Vodafone was founded in Britain on 1982. The company is characterized by focusing on mobile business. Vodafone was originally named VodafoneAirTouch, and on July 27th, 2000, the company was renamed Vodafone.
In 22 years, Vodafone has rapidly developed from a British company with less than 50 employees to the largest mobile operator in the world. The business scope covers 39 countries and regions on 6 continents (including holding 3.27% shares of China Mobile), and the total number of customers exceeds 654.38+300 million. It has become a leader or a major competitor in the world's major telecommunications market. In fiscal year 2003, its business income was 33.559 billion pounds, and the income outside the British market accounted for about 90% of the group's total income. As a pure mobile operator, Vodafone has adopted a more successful marketing strategy around the world.
1. User development and new business promotion are based on the world.
Globalization is one of Vodafone's main business strategies. From the beginning, Vodafone did not focus on the UK, but based on global user development and business promotion. Vodafone's user growth, regional expansion and new business development are closely linked and inseparable.
Use the mobile data service Vodafone Live! For example, in 20021October 25th, 10, Vodafone launched "Vodafone Live!" In Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Britain. . Vodafone live! Its applications include MMS, mobile Internet, java games, e-mail, chat, ringtone, SMS and voice. , covering a wide range. The launch of this service will help the company retain old customers and attract new customers.
2. Brand unification
Forming a global unified brand is one of Vodafone's most important strategies. Brand unification can greatly improve the global popularity of the group and increase the intangible assets of the brand. So as to maximize the income of Vodafone's overseas investment, and also help Vodafone to promote its global business and improve user loyalty. Vodafone's goal is to make Vodafone one of the top ten brands in the world.
First, Vodafone renamed its global holding subsidiaries Vodafone+countries. Although Vodafone is the top mobile company in the world in scale, it is still a strange name in many places outside the UK. It has realized this. Starting from 200 1, Vodafone Italy renamed its holding companies, such as Omnitel in Italy, D2 Vodafone Germany, Eircell VodafoneIreland in Ireland and J-Phone Vodafone K.K. in Japan. So far, 18 subsidiaries have used the Vodafone brand to operate.
Secondly, the group launched a unified brand replacement market around the world called "How are you?" Advertising activities to promote the Group's global products, such as Vodafone Live! , mobile office, blackberry, mobile connection data card, etc. , focusing on global roaming, unified tariffs and seamless access. Vodafone live! It mainly provides information, picture transmission, ringtone and game download services, and has more than 4.5 million users in 16 countries. Mobile Office, BlackBerry and Mobile Connect Datacard are mainly aimed at mobile business users and provide them with wireless Internet access services, which have also been launched in 16 countries.
3. Strengthen alliance cooperation
For those markets where equity investment is small or temporarily impossible, Vodafone chooses major local operators to establish alliances to improve global network coverage, facilitate customers' roaming, and introduce Vodafone products and services to these countries.
Vodafone usually chooses to establish an alliance with the leading operators in the local market based on GSM network. The alliance adopts the way of cooperation and brand use, so that both customers can enjoy each other's business and services, and provide seamless access for international roaming. The alliance does not involve equity cooperation, and the resulting income is distributed according to a certain proportion. Take Vodafone -CYTA (Cyprus) Alliance signed on February 20th, 2004 as an example. On February 20th, 2004, CYTA, a Cyprus operator, officially joined Vodafone Global Alliance, and its business brand was changed from Cytamobile to Cytamobile-Vodafone. Customers can use Vodafone's global international business, and Vodafone's global customers can also achieve seamless access in Cyprus. So far, Vodafone Global Alliance has spread all over 13 countries, including Austria, Bahrain, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Singapore (see attached table). Vodafone takes advantage of its own scale and brand, and by establishing such alliances widely, it can achieve the purpose of expanding its territory, promoting its brand and business and increasing its income without investing any equity capital.
4. Drive 3G development with 3G data card services.
As a pure mobile operator, 3G service is the focus of Vodafone's development. In the promotion of 3G services, Vodafone focuses on data card services. In April, 2003, Vodafone launched the "Mobile Network Card" service. Customers can access the high-speed Internet anytime and anywhere as long as they insert the data card into their laptops. In 2004, Vodafone began to vigorously promote this service.
On February 24th, 2004, Vodafone's "Mobile Network Card" won the "Best Application and Service Award in Enterprise Market" at the 2004GSM Global Association Awards Ceremony held in Cannes, France.
On February 26th, 2004, Vodafone K.K announced in Tokyo that it would open data card service based on 3G network in Japan at the end of April, providing high-speed wireless Internet access and communication services for laptops, personal digital assistants (PDA) and other terminals.
On April 2, 2004, Vodafone officially launched 3G service in the UK, providing users with Internet access speed 6 times that of ISDN through a mobile data card dedicated to notebooks.
On April 29th, 2004, Vodafone launched the mobile network card service based on UMTS in Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, and also officially launched this service in Germany, becoming the first operator in Germany to provide mobile high-speed Internet service.
On June 29th, 2004, Vodafone's Dutch subsidiary lowered the tariff standard of 3G data card service by 33% to 50 Euro cents /Mb, and users can get 200Mb data service by paying 100 Euro per month.
On July 29th, 2004, Vodafone launched the 3G data card service in Greece for the first time. Users can surf the Internet wirelessly by inserting the data card into the notebook, and the highest speed is 7 times that of GPRS. In areas not covered by 3G network, the data card will automatically switch to GPRS.
4. All-round sales strategy
Vodafone's sales channels include Vodafone retail stores and a large number of distribution channels. In Britain, Vodafone's distribution channels have greatly promoted the development of its business, and about 63% contract users have developed through distribution.
For distribution channels, Vodafone makes different strategies according to different market conditions. Although Vodafone hopes to establish direct contact with users as much as possible, because there are still business suppliers in many markets, the group usually establishes its own huge distribution channels through acquisition or alliance. In 200 1 year, Vodafone acquired several major distribution companies for 84 million pounds, such as McMobile Service, Unique Air, Scottish Telecom and 3@Telecom. In addition, supermarket chains and various distributors have also become Vodafone's sales partners, especially in prepaid products. Vodafone also uses gas stations, newsstands and other places for sales.
5. Everything serves the users.
Vodafone promises to ensure seamless connection within the Vodafone network for 24 hours and provide users with high-quality products and services. Vodafone attaches great importance to keeping in touch with users, listening to users' opinions extensively, predicting users' needs and responding to users' opinions and needs quickly.
Vodafone also fully considers the needs of different customers and provides targeted services for specific needs, such as:
● On March 18, 2004, Vodafone took the lead in launching free mobile phone anti-theft service in Germany. If the mobile phone is stolen, the stolen mobile phone will not be used in Vodafone's network.
● On May 13, 2004, Vodafone's German subsidiary launched a new business to provide medical and rescue functions for the elderly and patients. Through special terminal equipment, emergency call, location, temperature measurement, blood pressure, blood sugar and heartbeat services can be carried out, which is very popular and enhances the company's image.