It’s not some kind of strategic acrobatics, rather it’s a logical consequence, the extension of a habit: Wind Tre is already present in Italian homes with landlines and fast connectivity to the network, so it thought of offering other necessary services, such as electricity and gas. It has always provided access to calls, messages and internet on the smartphone, from there it began to insure the cell phone, extending the protection to trips abroad, recently arriving at protecting homes, people and all family members, including dogs and cats. “We want to make a difference for our customers” comments Maurizio Sedita, chief commercial officer of Wind Tre, summarizing the meaning of a broad, transversal, evolving strategy. “The telecommunications industry” he adds “has long been pushing for exasperated competition, which advertises saving every single cent. We understand convenience in a broader and more rounded way, including values such as quality and accessibility, rewarding the trust of those who choose us. Even at the cost of not earning money immediately or not earning money at all”.
Please explain better.
When we launched the proposals related to the energy market, we asked our sales force to carefully read the bills of those who came to the store. To propose a contract only if our proposal was truly improving. We do a lot of training to serve customers correctly.
In a market with endless and consolidated alternatives, why turn to you, who are new or almost new to the energy sector?
The electricity and gas services are in partnership with a high-profile technical supplier such as Acea. The bills are monthly and consist of a consumer price and a small fee that absorbs all the hidden costs. There are no asterisks. In addition, the customer is followed moment by moment, from activation onwards, receiving updated information on the status of his practice. Assistance is another crucial element to measure the efficiency and satisfaction of the public.
Also because it can often turn out to be a really frustrating experience.
We are working on it, we aim to achieve full coherence in our responses, both in stores and by contacting the call center or through the app. We want to avoid that one interlocutor says one thing to a customer and another operator says different things. You become a transparent company also like this, taking responsibility for your communications.
Transparency is a concept that you are extending to insurance. In Italy, however, they have never had much success.
They have always been perceived as an obligation, linked to owning a car or a motorbike. We see them as a market to be created and consolidated, building a discontinuity with the past.
How do you plan to achieve this?
Democratizing them. We give everyone the opportunity to get information in the store near their home. We have a widespread sales network in the territory and more than 2,500 certified employees, able to advise customers, answer their questions in an understandable way. We are developing an offer that covers the main needs of families.
What is the formula?
Monthly payments, not annual, so you can spread the cost better. Clear coverage: the customer knows exactly the events for which he can be compensated and how much the reimbursement is, without having to read kilometer-long documents.
What else?
Simplicity: There are no myriads of options to choose from. And it is a modular offering, to be built around your needs.
For example?
I am thinking of the part dedicated to those who do sports or the one designed for pets. Next to the sphere of affections, there are travel and the home, which can also include the protection of household appliances.
What happens if something goes wrong and you need to claim coverage?
If I may, I will tell you a direct, personal experience: a pipe burst in my home. I resolved everything with a simple video call with an expert, in ten days I received the settlement of the damage. No preferential treatment, no one knew who I was. Insurance is easy to sign up for, and it is equally easy to use. The reward it guarantees is peace of mind.
Are you thinking about some loyalty packages, to reward those who perhaps combine electricity and gas with telephone services?
It could be a trajectory to give additional benefits to customers who opt for multiple offers. Just as we focus on the business segment, which is growing at double the pace of the market. The priority is to continue improving, to be effective in an increasingly competitive sector. Above all, to give back some time and resources to families, as much as possible by simplifying their lives.
