The Bill Doctor aims to cure the 'queue disease'

MOGOMOTSI MOLOI
Correspondent | Friday October 26, 2007 00:00

Taking advantage of the booming mining industry, Preszet Holdings, trading as The Bill Doctor, was established in November 2005 and its core business 'is to carry out services in bills and messenger services'.

Managing director Presto Sebele says long queues at water, electricity, furniture, and phones pay points are a cause for concern to the busy executive so his company's services are aimed at helping clients who do not have the time to spend at such outlets.

The Bill Doctor manages and pays clients' monthly bills for a fee of P15 per transaction. They also do banking for clients upon request.

'We make enquiries on our clients' balances whenever they want us to do so,' explains Sebele.

Speaking from his office above Thata Save in North Gate Mall, Sebele acknowledges that paying bills may be the duty of messengers and sometimes secretaries but the time spent queuing up to pay bills is time wasted and militates against productivity.

After paying, the company provides proof of payment in a receipt form, while they keep copies for future reference.

'Once you become our member you would get to enjoy a lot of benefits. This is because you would be given priority over non-members,' assets the 25-year-old MD.

The Bill Doctor has three different subscription contracts, which last six months, and a year, and the amazing prestige contract that is renewable per year. Sebele reckons that his company serves to boost productivity in the work place by eliminating queues.

'To me time is money. The more time you spend queuing for services means that you have lost money at your core business,' he notes. He says as the world is moving towards globalisation, people have to concentrate on their core business to increase output. In his words, he intends 'to change the way Africa does business'.

But how do you trust a stranger to the extent of giving him or her money to pay your bills?

Sebele admits that this is his greatest challenge but he is doing a lot to earn his clients' mutual trust, by treating customers with dignity, fairness, honesty and respect. He knows that dealing with money is no easy task but he works with those he can trust after some thorough screening. In less than 12 months in full-scale business, he has won the confidence of reputable companies and organisations - and he is serving them well.

Sebele says he has applied for funding from the Department of Youth and Culture under the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture but nothing looks promising. 'The department has since told us that we are on their waiting list,' he says.