Sales and distribution

To maximise value generation we must ensure the right mix of distribution channels, reflecting market evolution, local specifics, customer needs, our competitors, and the range of services we offer.

These actions have proved effective and generated in good sales results. In sales outlets we meet with customers who need assistance in choosing an offer; for time-sensitive customers we offer telesales; and those who prefer to have the complete information set and extensive price comparisons before making their decisions can choose to purchase online. This approach allows us to adapt to customer expectations, better recognise the potential of local markets and more effectively adjust our network investments to local demand.

When it comes to getting the right mix of sales channels, our strategy is primarily driven by two elements: evolving customer purchasing preferences and the need for internal efficiency. We carefully monitor cost-to-revenue ratios. One obvious trend is the growing importance of online sales. On our website, we continue to enhance personalisation: customers are presented with dedicated content depending on their actions and the services they use. We also create a positive user experience across all customer touchpoints with innovative customer communication tools, such as:

• Bot-messenger – enables our customers to communicate in a near-natural language via applications such as Facebook Messenger;

• Max – a voicebot which allows customers to get support on simple topics: it provides information about payments, allows them to report failures, calls back with an invoice payment reminder if necessary, or sends an SMS with payment information on request;

• Orange Guide (content marketing) – In 2020, we published 272 new articles and we already have 442 of them in total. In the Google search engine, we are displayed among the top-five search results for over 3,500 phrases, and in 2020 more than 750,000 users accessed the Orange guide, making well over 2 million visits.

Customers demand the same quality of experience regardless of distribution channel: face-to-face, by phone or online. To address this, we have developed an omnichannel approach. Despite the impact of Covid-19 and growth of online sales, traditional points of sale still retain their importance. POS accounted for almost half of total sales in 2020, and we expect a similar ratio in the coming years. Increasingly, we see customers hopping between these channels: they may start a transaction online but finalise it in a shop, or vice versa.

In 2020, despite the pandemic situation, we continued the Best Retail Network (BRN) Program – a comprehensive set of activities to improve sales efficiency and customer experience, in four streams:

• Best POS – a modernisation of our shops network, working towards all shops having a highly functional design and visualization supported with IT tools;
• Best Location – in-depth revision of Orange POS network based on sales potential and sales efficiency (city-by-city analysis);
• Best People – focus on improvement of our staff retention rate and enhancement of sales force efficiency and engagement;
• Best Quality – improvement of customer experience and sales efficiency through the rationalisation of both work standards and quality control in our shops.

We’ve already observed driving efficiency from tools developed in BRN. In terms of Best POS, solutions that were previously only implemented in the large Smart Stores, such as intuitive and functional interiors, are also being implemented in smaller stores to meet customers’ needs. Movements in Best Location, including relocations to a better and more attractive place, bring additional value and also enhance our customer experience. The Best People and Best Quality streams delivered many achievements for POS channels in the area of sales rep’s motivation and service quality, especially during the pandemic period. Thanks to solutions developed by BRN, like our flexible working model and special safety rules, we were able to conduct sales during lockdown period even across the shops network.