M1 Limited, founded in 1994, is Singapore’s leading telecommunications company. M1 offers a suite of mobile voice-and-data communication services, including customizable and prepaid plans. In 2024, the company was building out its 5G network, with plans to provide 5G coverage across Singapore by 2025.

Challenge

Selling new flagship mobile devices is a major source of customer engagement and revenue for M1. The company wanted to maximize the value of rolling out these products in a way that aligned with its overall strategy of constantly improving the customer experience via emerging technologies. So in 2023, M1 partnered with AiChat, a Singapore-based company that develops AI-driven customer engagement solutions. Together, they created a new service that allowed select M1 customers to book appointments to buy their preferred mobile devices at any of its many locations across the country.

AiChat used the locally popular messaging service WhatsApp to send M1 customers an alert about the upcoming launch of new mobile devices. Those customers could then respond to that message and interact in real time via AI chatbot technology to get more information about their preferred models and reserve a new mobile device with a deposit, all without leaving WhatsApp.

This use of WhatsApp helped boost interest in new mobile device rollouts, which gave M1 confidence that it was moving in the right direction. The company was eager to further embrace new technologies that would make the process of reserving and buying a new mobile device even simpler for its customers.

Solution

AiChat and M1 improved its mobile device reservation experience by integrating WhatsApp Pay, powered by Stripe, into the customer journey. Launched in Singapore in 2023, WhatsApp Pay enables customers and businesses to buy and sell within WhatsApp, without having to go to a website or pay in person. WhatsApp Pay is built on Stripe Connect, a platform that routes money between multiple parties, and uses Stripe Checkout, a prebuilt payment form that enables fast, easy payment. It supports credit and debit cards, as well as PayNow, a real-time payment system popular in Singapore.

AiChat worked closely with M1 to modify the pre-ordering system to include a payment step. When it was complete, the entire customer payment journey—including the ability to partially prepay to reserve a new mobile device—now took place entirely on WhatsApp in a single, conversational flow.

M1 and AiChat rolled out the WhatsApp Pay solution with the launch of the Samsung S24 in Q1 2024. For this mobile device launch, select customers could pay an optional deposit when reserving the mobile device via WhatsApp.

With the introduction of Apple’s iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, customers could also pay a deposit to reserve the mobile device. In this iteration, the customer journey began with a WhatsApp message from M1, prompting them to select a mobile device model, color, and storage capacity, followed by their preferred pickup date and M1 outlet location. Customers could then add accessories like the Apple Watch before proceeding to a checkout summary and completing payment via the prebuilt Checkout form to put a deposit down for their chosen mobile device.

Results

WhatsApp Pay, powered by Stripe, increases conversions by 23%–25%

Without the option to put down a deposit, a segment of customers who pre-ordered mobile devices failed to show up to complete their purchase. Allowing customers to reserve their mobile devices with a deposit through WhatsApp Pay increased conversions by 23%–25%.

First telecom company in Singapore to use WhatsApp Pay for pre-orders

M1 is the first telecom company in Singapore to initiate pre-order events featuring major brands like Apple and Samsung. M1’s use of WhatsApp Pay, powered by Stripe, reinforces its reputation as one of the region’s most innovative, tech-forward companies and paves the way for further use of the in-app payment platform.

Implementation of new payment solution accomplished in three months

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The rollout of WhatsApp Pay took M1 and AiChat just three months. The quick development process allowed M1 to introduce a deposit option for customers in time for the launch of the Samsung S24 at the beginning of 2024.

"With AiChat and Stripe as partners, we could minimize the number of hours our teams spent figuring out a payment solution. The partnership saved us many months of work and gave us better results than we could have achieved on our own."

Desmond Ng, General Manager, M1 Limited

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"Collaborating with Stripe on launching WhatsApp Pay for M1 was a remarkable opportunity to showcase how conversational AI can seamlessly integrate with payment solutions. By leveraging AiChat’s expertise, we helped M1 deliver a user-friendly, efficient, and innovative payment experience for their customers. This partnership highlights the transformative power of AI in enhancing customer engagement and streamlining operations."
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Valerie Cheng, SVP, Sales and Marketing, AiChat

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Read case study here: https://stripe.com/en-sg/customers/m1

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