On Thursday, September 28th, 2023, under the bright Nairobi sky, Beem unveiled Moja, its flagship offering that stands at the forefront of Africa’s conversational commerce revolution. This Tanzanian startup, with its reach across more than 25 vibrant markets in Africa, started a new era with the official launch of an integrated platform designed to redefine customer engagement. I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Beem’s Founder and CEO Taha Jiwaji at the launch and you can listen to the podcast at the end of this post. However, here are some of the key insights about Taha and Beem:

Omni-Channel At The Core

Moja is Beem’s flagship offering that seamlessly integrates various communication channels including USSD, Airtime, Mobile Payments, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. This consolidation is a testament to Beem’s vision of a technologically empowered Africa, a continent where enterprises can fluidly interact and transact with over 500 million mobile subscribers accessible via Moja. Through its journey of over a decade, Beem has facilitated over 2 billion customer interactions, served 10,000 customers, and established accessibility across 60+ mobile networks in Africa.

Taha Jiwaji: Beem’s Founder & CEO

Taha Jiwaji, the founder and CEO of Beem, is an engineer by training and an entrepreneur by calling. With a background forged at Lafayette University and honed at Cap Gemini, Taha eventually decided to return to his roots in Tanzania. In the bustling commercial hub of Kariakoo in Dar Es Salaam, amidst the clatter and hum of computer shops, Taha found inspiration.

The initial spark for Beem was ignited when Taha explored SMS marketing to promote computers to university students, marking the inception of Bongo Live in 2011, one of Tanzania’s pioneering SMS marketing platforms. Over a decade, his startup evolved, undergoing a significant pivot that expanded its offerings and culminated in a rebranding to Beem.

Bongo Live’s Legacy & Beem’s Arrival

Bongo Live, established in 2012, had a straightforward mission: equipping businesses with the tools necessary for meaningful customer engagement. This vision translated into a suite of products, each meticulously designed and integrated for optimal customer engagement on mobile devices.

From creating a best-in-class Enterprise SMS system, capable of processing thousands of messages per hour, to introducing a robust USSD system that empowered various sectors in data collection, Bongo Live set the stage for Beem. With a robust API that developers loved for its reliability and ease of integration, and the introduction of the Beem Dev Champions program, Beem built a network, fostering connections from Kenya to Tunisia, and Senegal to South Africa.

Moja Means ‘One’

With the landscape shifting and customer behavior evolving, Beem sought to address the burgeoning needs of businesses. Moja, which means ‘one’ in Kiswahili, is a manifestation of this vision, a platform where diverse communication channels converge into a unified inbox, enabling real-time, scalable customer engagement across various platforms.

Moja is not just a communication tool but also a powerful CRM, integrated with automation, chatbots, and various features designed to facilitate sales and customer service. With a focus on multichannel engagement, self-service automation, scalability, and reliability, Moja is poised to redefine how businesses interact with customers, promising efficiency and reliability in every transaction.

Moja & WhatsApp

WhatsApp, with its expansive user base, is a pivotal component in Moja’s arsenal. With Kenya showing a staggering WhatsApp penetration rate, Moja leverages this platform to provide enriched, interactive customer experiences, from automated chatbot services to seamless transition to live agents for personalized assistance.

Integration & Expansion

With an eye on continuous improvement and expansion, Moja integrates with various apps and third-party applications, providing a harmonized, unified experience for both businesses and customers. Whether it’s facilitating in-chat payments, integrating with logistics solutions, or aligning with ERPs, Moja ensures seamless operations, supporting businesses in various sectors.

Moja Comes To Kenya

With its arrival in Kenya, Moja is not just introducing a product; it is establishing a long-term partnership aimed at addressing local communication challenges and fostering business growth. Moja stands as a game-changer, a platform set to revolutionize modern communication channels and enhance customer experiences across various industries, including FMCG, FinTech, InsurTech, E-commerce, Logistics, Pay TV, Broadband Service Providers, MNOs, and the Travel industry.

Moja Changes Everything

As Beem’s launch came to an end, it was clear that Moja wasn’t just another product in the market. It is a vision brought to life, a promise of seamless, efficient, and transformative customer engagement that will enhance Kenya’s and Africa’s conversational commerce landscape. With Moja, Beem is not just offering a service; it is contributing to Africa’s digital future via a narrative of innovation, efficiency, and exceptional customer service. The future indeed looks bright for Beem going forward!