The Future of Funeral Services Depends on More Than Technology

By Charles Seotseneng, Chief Technology Officer, FSG Limited Botswana

There is a familiar scene that plays out across Botswana every month. At post offices and payment outlets in villages and towns, people queue patiently to pay their funeral policy premiums. Among them are grandparents who have honoured this commitment for decades, parents making payments on behalf of elderly family members, and even young people who continue to rely on physical payment channels.

For many households, this monthly routine reflects the importance of ensuring that loved ones remain protected. Yet in an era where digital services have transformed the way we bank, shop and communicate, it also raises an important question: Why do so many people still pay for their funeral policies in person?

As Chief Technology Officer at FSG Limited, I believe the answer lies beyond technology itself. Botswana has made remarkable progress in building a digital economy. According to the 2024 Digital Report, more than 77 percent of the population has access to the internet, while mobile connections exceed the country’s total population, reflecting widespread access to mobile devices. Yet national averages tell only part of the story. Internet access, affordability and digital confidence remain uneven, particularly in rural communities, meaning that technology may be available without being fully accessible or fully understood.

It is easy to assume that customers who continue making physical payments are reluctant to embrace digital platforms. In reality, the reasons are far more nuanced. Some customers value the reassurance of receiving a printed receipt, while others are concerned about making mistakes when transacting digitally. Many simply continue using the payment method they have always known because it is familiar and dependable. This is not only true for older generations. Younger people often pay on behalf of parents or grandparents, while others continue using traditional payment channels because they have never been introduced to more convenient alternatives.

The lesson is clear. Digital adoption is not simply about age or technology. It is about awareness, confidence and trust. In many cases, customers are not rejecting digital platforms. They may simply not know that these options exist, understand how they work or fully appreciate the convenience they offer. This shifts the conversation from technology availability to customer education, experience design and digital confidence at the point of transaction.

This presents a critical opportunity for the funeral services industry. Digital transformation should not be measured by the number of platforms we build, but by the number of customers who can use them confidently. That requires more than investment in systems. It requires actively building awareness of available channels, demonstrating how they work in practical terms and supporting customers as they transition to new ways of engaging. It also requires ensuring that payment solutions remain simple, secure and accessible through channels people already use, including mobile banking platforms, mobile money services, retail payment networks and USSD solutions.

At FSG Limited , we believe innovation must always begin with people. Our investment in secure payment ecosystems is guided by a simple principle: technology should remove barriers, not create them. We operate within a broader digital ecosystem that includes trusted platforms such as Mascom MyZaka, Orange Money and BTC Smega, enabling customers to settle premiums conveniently without unnecessary travel. At the same time, we recognise that physical service channels remain important, particularly for customers who value face-to-face engagement or are still building confidence in digital tools. Our focus is therefore not channel replacement, but the creation of an integrated, accessible and inclusive customer experience.

Ultimately, the future of funeral services will not be defined by the sophistication of our platforms, but by how well we design them around human behaviour. The real challenge is not accelerating digitisation, but ensuring that innovation aligns with how people already live, pay and make decisions. As an industry, our responsibility is to build services that are intuitive, trusted and inclusive, so that no customer is left behind in the digital economy.