BUSINESS INTERVIEW Much more than mobile
network. Long gone are the days of shifting boxes of voice only mobile phones. In fact, in the business sector over 60 per cent of our new connections include data.”
Being able to sell landline and broadband as well as mobile means O2 can now offer customers a joined up solution with one bill, one contract and one number to call. “Over the next 12 months we’ll continue to focus on helping our customers get joined up,” added Kennedy. “Removing the hassle of having multiple suppliers for their different communications and enabling them to save time, money and increase efficiencies. We’ve adopted an approach that will enable both ‘we bill’ and ‘they bill’ Partners to offer fixed and mobile solutions to their customers.”
Maggie Kennedy
O2 has not been slow to adopt new technologies and business models, says Maggie Kennedy, Head of Partners, who explains the company’s joined up approach to business comms.
O 40 COMMS DEALER JULY 2011
ver the last 12 to 24 months O2 has seen its business become much more than a
mobile operator. “We now sell fixed services and broadband,” said Kennedy. “We’ve also moved into the financial services market with O2 Money, launched a health business and recently announced that we’re building our own Wi-Fi
Kennedy reaffirmed O2’s commitment to continuing to grow all sales channels, whether direct sales team or partners. “Our key focus continues to be enabling business customers to get joined up,” she added. “This is a direct result of what our customers have told us they need. Over half of business customers have numerous suppliers looking after their communications needs leading to unnecessary complexity, increased costs and reduced efficiency. By consolidating their suppliers and coming to us as a one-stop-shop, they can quickly save time, money and hassle.”
In terms of O2’s channel strategy, the company will continue to work closely with partners to give them the tools and support they need to succeed in the ‘new joined up world’, noted Kennedy. “This includes our new Joined up Communications Channel Partner programme which enables Partners to sell and bill mobile and BE broadband under their own brand,” she said. “Another key focus area at O2 is the customer experience, something that we’re incredibly passionate about. We don’t just want satisfied customers, we want happy customers who tell others about you without prompting. Happy customers
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spend more, stay longer and are more likely to give you a second chance if you make a mistake.”
O2’s vision is that all its people and partners act as trusted advisors, taking the time to understand a customer’s business, their pain, their challenges and their needs and then offering solutions that meet these. “Again, we’re committed to enabling our partners to deliver the best possible customer experience, whether it’s through training, tools or sharing ideas and best practice,” Kennedy stated.
Joined up thinking O2 now has the Joined up Communications Wholesale Partner channel, which allows it to work with resellers and supply a mobile solution that they can bill alongside their existing services. “We will continue to work closely with this channel,” said Kennedy. “We have a core group of partners in this channel and our strategy is to help them succeed in this joined up world. This channel will also grow organically as the right resellers come along. We will also continue to bring new products and services to market, enabling us to target existing channels as well as addressing new markets. As part of the Telefonica group, our development never stands still.”
O2’s philosophy is around having a true partnership approach. This means working together to deliver the best possible experience. “That way the customer gets the best of both worlds,” noted Kennedy. “We’re committed to having a continual dialogue with our partners, which includes lots of listening, as well as talking. In fact, we’ve worked closely with our partners to devise all our Partner Programmes, including most recently our Joined up Communications programmes. We have always, and will continue to, listen to and take on board on feedback. This means that we’re confident that we can work collaboratively to maximise opportunities and deal with any challenges we face.”
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