Preparing Your Business for the Shift from RMS to RM - A Practical Guide

With the mandatory transition from the Registered Mandate Service (RMS) to the Registered Mandate (RM) payment stream by 10 March 2025, businesses need to act now to avoid disruptions. The new RM collections, which will be processed in the early evening rather than early morning, may significantly impact collection success rates, especially for companies heavily dependent on RMS debit orders. Corne van Rooyen, Product Owner at Amplifin, shares a practical approach to ensure a smooth transition.

Step 1: Assess the Extent of RMS Usage

Begin by assessing how many of your collections rely on RMS debit orders. Many businesses underestimate this dependency. Use comprehensive reports to "ring-fence" your RMS debit orders and understand your exposure.

“Business owners often overestimate their understanding of their debit order book,” says van Rooyen. “At Amplifin, we provide our clients with detailed reporting through our ALLPS-i platform, which allows for real-time insights into RMS usage. Our consultants work proactively with clients to review and interpret these reports.”

Step 2: Begin the Authentication Process for RMS Debit Orders

Once you have a clear picture of your RMS debit orders, start the authentication process. Convert RMS mandates to authenticated DebiCheck collections by contacting debtors for authentication. TT1 Real-Time and TT1 Delayed methods can expedite this.

• TT1 Real-Time: Debtors have 120 seconds to respond to an authentication request via USSD Push or mobile banking apps.
• TT1 Delayed: Offers more time, allowing debtors to respond until 22:30 the same day using bank channels like online banking or ATMs.

“Time is of the essence,” warns van Rooyen. “Start early to avoid a last-minute scramble, as engaging large volumes of debtors takes time.”

Step 3: Analyse the Impact on Your Collections

Run an impact analysis to understand how the shift will affect your collection success rates. Use EFT Debit Orders on a known salary date as a test. Since EFT Debits are processed in the evening, comparing these success rates to RMS collections will give you an idea of the expected impact.

Step 4: Train Your Call Centre Staff

Your call centre agents need to be well-prepared. They will be the ones guiding debtors through the authentication process.

Amplifin offers specialised training that covers the history of DebiCheck, the technicalities of various authentication methods, and practical strategies for success. “Our approach ensures agents are proficient in using authentication mechanisms, boosting success rates,” says van Rooyen. Agents are given resources like the DebiCheck Decoded document to handle different bank authentication processes confidently.

Step 5: Adjust Your Sales Infrastructure

Review and, if necessary, adjust your sales infrastructure to ensure that goods, services, or credit are not provided until DebiCheck mandates are authenticated. Businesses accustomed to RMS collections may need stricter controls under the RM system to avoid high failure rates.

Step 6: Ongoing Consultation and Support

The transition doesn’t end on 10 March 2025. Continuous monitoring and adjustments will be needed to maintain effective processes. Amplifin’s consultants provide ongoing support to ensure your systems are refined and up to date.

“We regularly review workflows with our clients to address emerging issues and refine processes,” says van Rooyen. “This ongoing partnership helps sustain long-term success.”

Tools and Solutions to Aid the Transition

Several technological solutions can help streamline the transition:

• TT1 Real-Time and TT1 Delayed: Efficient methods for non-face-to-face authentication.
• AMP Solution: For face-to-face authentication, Amplifin’s AMP uses Contracted Network Entities (CNEs) with multifunctional mobile devices. These enable TT3 authentication using bank cards and PINs, with real-time processing.

“Our AMP solution is ideal for high-value collections,” van Rooyen explains. “It allows businesses to upload requests, and our CNEs handle the authentication process across South Africa.”

Conclusion

The shift from RMS to RM offers a chance to modernise and improve your collection processes. While the change may seem daunting, taking proactive steps will prepare your business for success in the new payment environment. “Every business is unique,” van Rooyen concludes. “A tailored, comprehensive approach is essential.”

Start preparing today to ensure a seamless transition by March 2025.

Total Words: 765

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Preparing Your Business for the Shift from RMS to RMThe transition to RM payment streams is coming by March 2025. Learn how to safeguard your collections and ensure a smooth transition. Start preparing now!

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