Social distancing is changing the way we do business and until we can 3D print all we need at home or the office, the delivery of goods still needs to be physically transported, delivered and accepted by the customer by way of the usual signature of acceptance, which completes the legal transaction.

Studies have shown that coronavirus can live for up to five days on paper and plastic, travel one metre with a breath, two metres with a cough and up to eight metres with a sneeze. Considering these statistics, the notion of contactless and paperless delivery is more prominent now than ever and using a pen or a stylus to sign is not an option.

To overcome this obstacle a contactless signature solution called Contactless Verification Transaction or CVT has been launched thanks to a joint collaboration between iTouch, who offer high-performance messaging platforms and solutions to businesses for bulk distribution, and Trackmatic, a cloud-based tech company that specialises in fleet management. After realising the urgent need to update their end-user supply chain process, Trackmatic looked to iTouch, to find a solution they could pioneer within the logistics space going forward.  

The way it works is that when a package is delivered, the driver initiates the CVT to a predefined mobile number in the presence of the customer who will then receive an SMS containing a unique URL link to the EMS platform. The EMS platform can be customised depending on the delivery company’s setup and could facilitate various short questions. The completion and submission of this form then advises the driver that they can continue on their route and captures the delivery in the database.

Says Waheed Adam, Executive Chairperson of iTouch, “With CVT, you won’t need to come into contact with anyone. As an essential service provider during the Covid-19 pandemic, and a secure and critical vendor to banks, financial institutions, and corporates, we are committed to ensuring we respond to the call of our customers and will go beyond the usual call of duty to meet their needs. It’s time to be innovative!”

The technology powering CVT, uses SMS as a bearer and is processed via EMS (electronic messages service) on a secure iTouch platform, where it is housed. EMS is an ideal medium for companies with large consumer databases who have the desire to maintain an interactive relationship, for customer retention and business growth. The platform has rich-media capability and allows for branding opportunities and an interactive customer experience. It works on any feature or smart phone and the service is digitally tracked and therefore provides legal record protecting all parties involved.

David Slotow, CEO of Trackmatic says: “CVT is the new way of ensuring trustworthy verification of fulfilment and is the product of smart minds and a new collaborative way of working. COVID has presented huge challenges to everyone but with these challenges, it has broken down much of the red tape and delayed decision making which has enabled and facilitated ground breaking innovation and development being possible in far shorter timelines.”

Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for digital solutions, and the EMS product can be adapted for many other industries where a signature is required. From the delivery of personalised invoices, statements of accounts, bank statements, salary advice slips, insurance policy schedules, utility services  and much more. It also has features such as being able to password protect the information you wish to send to your customer allowing for a very secure environment. The technology is proudly South African and will be made available across the continent and beyond.