Why is Trinidad so UNDER powered Digitally?

[pete]

I pay my cell phone, T&TEC, Flow and kids school fees online. The long physical lines are probably due to very low credit card penetration in the market or the people with credit cards are older and don't consider online transfers safe.

[Dizzy28]

I am in Trincity Mall at least once per month usually to go Pennywise. I just go to the FLOW Store and pay that bill at the Kiosk regardless of how early in the month it is. If I didn't go I would pay online through the Flow portal.

All other bills I pay at a Massy Surepay outlet but only because there is one in a pharmacy on Pasea Main Road which is open 6 days a week sometimes up to 8pm. There is never any lines there and there are two cashiers who are pleasing to the eyes.

However sometimes the providers don't provide a bill and you need one at those Surepay outlets. For example in WASA's case they didn't send a bill for the entire of 2019 so I ended up having to go in to them in Q3 but I just paid for the year one time. Would probably do the same this year.

[Redman]

I think that there will be a reluctance to accept online transactions in total because all of us have bad memories of the trouble to resolve issues when they crop up.

The distrust lies with the service provider-not the mechanism to pay.
It always seems that when there is an error-the customer is wrong,and in my case its always at the back of my mind when I had to pay a TSTT cell bill in full on a Friday afternoon -the cell being cut-despite me paying with a linx 3 days earlier.

And we have a aging population that will naturally be suspicious of new tech.

[originalbling]

^^ Exactly. Up to now bmobile cant get their online billing sorted out for residential bills. Why should we have to pay estimated amounts to the account and then a credit applied after?

They also take a few days to post payments when made online or at other payments locations so these may be a deterrent especially for the older folks who prefer to have an actual bill to pay against.

I was impressed to see Massy being the first to implement self checkout kiosks. It works smoothly once you pay attention to the on screen prompts. Still dont understand why we cant have those payment terminals at merchants where the cashier dont ever handle your credit/debit cards.

[daxt0r]

Albeit poor customer service, we seem to still gravitate to tangible customer/sales rep interactions, especially the over 30's for whom it's tradition, look at your pics, see the age demographic? It's similar to how we have so much online banking features yet people line up by banks from 6am to collect their pensions, just so they could have it home. As the younger generation who eschews personal interaction and favors impersonal online lifestyle grows we may see a change in habits, also incentives will encourage behavioral changes as you suggested

Online banking in TT primitive and pointless

In the UK I can transfer funds to any international bank account world wide. Free local transfers and I pay £7 world wide fee.

Here in Trini you can't even transfer to parallel local banks much less transfer out of trini.

Banana republic banking filled with two forms of ID, and endless useless rep tape.

Trini is not online friendly nor is it interconnected.

I tranfer to other local banks via online banking normal normal. Where you getting this info from?

You living UK or here?

hey by chance anyone attempt to this recently from FCB to any other bank, specifically around the XMas period.
I send 2 payments to two separate RBL accounts since 23rd and up to now it cya reach either account, normally is like 5 working days max.

[RedVEVO]

QUESTION: Why Is Trinidad So UNDER Powered Digitally?
ANSWER: Because it's a 3rd world, back-water, green fig republic (so-called "leaders" to dumb to even realize they could at least aspire to & even acquire banana republic status with a lil effort) with multiple black markets where excessive volumes of cash are used to conduct "business" because physical cash notes is easier to move/wash/use undetected than digital currency, & the people like it this way.



Next question.

Trinidad have no leaders ..
No progress .. only dictatorship of ideas and corruption .

Appeal again to my young scholars ..
Go abroad ..

[Dohplaydat]

Albeit poor customer service, we seem to still gravitate to tangible customer/sales rep interactions, especially the over 30's for whom it's tradition, look at your pics, see the age demographic? It's similar to how we have so much online banking features yet people line up by banks from 6am to collect their pensions, just so they could have it home. As the younger generation who eschews personal interaction and favors impersonal online lifestyle grows we may see a change in habits, also incentives will encourage behavioral changes as you suggested

Online banking in TT primitive and pointless

In the UK I can transfer funds to any international bank account world wide. Free local transfers and I pay £7 world wide fee.

Here in Trini you can't even transfer to parallel local banks much less transfer out of trini.

Banana republic banking filled with two forms of ID, and endless useless rep tape.

Trini is not online friendly nor is it interconnected.

I tranfer to other local banks via online banking normal normal. Where you getting this info from?

You living UK or here?

hey by chance anyone attempt to this recently from FCB to any other bank, specifically around the XMas period.
I send 2 payments to two separate RBL accounts since 23rd and up to now it cya reach either account, normally is like 5 working days max.

Tell mero it takes 2 business days minimum of you lucky.

In the UK it is within seconds, infact it's near instant honestly. Also there are no limits on how much you can transfer. But for some reason local banks set up various arbitrary limits from 5k to 50k in some banks.

[stev]

with regards to the original topic and online transactions:

in my experience it's usually the lack of understanding, old fashioned, nonsense way of thinking or just plain stupidity by the older users and decision makers of companies such as board members, old CEOs or basically the old farts that refuse to retire...

safety in digital transactions all depends on the user....

*strict password policies (which are necessary) can never be enforced because people too slack with passwords tbh (even the young generation)...every month call centers are bombarded with password resets...

*refusal of the service because 'i doh trust dat'

*lack of properly trained staff in the organization or unqualified members of family who were hired...

*corrupt or modified audits

*no proper enforcement of international standards for information security


perfect example:

Trinidad and Tobago would never move to chip debit cards cuz there is no profit in it....Central bank mandated the change to chip cards January 2019 with a deadline of December 2019 yet no organization is ready in January 2020...why? lack of penalties, fines or overall consequences.

Digital advancement in this country is so sad that i sometimes consider country lost beyond recovery.....

....another example: big TSTT account managers telling people that they implementing '5G' for business only when asked to elaborate.....it turns out its 5GHz WiFi from their stupid ass modems

quote mih allyuh TSTT bastards on tuner or who makkoing, ah have court clothes and powerpoints from your account managers....u all going to hell. u all taking advantage of the company decision makers who don't know better.


edit: apologies for the long post...didnt know i rant so much

[zoom rader]

with regards to the original topic and online transactions:

in my experience it's usually the lack of understanding, old fashioned, nonsense way of thinking or just plain stupidity by the older users and decision makers of companies such as board members, old CEOs or basically the old farts that refuse to retire...

safety in digital transactions all depends on the user....

*strict password policies (which are necessary) can never be enforced because people too slack with passwords tbh (even the young generation)...every month call centers are bombarded with password resets...

*refusal of the service because 'i doh trust dat'

*lack of properly trained staff in the organization or unqualified members of family who were hired...

*corrupt or modified audits

*no proper enforcement of international standards for information security


perfect example:

Trinidad and Tobago would never move to chip debit cards cuz there is no profit in it....Central bank mandated the change to chip cards January 2019 with a deadline of December 2019 yet no organization is ready in January 2020...why? lack of penalties, fines or overall consequences.

Digital advancement in this country is so sad that i sometimes consider country lost beyond recovery.....

....another example: big TSTT account managers telling people that they implementing '5G' for business only when asked to elaborate.....it turns out its 5GHz WiFi from their stupid ass modems

quote mih allyuh TSTT bastards on tuner or who makkoing, ah have court clothes and powerpoints from your account managers....u all going to hell. u all taking advantage of the company decision makers who don't know better.


edit: apologies for the long post...didnt know i rant so much

The banks and business are keeping this country bank bro

Banking in TT primitive

[originalbling]

Trinidad and Tobago would never move to chip debit cards cuz there is no profit in it....Central bank mandated the change to chip cards January 2019 with a deadline of December 2019 yet no organization is ready in January 2020...why? lack of penalties, fines or overall consequences.

Scotia bank is currently changing out. not sure about the others.

lack of properly trained staff in the organization or unqualified members of family who were hired...

Alot of the pos terminals support the tap/wave function. The only place I have seen that in use is some Starbucks.

[teems1]

Trinidad and Tobago would never move to chip debit cards cuz there is no profit in it....Central bank mandated the change to chip cards January 2019 with a deadline of December 2019 yet no organization is ready in January 2020...why? lack of penalties, fines or overall consequences.

Scotia bank is currently changing out. not sure about the others.

lack of properly trained staff in the organization or unqualified members of family who were hired...

Alot of the pos terminals support the tap/wave function. The only place I have seen that in use is some Starbucks.

Superpharm also.

[Redman]

Trinidad and Tobago would never move to chip debit cards cuz there is no profit in it....Central bank mandated the change to chip cards January 2019 with a deadline of December 2019 yet no organization is ready in January 2020...why? lack of penalties, fines or overall consequences.

Scotia bank is currently changing out. not sure about the others.

lack of properly trained staff in the organization or unqualified members of family who were hired...

Alot of the pos terminals support the tap/wave function. The only place I have seen that in use is some Starbucks.

SBTT debit card has been chipped a while now-I would say I got mine more than 3 months now

[Dizzy28]

Yea had my Scotia Chip debit since October. Took like 15 mins to get as well.

[VexXx Dogg]

Maybe it's the target demographic.

There's an aging population who prefers tangible cash over the concept of electronic money transfers. There may be people who are not tech literate, or they don't trust technology.

[MaxPower]

Online payments/transactions are so convenient.

Im so happy it keeps me away from STINK Trinidadian customer service.

[zoom rader]

Online payments/transactions are so convenient.

Im so happy it keeps me away from STINK Trinidadian customer service.

Max is back,

Jah bless and curse your jailers

[Dohplaydat]

Yea had my Scotia Chip debit since October. Took like 15 mins to get as well.

Is it a visa or MasterCard debit card? Does it work with Linx or only visa/MasterCard protocols?

Does it provide instantaneous transaction information when you purchase on the online app?

[Dizzy28]

Yea had my Scotia Chip debit since October. Took like 15 mins to get as well.

Is it a visa or MasterCard debit card? Does it work with Linx or only visa/MasterCard protocols?

Does it provide instantaneous transaction information when you purchase on the online app?

VISA and I haven't used it for anything other than depositing cash last month at ATMs when the whole $100 changeover was happening.

[Chimera]

Maybe it's the target demographic.

There's an aging population who prefers tangible cash over the concept of electronic money transfers. There may be people who are not tech literate, or they don't trust technology.

even I does pick and choose where to swipe my card,

i rather use cash than swipe my debit card in most places.

way too much debit card fraud and headache with the bank after to get back your money

the less things to look through on my statement the better.

but i does pay digicel online through their app, ttec online, insurance companies with standing orders,
i does pay ttec bill online for about 5-6 friends, about a 20k a month. easy extra cc points for me.

does pay 3-4 flow bills online

[Redman]

Yea had my Scotia Chip debit since October. Took like 15 mins to get as well.

Is it a visa or MasterCard debit card? Does it work with Linx or only visa/MasterCard protocols?

Does it provide instantaneous transaction information when you purchase on the online app?

VISA and its worked as its supposed to-Ive withdrawn from FCB and RBC with no issue.

That said....i just came off the phone with a friend-who deposits for his biz via CIT- apparently the CIT bags are back logged at 2 banks.....and therefore he has 4 days of revenue from 3 locations handed off by the CIT co...in the banks but uncounted and un credited....and its a hard luck scene.

So he is in a mess cuz the banks are behind the curve.


This demonstrates that when the banks mess up....its the customers fault....ironically the oldest non counter alternative is still a heads the banks win...tails the customers loose scenario

[stev]

Visa cards are already chipped no matter the bank...i'm talking about plain debit cards to access your chequing / savings account....the only bank that is ready is Scotia as far as I know but they cant roll out until testing is completed with all other banks via Linx

[Redman]

It's a debit card that is linked to the checking account.
Branded Visa.
Functionally replacing the Linx card.

[Dohplaydat]

It's a debit card that is linked to the checking account.
Branded Visa.
Functionally replacing the Linx card.

Cool can you then shop online with it?

[speedmelter]

there are old people who line up at the bank only to go to the teller to find out the balance on their accounts

[Dohplaydat]

there are old people who line up at the bank only to go to the teller to find out the balance on their accounts

Dude, if you have any investments in mutual funds you have to do that too. I was amazed that these things not visible via some online system.

[meccalli]

Call me old fashioned but in my mid twenties and I'd rather go to a teller to make a withdrawal than use my card at an atm. Forget about online banking, Ya'll can keep that and have fun with it. I have a card with an account that I keep no more than 5-10k in just for emergencies or if I have to purchase something that I'd rather not carry cash and usually that's at select establishments, basically once to twice a year purchases.

[Dohplaydat]

Call me old fashioned but in my mid twenties and I'd rather go to a teller to make a withdrawal than use my card at an atm. Forget about online banking, Ya'll can keep that and have fun with it. I have a card with an account that I keep no more than 5-10k in just for emergencies or if I have to purchase something that I'd rather not carry cash and usually that's at select establishments, basically once to twice a year purchases.

K bro, and how's the 120Y holding up?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

It's a debit card that is linked to the checking account.
Branded Visa.
Functionally replacing the Linx card.

Cool can you then shop online with it?

Scotia's own not yet, but they say soon.
You can use it at the cash register and at ATMs abroad once the VISA logo is present.

[death365]

Call me old fashioned but in my mid twenties and I'd rather go to a teller to make a withdrawal than use my card at an atm. Forget about online banking, Ya'll can keep that and have fun with it. I have a card with an account that I keep no more than 5-10k in just for emergencies or if I have to purchase something that I'd rather not carry cash and usually that's at select establishments, basically once to twice a year purchases.

K bro, and how's the 120Y holding up?

Believe me... If he have a 120... It good them things run like beast... Save and except when the carb choke out

[meccalli]

Call me old fashioned but in my mid twenties and I'd rather go to a teller to make a withdrawal than use my card at an atm. Forget about online banking, Ya'll can keep that and have fun with it. I have a card with an account that I keep no more than 5-10k in just for emergencies or if I have to purchase something that I'd rather not carry cash and usually that's at select establishments, basically once to twice a year purchases.

K bro, and how's the 120Y holding up?

I use public transportation