Building Trust from a Simple Shop: BRILink Agent Erni Makes Financial Services More Accessible
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Erni never imagined that her decision to join the BRILink Agent network in 2015 would become a turning point in her business journey. Transactions at her outlet have grown busier, creating opportunities for her to expand her business and increase her family’s income.
Her journey began more than a decade ago, when access to banking services was less convenient than it is today. At the time, Erni ran a modest shop in Lareh Sago Halaban, Lima Puluh Kota Regency, West Sumatra. The nearest BRI work unit was more than ten kilometres away, forcing local residents to travel a considerable distance to carry out banking transactions.
This situation presented an opportunity when the local BRI Mantri offered her the chance to operate as a BRILink Agent using a BRI EDC machine. Seeing that banking services were still some distance from residents’ homes, Erni accepted, hoping the agency would make transactions easier for the community while complementing the services at her shop.
Erni found distinctive ways to introduce the BRILink Agent service to residents. One was to take the EDC machine to weekly religious study gatherings shortly before electricity bills were due. This helped residents become familiar with the service and experience the convenience of making transactions in their own neighbourhood.
Gradually, the habit took hold. Residents who had previously been hesitant began coming to make transfers, pay bills and carry out other transactions. The trust built over many years is reflected in the growing volume of transactions conducted through her BRILink agency.
“Now we average around 6,000 transactions a month, because BRI Padang provided me with two EDC machines. Before I became an agent, my shop’s income was around Rp3 million to Rp4 million a month. Since becoming a BRILink Agent, thankfully, my income has doubled,” Erni said.
Separately, BRI Corporate Secretary Dhanny said that, as October marks Financial Inclusion Month, BRI continues to strengthen its commitment to making financial services more widely, easily and evenly accessible to all segments of society.
“In this context, BRILink Agents play a strategic role as an extension of BRI’s services, bringing them closer to communities in villages and in areas relatively far from bank branches. Their presence not only expands the reach of formal financial services, but also encourages local economic activity and creates opportunities to empower communities. In this way, the spirit of Financial Inclusion Month goes beyond expanding access: it is aimed at delivering increasingly tangible, inclusive and sustainable economic benefits for the public,” Dhanny concluded.