Hombe Supermarket enters satellite age
In remote communities – of which Namibia has many – supermarkets are much more than just places to go shopping. They effectively become community centres – places for people to meet and share stories as they stock up on essentials.Supermarkets – and similar amenities like convenience stores and petrol stations – are an important part of the glue that holds these small, tight-knit communities together. Their importance cannot be overstated.
Hombe Supermarket and Fuel Station is a classic example. It is the only convenience store in the village of Divundu on the banks of the Kavango River in Kavango East, about 200km east of Rundu.
Conscious of its vital role, Hombe offers an expanded portfolio of services to locals and visitors. This includes fuel, a takeaway outlet, and fresh food and groceries. It is open 24 hours a day.
“It’s a real privilege to play such an important role in the Divundu community,” says Toze Azevedo, owner of Hombe Supermarket. “Our goal is to continuously improve the service that we offer to residents and visitors. This includes investing in new technology that has the potential to make their lives easier,” he adds.
Operating in a remote location brings with it the advantage of being able to have a positive impact on the lives of customers. However, it also presents multiple logistical and connectivity challenges. This is where the traditional role of the village store is being enabled by modern communications technology.
Hombe Supermarket previously struggled to ensure consistent connectivity for the processing of card transactions. Now, in partnership with FNB Namibia, Twoobii has been able to provide a connectivity solution that makes shopping in this ‘off-grid’ location even more convenient.
The Q-KON Twoobii smart satellite broadband service has been certified for FNB POS connectivity, and Hombe Supermarket can now reliably run both wired and wireless payment terminals for use in all areas of the store and fuel station forecourt, provide improved CCTV security systems and even offer Wi-Fi services to customers.
“Since we began operating on the Twoobii service, we have experienced very effective connectivity, with consistent speeds even during heavy thunderstorms,” Azevedo says. “The 24-hour aftersales service is also brilliant. The people we deal with at Twoobii are always professional and helpful. Downtime is non-existent.”
“The success of the installation at Hombe Supermarket is a great example of the transformative effect that smart satellite services can have on Namibian businesses and communities,” comments Manfred?Engling, managing director of Q-KON?Namibia, the satellite engineering enterprise behind Twoobii Smart Satellite Services. “Satellite technology is a contemporary solution to long-standing challenges in off-grid locations. The satellites may be in orbit, but the services they enable are certainly felt at grassroots level.”