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Tech savvy

I am happy that all of us are becoming card swiping tech savvy citizens. I am also happy that the so called digital divide is diminishing very fast.

But my question is how effecient are our systems in handling these things. Day before, I paid my cable bill using an online payment portal. The payment was successful because I received an sms that my money has been deducted, but I did not get transaction successful message on my computer screen. Then I had to go to the website of cable people and verify there.

Today it was telephone bill. Again similar problem. Payment happens, but the sms from telephone company is terse "we have received your payment. we will process it" and their website still shows that we owe them the money by tomorrow.

I, the self proclaimed tech proficient person who was both time and knowledge to pursue these matters online and offline, am facing such difficulties. What will the ordinary people do? The semi-literate people, who just know how to make a call using phones. Or the other category, who can just receive calls from mobiles? What about elderly who have used cash all their lives and are reluctant to learn the new technologies? Can they use paytm, rupay, master card?

The other day I went to a dentist and wanted to pay his bill. He swiped my card for the bill. It failed. Luckily I had another card and gave it. That failed too. I had to collect money from ATM and pay him the next day. If it were some serious situation and the doctor insisted on receiving the payment, what could I have done?

People tell me that I am not supposed to talk about these issues as I have always led a sheltered life. I do not have to stand in long queues. I have card which I can swipe. I can make online payments for which I can waste a really long time too. But not all other citizens are like me. There are old people who find it hard to use ATM cards. There are maids who can barely read a local language. There are villagers who need to travel long distances to visit a bank. Who is bothered about their hardships?


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