A SACCO runs on trust and timing. Members need to know when a loan instalment is due, when the AGM is, and that their deposit arrived. SMS is the simplest way to do all three, because almost every member reads an SMS the same day.
1. Loan repayment reminders
A reminder a few days before the due date costs less than chasing an overdue loan. Send it in the morning, keep it short and name the amount and date.
Dear [Name], your [SACCO] loan instalment of UGX [Amount] is due on [Date]. Please pay on time. Thank you.
2. AGM and meeting notices
Quorum depends on members knowing about the meeting. Send the notice two to three weeks before, and a short reminder two days before. Give the date, time and venue, and a phone number for questions.
[SACCO] AGM on [Date] at [Time], [Venue]. Your attendance is important. Call [Phone] for help.
If your AGM is online, the full agenda and Zoom link are too long for one SMS. Many SACCOs send the short SMS above and share the details on WhatsApp using an approved message template.
3. Deposit and balance confirmations
Members relax when they see their contribution was received. With a CSV upload, each member can receive their own amount and balance in one campaign.
Dear [Name], we received your deposit of UGX [Amount] on [Date]. New savings balance: UGX [Balance]. [SACCO]
4. Arrears follow-up
Be polite and offer a way to talk. Do not name other members, and do not include more than the amount due.
Dear [Name], your loan has an overdue amount of UGX [Amount]. Please contact [Phone] to arrange payment. [SACCO]
5. Dividends and announcements
Dividend dates, new loan products and office closures are best sent to the whole membership at once. Save your members in groups, for example by branch, so you can also message only one branch.
Tips that keep costs down
- Keep each message inside 160 characters so it is billed as one SMS.
- Avoid emojis and curly quotes: they cut the limit to 70 characters.
- Clean your member list before each campaign so you do not pay for duplicates or wrong numbers.
- Use your SACCO's own sender ID so members see a name they trust. You can start immediately on the shared YoolaSMS sender while it is approved.
What it costs
Rates in Uganda run from UGX 35 per SMS for small bundles down to UGX 20 for 60,000 SMS and above. For example, 2,000 members at UGX 30 per SMS is UGX 60,000 for one message to everyone. See our SACCO page for more.
Comments (0)