BOJONEGORO, JurnalPost.com – Rural grocery stores are no longer just places for residents to buy daily necessities. With the growth of agent-based financial services, many shops now provide banking facilities that allow residents to conduct transactions without needing to visit bank branches or ATM machines.
This convenience is being felt by the residents of Bendo Village, Kapas District, Bojonegoro Regency, East Java. The presence of mini ATM services through a local BRILink Agent at a neighborhood grocery store has become a practical alternative for residents to meet their various financial transaction needs.
Through this service, the community can perform a range of transactions, from cash withdrawals and interbank transfers to paying various bills. Its location within the residential area makes the service more accessible, especially for residents who have limited time to travel to banking service centers.
The presence of the BRILink mini ATM also highlights the evolving role of grocery stores in the community. Beyond selling household goods, these shops can now serve as hubs for financial activities that support the village economy.
Residents Enjoy Convenient Transactions Near Home
Nurul, a resident of Bendo Village, stated that the presence of the BRILink service at the local grocery store is quite helpful for residents in their daily activities.
According to her, having transaction access close to home provides significant convenience, especially when residents need cash or need to send money to family or relatives.
"The presence of BRILink at the grocery store is very helpful for residents. If we need cash or want to make a transfer, we don't need to go far to find an ATM or visit a bank. Moreover, residents often make transfers to other bank accounts. It is more practical because the location is close to our homes," said Nurul.
She explained that transfer services are among the facilities most frequently used by the community. The need to send money is not limited to BRI accounts but also includes interbank transfers for various purposes.
This convenience is an added value for residents because transactions can be done while performing other activities, such as shopping for household needs at the store.
For those who do not always have the opportunity to visit a bank branch, the presence of financial services near their homes is a practical solution to meet their transaction needs.
Shop Owners Gain Business Development Opportunities
Beyond benefiting the community, the presence of a BRILink Agent also opens up additional opportunities for grocery store owners.
By providing banking transaction services, business owners can expand their service offerings without having to abandon their primary activity as merchants of daily necessities.
Siti, a BRILink Agent owner in Bendo Village, said that money transfer services are one of the needs frequently handled at her place of business.
"Usually, many people transfer money to relatives, or for other needs, whether to other BRI accounts or interbank," said Siti.
According to her, the community's needs for sending money are quite diverse. Some residents transfer money to family members, while others use the service to settle payments or for personal needs.
These activities give grocery stores an additional role as providers of financial transaction access for the surrounding community.
On the other hand, the presence of the BRILink service also has the potential to increase customer visits to the store. Residents who come to perform banking transactions may also purchase daily necessities.
This business model shows that agent-based financial services can coexist with small-scale retail activities in rural areas.
Supporting Financial Service Access in Rural Areas
The presence of a BRILink Agent is a form of expanding banking service access through partnerships with community members who run businesses.
Through the agency system, a number of transactions that were previously mostly conducted through branch offices or ATM machines can now be accessed through business locations closer to residential areas.
For rural communities, this convenience is significant as it helps reduce the time and travel costs required to reach financial services.
Grocery stores that provide BRILink mini ATMs also serve as an example of how micro-enterprises can adapt to the changing needs of the community.
Nevertheless, residents still need to pay attention to security when conducting transactions. Every customer is advised to ensure the amount of money sent or withdrawn is correct, check administrative fees, and keep transaction receipts as a precautionary measure in case of any issues.
The confidentiality of PINs and personal banking information must also be maintained to ensure that transactions remain secure.
The presence of the BRILink mini ATM service in Bendo Village shows that the development of financial access does not always require large-scale banking facilities. Through grocery stores that have become part of the community's daily life, various transaction needs can be served more closely and practically.
For residents, the service provides convenience in accessing financial transactions. Meanwhile, for business owners, the presence of BRILink is an opportunity to add services while developing the economic potential of their grocery stores at the village level.
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