made 60+ days after the transaction.
5. Job fairs are common with Flutterwave
Going by the bank’s report, it frequently organizes job fairs to link talents in the tech community with companies. The job fair targets talents in engineering, growth, project management, marketing products etc. So, if you are a job seeker, it would be best to check out the next job fair that Flutterwave will announce.
6. The bank recently announced that they raised $170 million in funds
Flutterwave keeps expanding, which explains their reason for relying on investors to raise funds. Recently, it raised a Series C round of $170 million. The funds will improve technology, customer support, product and expand to new territories. It goes without saying the company also intends to support everyday mom-and-pop shops to sell to international markets.
7. The company has over 290,000 customers
A recent report published by Flutterwave reveals that they have attracted and retained more than 290,000 customers. The company’s spokesperson goes on to thank their customers for trusting them despite not having a name. And now that it does, the company promises to be loyal to them. Besides improving their common Flutterwave products like Barter, it also intends to create cutting edge technology. The catch is to customize services to enjoy a prompt and efficient shopping experience.
8. You can shop on the go through Flutterwave mobile
Gone are the days when you had to meet a seller in person to buy something. Like other payment platforms, Flutterwave has introduced a mobile app, allowing shoppers to browse products, make payments, and track products. The first step is to download the app on Playstore for Android devices or App Store for iPhone, iPad or MacBook. Once you have the app, you can shop anywhere and pay via this platform.
9. The payments technology company once conducted a store challenge for BBnaija Lockdown housemates
You already know that Flutterwave has products that help small and large businesses to receive payments using up to 25 currencies across Africa and beyond. Interestingly, the CoronaVirus pandemic triggered an idea that Flutterwave took advantage of to help businesses survive the economic crisis. It started by creating a timely product called the Flutterwave Store. A small business doesn’t need to bargain over prices, create or run websites, and be available for every customer who needs their products. Rather, the platform does it for them. In short, if you’re using this platform, all you need to do is to sit back and let Flutterwave take charge. Its involvement in BBnaija was to let housemates celebrate small businesses in Nigeria by developing ads for the decorated Flutterwave Stores.
10. More than 5,000 businesses in Africa have warmed up to the Flutterwave Store
If you are a small business in Africa and haven’t signed up for the Flutterwave Store, it’s time you joined the movement. Over 5,000 businesses have signed up and are selling every day. You don’t have time to bargain or go through the trouble of monitoring your customer’s intentions about buying your product to make sales. Here is a step-by-step guide of creating a Flutterwave Store”
- Go to Flutterwave Store
- Select the “Setup a Store” feature
- Fill out the form with your details and sign up (That works if you haven’t created a Flutterwave account)
- Fill in your business name, your product description, and their photos and prices.
- You’re ready to start selling.
11. The Flutterwave Store platform is absolutely free
Isn’t it great that you can sell from the comfort of your home without worrying about unnecessary haggling or tracking? The best part about this platform is that signing up and running your business through it is absolutely free. The only thing you should do is check your business activities once in a while. For example, if Flutterwave confirms you have a client in waiting, you will be notified to initiate the order placement process. Once your customer confirms that they want your product, Flutterwave will ask them to pay for it and request you to deliver.
12. Job Fairs at Flutterwave link you up with potential employers and other job seekers
Landing a job at Flutterwave or any other company gracing the event is your priority when in a job fair. However, you can also use this opportunity to link up with other employers. Share with them, learn a thing or two about their business journey. You might be surprised about how such small talks can inspire you. Also, you get to meet other job seekers and exchange contact information. Remember, it’s not a battle between the best and incompetent. Employers can absorb even the most inexperienced but show potential for improvement. Establish these connections to propel your career opportunity in the future.
13. Part of Flutterwave’s commitment is to unlock doors of opportunities for more than 500 million young people in Africa.
Perhaps most African youths lack jobs because their governments haven’t created opportunities on their behalf. Some companies may already be flooded with talents, hence not recruiting more young people. The worst part is that most companies in Africa stress experience as a measure of gauging their applicants’ competence. So, what is left of the rest who are out of college or universities but have no experience? The result is a continent with unemployed youth. That’s where Flutterwave comes in. The platform intends to unlock doors of opportunities for over 500 million young people. Through the funds it’s been raising since its launch, young people get the opportunity to land jobs and improve their respective country’s economy.
14. It serves over 33 countries globally
In a world where technology is fast-changing, it makes sense for online shopping to be popular. It is no surprise most firms came up with an online payment system. Their primary motive was to ensure shoppers had easier identifying products they needed and paying for them through the same platform. You can tell that Flutterwave has a stronger belief in its mission to make payments easier for endless possibilities from the way it keeps launching products.
15. The Flutterwave payment protection promise allows merchants to dispute claims from suspicious customers
Online selling can be tricky, particularly when dealing with dishonest customers. For example, your customer in Lagos could’ve ordered an electrical gadget like a microwave oven. You ensured it was working well before dispatching it to your customer. After a few days, the customer claims it’s not working and demands a refund. It gets frustrating when you have more clients like this, but deep down, you know your products are legit. A customer asking for a refund can taint your business reputation and make you incur losses. Fortunately, the Flutterwave payment protection promise protects you from such incidences. The first step is to dispute the claims by proving that the customer is dishonest. If Flutterwave discovers you were honest the whole time, they will ask you to blacklist the customer to prevent them from taking advantage of you in the future.
16. Merchants have up to 24 hours to dispute a customer’s claim
Still, disputing a customer’s claim on this platform can get frustrating to argue with the client with ill intentions. Perhaps you didn’t have time to go online to see what the customer said about the product you sold them. Provided the 24-hour period elapses, there is no way Flutterwave will ignore the customer’s claims. If you’re selling on Flutterwave, make sure you log online, even if it means a few minutes. If you dispute within 24 hours, Flutterwave will listen to both parties and come up with their verdict. Should they find the customer dishonest, they won’t get their refund. But if you keep quiet all that long, Flutterwave will debit your account and refund the said customer.
17. It pays to look presentable online and offline
The first impression matters a lot. People perceive your personality from how you talk or how you’re dressed. According to Flutterwave, it pays to look good both online and offline. By that, it doesn’t mean you should come to a job fair dressed in a 3-piece suit, but make sure you look presentable. Keep in mind that most people monitor your online activities and their perception of you in reality. For example, it would be a shame if someone noticed how calm and collected you appear online only to meet an unapproachable person offline. Also, keep updating your LinkedIn profile with relevant information, and it should be honest. Ensure your LinkedIn profile matches your resume to avoid getting rejected during interviews.
18. Flutterwave still observes the COVID-19 protocols
Being vaccinated doesn’t mean you’re immune to Corona Virus. While at the job fair, you’re expected to follow all COVID-19 protocols. Upon arriving, a medical team will take you for Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) before giving you the green light to enter the venue. You must also come with a face mask if you want to get allowed to come in.
19. Flutterwave’s Barter is one of the most efficient payment systems
Barter is a virtual card that Flutterwave came up with to help people receive funds in their USD cards. To get an account with Barter, you must ensure you complete the verification steps. If you accidentally transferred money to your bank, but the funds haven’t been reflected on the beneficiary’s side, you can contact the customer support team for help. Consider sending your Barter email address, how much you sent, and the transaction date for further investigation.
20. Live interviews at Flutterwave’s job fairs are common
Today, you will hardly find a company interviewing job seekers in-person unless they have a special reason. The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled firms like Flutterwave to adopt live interviews. That said, applicants need to be ready for either option. They can check out the interview tips online, narrowing them down to that role for the best results.
Conclusion
Flutterwave is a practical example that Africa can unite and become one. It makes sense that such an initiative had to come up to help millions of young people secure jobs and startups. From these 20 things you didn’t know about Flutterwave, it’s easy to conclude that this online payment system has debunked various myths associating Africa with poverty. As such institutions keep emerging, we can only hope they consider budding talents instead of concentrating on experienced ones.
