SINGAPORE: An AXS kiosk is a familiar sight in Singapore. But whether you're familiar with how they work might depend on whether you were born before or after the mid-2000s, or whether you've been an adult with bills to pay for the last 25 years or so. 

The latter group makes up the bulk of people frantically calling AXS whenever a machine is removed, group CEO Jeffrey Goh told CNA.

“There’s actually a big hoo-ha. They’ll write to their MPs (Members of Parliament) and say 'do not remove’,” he added, likening the experience to having a store they've frequented suddenly disappear.

Complicating matters is how many Singaporeans think AXS kiosks are a public good, owned or operated by the government for their convenience, said Mr Goh.

When the Singapore-based company was founded in 2000, not everyone had a computer with internet connection at home. Post offices stayed open until 8.30pm on Wednesdays so that working adults could pay their bills, the 57-year-old recalled. 

Having multiple bills meant multiple due dates, and “how many times do you want to run down to the post office, right?” 

This thought was the seed that grew into AXS’ main business model – bill payment and payment aggregation. The company was also named to mimic the pronunciation of "access".

Utility bills, phone bills, credit card bills, hospital bills, road tax, income tax, club membership fees, school fees, traffic fines, season parking fees, car loans, shipping charges, service and conservancy charges and insurance premiums are all part of an even longer list of things you can now pay for using AXS’ services.

"This was bringing government digital services directly into the heartlands to provide for the residents, and yet it’s operated by a private company, not a government initiative,” said Mr Goh. 

About 640 AXS kiosks or stations are still standing in Singapore today, accounting for about 35 per cent of total transactions. The rest are carried out online.

At one point, there were almost 800 AXS stations across the island. Mr Goh was candid about the challenges involved in keeping these physical kiosks around: Together, they cost “a lot" – that is, millions of dollars – in rent. 

GOING WHERE THE BILLS ARE

AXS was briefly in the headlines earlier this year after financial services firm