My friend Mbwana told me this at dinner the other night. We were at his favorite Indian restaurant in Nairobi, and I was lamenting the fact that the mobile lending space was getting crowded with new entrants, all who are using android apps. Our product uses USSD exclusively, which means you have to dial a shortcode to get to the menu. It doesn’t look great, and it’s a pretty poor user experience, comparatively. But Mbwana told me that “USSD is like email” for emerging markets market. It clicked that our product was in fact better placed than any android app could be. USSD is like email in Kenya because USSD is ubiquitous. People have to use USSD on a day to day basis. They use it to send Mpesa, they use it to buy their data, voice and sms bundles, and they use it access dozens of other products on their mobile phones. Much like email, people don’t necessarily enjoy using it, but because they’ve been using it so long, it’s an accepted experience that they put up with. What’s more, our product (credit) works particularly well on USSD. It’s a linear experience that doesn’t require the user to navigate complicated menus. It’s not a game, its a step by step process. That lends it self well to credit products. (excuse the pun) Email is still used across the world, and will continue to be used for a long time. I think USSD will be the same. People are familiar with it, and it works well. So don’t assume that because your product is running the latest tech, all the users will flock to it. It will follow the familiar bell curve of adoption, and right now USSD is firmly embedded with the majority.