Introduction

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:35 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Welcom to my first web log ever.

My name is Kasper Figee, I am seventeen years old. I live in Alphen aan den Rijn, in the Netherlands

I have got one main hobby, soccer. I train three times a week and at Saturday i have a match for the competition. I'm a midfielder, right footed. I work as a pizza delivery guy. I only work on Friday evening from five to ten.
Now you know a little bit about me, I am going to tell you why I will post some blogs.

I study at The Hague University
I’m now in my first year of the study: Commercial Economics.
For the class: Business Communication I have to make a web log. And the subject need to have a marketing related, strategy. We have to work on our web log, two times a week for six weeks long. Every time we need to write between 200 and 250 words.

My subject for this web log are phone companies. I will tell you more about the different providers with their strategies. And more about the way, how they approach the market. The commercials of the phone companies will also be a part of almost every web log.

I will use a structure, every time I post a blog. Every blog has a title, I will call it chapter 1,2,3… etc. Every chapter is about one phone company. So in chapter one I will tell you more about Tele 2, and in chapter 2 about KPN etc.

Have fun reading my blogs, and see you next time!

Kasper Figee

Chapter 1: Tele 2

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:35 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Tele2 is one of Europe's biggest telecommunications operators, with about 24 million customers in 11 countries. Tele 2 is also manifested in The Netherlands.

Originally is Tele 2 founded in Sweden. The telecom provider offers mobile telephony, data networks and Internet services. The big audience see Tele 2 as a company where you can call for a low price.

Tele 2 has great marketing tactics and because of that, I want to highlight two of them.

A few years ago, Tele 2 introduced “Small Bill”. This was a little person you could bring everywhere. A person that was so “small” that you could hold it the whole day with you. The slogan behind it was: “Tele 2, the company that brings you small bills”. They tried to come through as a phone company that was very cheap, who only brings you small bills.

At this moment, Tele 2 is using a new approach to conquer the market. They wanted a new look. The company wants to present their self with a black sheep, named Frank. With Frank they want to show the consumers that they are fair and open. The sheep should be associated with cheap. In every Tele 2 commercial you see frank, and sometimes with other black sheep’s. And in every commercial they highlight that they are cheap, with statements like: “Born to be cheap” or “We love cheap”. The whole sheep/cheap happening was invented in Sweden. The commercials are only to see in The Netherlands and of course, in Sweden.

Chapter 1, part 2: Tele 2 Netherlands and their social responsibilities.

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:34 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Tele 2 Netherlands regards corporate social responsibilities as an important value of its operations. For them, it is a part of the way of doing business. The Dutch government stimulates phone companies to manufacture sustainable products. Telecom specific criteria have been defined to encourage the government authorities to take the lead in environmental and social aspects when procuring products and services.

Tele 2 encourages this initiative of the Dutch government. Because of that, they set up an environment friendly team, which search for the best eco-friendly way to produce. So Tele 2 is fully compliant to these criteria of the government and can therefore help their authorities to each their overall goal of 100% sustainable purchasing in 2010.

The company aims to raise and keep its environmental performance to a socially responsible level. Thereby, they focus on further improving for a policy which lead to more efficient energy. Tele 2 Netherlands works on energy reduction. They also re-use material and equipment.

It becomes clear that Tele 2 Netherlands takes their social responsibilities very seriously. But this means more than it says. Consumers see that they are showing environmental responsibilities, so it can be a extra motivation to buy the products of Tele 2. Social responsibilities are not only good for the environment, it can be used as a marketing strategy to obtain more costumers.

Chapter 2: KPN

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:34 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

In this chapter, I am going to tell you more about the phone companies KPN, Hi and Telfort, but those last two are not companies by itself, they are brands of KPN.

KPN stands for Koninklijke KPN N.V. They are suppliers of telecommunication and offer consumers Internet, television and of course mobile telephony. Anno 2006, KPN is active on the Dutch, German and Belgian telecommunication market. In the Netherlands is KPN owner of the mobile industry. They are the market leaders of this industry with the providers KPN, Hi and Telfort. One bad aspect for KPN is that they lose a lot of costumers because the possibility to call by means of the cable and internet.

KPN introduced a new marketing strategy a few months ago. They wanted to get a new image: “Simple and easy”.  KPN will work for a more pleasant and more accessible irradiation. KPN want to develop in the field of communication accessible for all the Dutch people. Simple and easy, is for KPN the best way to show their self’s to the consumers. It also goes with the three core values of KPN,  simplicity, personal and trust.

KPN stands for clear and easy supply to the costumer with optimal service (= simplicity). KPN says: “Everyone is different and we respect that” (= personal). And at KPN they do the usual, unusually good and they ensure that their services are working (which provide trust).

Chapter 2, part 2: Hi and Telfort

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KPN is active in various markets in the Netherlands and serves various target groups with several different brands. Consumers can come to KPN for fixed and mobile telephony, internet and TV services. KPN as a company, have more brands in the mobile phone industry then just KPN. Besides KPN, they have the brands Hi and Telfort.

KPN made a brand, which aims on the Dutch youth, called Hi. Hi aims, with their services and applications, on the goal to improve the social contacts between young people. Recently Hi established Hi Society for this purpose.

The Hi Society is the platform for all Hi customers who are ‘completely connected’ or for those who can identify themselves with this lifestyle

Hi focuses mainly on young people aged from 18 to 24 but also targets everyone who ‘is older but feels younger’ and ‘is younger but feels older’. One specific thing for Hi is that it is a brand for you if you send large numbers of SMS message.

Another brand for the mobile phone industry in the Netherlands is Telfort. Telfort offer its customers simple, clear and cheap services. The products of Telfort have been coordinated on the wishes of small business costumers. The target group for Telfort is the average consumer and small business customer who value clear basic services at a competitive price. The specific thing about Telfort is that they have low-price calls and internet access.

Chapter 3: Vodafone

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:33 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Vodafone Group plc is a British multinational mobile network operator headquartered in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom. Vodafone is the world's largest mobile telecommunication network company, based on revenue, and has a high market value. It currently has operations in 31 countries and partner networks in a further 40 countries. Vodafone is the second largest phone company of the world. The number one is China Mobile. As of March 31, 2009, the company employs more than 79,000 people worldwide.

Vodafone is a port of the Vodafone Group.

The name Vodafone comes from voice data fone, chosen by the company to "reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones".

In the Netherlands has Vodafone taken the third place, based on the amount of costumers. KPN and T-Mobile are number one and two.

The slogan of Vodafone is: “Power to you”. They say that people wants to have control over their world, even when they are on the wing. So they give the power to you, to control your life. So when you want to make contact with your friends, even when you’re not at home or with them, you still can do that.

Chapter 3, part 2: Where does Vodafone stand for?

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:33 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

The main goal of Vodafone is to meet the needs of the consumer’s total communication. The freedom of communication both business and pleasure. Always and everywhere through fast and reliable connections.

Vodafone changed their brand identity so the costumers stand more central. They brand allows people to get the maximum out of their life’s.  They can realize that promise if they do it on: “The Vodafone Way”. The Vodafone way stands for speed, simplicity and trust.

Speeds stands for the focus on the “speed to the market”. This means that they constantly pursue their priorities and outcomes that are important to their business.

Simplicity stands for the things they make simple for their customers, partners and colleagues.

Trust stands for trustworthy and transparent company Vodafone. Which means that others can build on them and that they are also rely on others to build.

Also in the field of engagement they would like to be admired. Therefore they are looking at the environment and CO2 reduction. Which is high on their agenda. Their social roles and an open and honest way of doing business are very important for them. And if possible, they also do everything to make a better world for everyone to realize.  

Chapter 4: Orange

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Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world’s leading telecommunication operators. Orange, the Group’s single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates, now covers more than two-thirds of costumers. France Telecom-Orange is the number three mobile operator in Europe. The Group's strategy, which is characterized by a strong focus on innovation, convergence and effective cost management, aims to establish Orange as an integrated operator and benchmark for new telecommunications services in Europe.

At orange they believe that: “together we can do more”. Through their relationships and interactions with others, they believe in the power of community.

People and experiences in their past, and in their future, makes them who they are. And the campaign reaches out with a simple, universal, human thought: “I am who I am because of everyone”.

In 2003, Orange came to the Netherlands. The company falls under the banner of T-Mobile, since 2007. At the beginning, in 2003, Orange was called Dutchtone, but after T-Mobile took the control over it, it is called Online. Now the brand name Orange doesn’t exist anymore on the Dutch market.

Chapter 4, part 2: Orange 2012

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:32 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Orange 2012 is a confirmed strategy and new action plans. It was made in early 2008, they wanted to plan the goals and achievements for Orange in 2012. Like almost all other phone companies they have three core values they want to use. For Orange these are simplicity, agility and sustainable performance.

I guess simplicity is a major value for phone companies, because every company that uses three core values, is simplicity one of them. Orange describes simplicity as a trouble-free technology for costumers. The Orange Group’s innovation will concentrate on simplicity, ergonomics and design, as well as quality of service both in terms of “pacified” or trouble-free technology for its costumers. Pacified means to bring calm and peace and Orange believes that that is the best way to create simplicity.

The second core value is agility. Orange wants to accelerate its time to market and seize new opportunities. Which increase the flexibility in the business. It will also want to obtain a better transformation and optimise its cost structure. The Orange Group will taking into account in the speed of the adoption in the market.

The third and last core value of Orange is to create a sustainable performance. This will include further sharing of networks, information system and platforms, the extension of innovative initiatives to the greatest possible number of markets and the extension of the Orange brand.

Chapter 5: T-Mobile

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:31 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

T-Mobile is a mobile telephone provider, owned by Deutsche Telekom (the T stands for Telekom). It operates several GSM networks in Europe and the United States. T-Mobile also has financial stakes in mobile operators in Central en Eastern Europe. Globally, T-Mobile has some 150 million subscribers, making it the world's seventh large mobile phone service provider by subscribers and the third largest multinational after the United Kingdom's Vodafone and Spain's Teléfonica.

Based in Germany, T-Mobile is present in ten other European countries, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, as well as in the United States. T-Mobile is also currently in contract with Apple as service providers for Apple iPhones.

In late 2005, Deutsche Telekom attempted to acquire rival mobile network operator O2, but was beaten out by Spain’s Teléfonica.

T-mobile entered the Dutch market by the acquisition of Ben on September 30, 2002. But in 2005 Ben changed his name to T-Mobile its owner. And later, in 2008, T-Mobile decided to take Ben as provider back in the market. But now as a independent component of T-Mobile. The provider Ben is just using the T-Mobile network.

T-Mobile Netherlands took over Orange Netherlands from the France Télécom for 1.33 billion Euros. This makes it the third largest mobile telephone operator in the country.

Chapter 5, part 2: Facts and more about T-Mobile

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:20 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

The slogan of T-Mobile sounds: “Life is for sharing”. With that statement they want to underline the community between people. Sharing life; information and communicate with others are of a great value in people’s life. Because of that, T-Mobile offers a lot of different subscriptions to make calling, and messaging a lot more beneficial.

T-Mobile also is partner of FreeMove, an alliance formed by four of Europe’s leading mobile companies. These four companies are: France Telekom-Orange, TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile), TeliaSonera (a result of a 2002 merger between the Swedish and Finish telecommunication companies, Telia and Sonera) and ofcourse T-Mobile it self.

FreeMove helps their customers communicate as easily while travelling abroad as they do at home.

In 2008, T-Mobile had a turnover of 1.806 billion Euros. T-Mobile servers more than 5.4 million customers in the Netherlands. It offers products and servers nog only for consumers, but also for business users. In the Netherlands, T-Mobile has a very modern mobile network for voice and data services and an extensive network of HotSpot. These HotSpot networks are locations where users have a high speed mobile Internet.

T-Mobile Netherlands BV is part of Deutsche Telekom AG, one of the leading communication companies in the world.

The end

Posted on 22/12/2009 at 15:19 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Thank you for reading (some of my) blogs. I hope you learned a bit more about some strategies that phone companies use and about the companies Tele2, KPN, Hi, Telfort, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile as well.

At the beginning I wanted to make just ten chapters, but when I made five of them I have decided not to do that. Because after those first six blogs I couldn’t find another five phone companies to talk about. Because I only wanted to talk about companies that are or where active in The Netherlands. So I decided to talk just two times about the same company.

I tried to make an extra specific subject for each company. For Tele 2 it was their social responsibilities. For KPN the extra providers Hi and Telfort. For Vodafone: where do they stand for? For Orange, Orange 2012 and for T-mobile a bit more information and some facts about T-Mobile.

Making this web log helped to improve my English and my knowledge about some phone companies. It was a very useful assignment for me and at the end I did not even mind to write in my web log.

Again, thank you for reading my web log and maybe I will make some more blogs in the future!

Kind regards,

Kasper Figee