This Newsflash
from Finextra.com ‘Obama campaign taps payvia
for text message-based donations’, motivated me to write this blog post.
In
the run-up to the US Presidential elections, the Presidential candidates are
searching new ePayments modes to attract donations to their campaigns.
Obama’s
donation campaign via SMS messages is one such mode.
This is in
addition to the Card donations via Square,
which both Obama
and his opponent Mitt Romney have
already launched.
If
readers remember Aamir Khan’s ‘Satyamev Jayate’, one of the modes for fund raising
was through
SMS messages.
The
campaign was fairly successful and apart from the funds collected, the ePayment
mode attracted attention around the world.
As on date, no other Indian NGO or Political party has adopted this
ePayments mechanism.
Hence,
it was a bit of surprise, to note that Obama’s campaign team has adopted the
SMS Message mode to attract donations from supporters. The same approach is
expected to be adopted by Mitt Romney’s team.
The
first instance of SMS being utilized for a major fund raising program was for Haiti
January 2010 earthquake victims.
The
2012 American Presidential elections will be the first major political event to
innovatively tap the power of SMS based donations.
The
chief variation between the Indian and the American model is that in India,
Donations can be made via the Prepaid or the Postpaid plans. In America, the
donations can be made only on the Post paid plans.
Another
difference between the Satyamajayate campaign and the American campaign is the
cap on the maximum amount.
The maximum cap was Re1/- in India, whereas
in America for political donations it is $10 a message and $50 a month.
The
USAs’ FEC (Federal Election Commission) had approved this new ePayments mode
only in June 12, and within a very short time, the American political parties
have adopted it.
The
TAT time or the Pass-through window, during the Haitian campaign was 90 days.
Hopefully, with recent technological developments, the 90 days timeframe will
shrink to 20-30days.
Which
Indian Party will adopt this ePayments mode first?
Unique
Indian requirements:-
01) ‘cancel’, future payments option.
02) Post paid plan – In case the bill is
overdue/not paid by the consumer, what will be the status of the SMS donation?
Any other requirements to be kept in mind?
