The Marketing mix of Orange analyses the 7Ps of Orange, which includes the Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Physical Evidence, and Process of Orange. Orange S.A. is an international corporation with French origins. It deals in the telecommunication industry and was founded in 1988. The company was formerly known as France Telecom S.A. Its brand name, Orange, originated in 1994 when Hutchison Whampoa acquired a controlling stake in Microtel Communications.
It became a subsidiary in 1999 of Mannesmann and was acquired by France Telecom in 2000. In 2013, the company was again rebranded as Orange. It has been the leading brand for IPTV services, Internet, and landlines since 2006. In 2012, Orange projected revenue of Euro 43.5 billion. Some of its main competitors and customers are as follows.
- Free Mobile
- Vivendi
- Bouygues Telecom
About Orange
- Type: Multinational telecommunications corporation
- Industry: Telecommunications
- Founded: 30 September 1988
- Founder: The French government
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Area served: Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia
- Key people: Stephane Richard (Chairman) and Christel Heydemann (CEO)
- Number of employees: 266,000
Table of Contents
Orange Product Strategy
Orange has a target group of mobile customers, including enterprise users and personal users, including home communications and broadband services.
The new Product Mix of Orange in 2024 is as follows (Source).
- Mobile Operations: Orange is a major mobile network operator and is the leading mobile telecommunications operator in France. The company provides mobile services under the Orange brand, consolidating earlier brands like Itineris, Ola, and Mobicarte.
- Internet and Landline Services: The company has taken over the landline and Internet businesses of France Telecom and Wanadoo. Orange now operates as the sole brand for these services in most regions, offering services like triple-play broadband Internet through the Livebox.
- Orange Business Services: Initially focused on traditional B2B telco services, Orange Business Services is transforming into Orange Business. This change reflects a shift towards next-generation connectivity solutions, focusing on secure and trusted connectivity, which is fundamental for companies’ digital transformation.
- Cybersecurity: Recognizing the growing importance of cybersecurity, Orange aims to become a European leader in this sector. The company has set a revenue target in this area, focusing on organic growth and targeted acquisitions to expand its reach.
- Growth in Africa and the Middle East: These regions are key growth drivers for Orange. The company invests in network deployment to strengthen its position as a digital partner in these areas. It also focuses on transforming Orange Money into a digital platform that offers various services beyond transfers and payments.
- Fiber Network Deployment: Orange continues to invest in developing fixed and mobile networks. This includes plans for deploying additional fiber connections in Europe and the MEA region by 2025.
- Innovative Services and Applications: With a focus on future technologies, Orange is working on new services like on-demand enterprise networks and advanced home Wi-Fi solutions.
Orange Pricing Strategy
Orange’s pricing and promotion strategy reflects a blend of strategic planning and market adaptability. Here are the critical elements of Orange’s marketing strategy and approach:
- Differentiated Pricing: Orange employs a differentiated pricing strategy to cater to a diverse customer base. This allows them to remain competitive in pricing for mobile, broadband, and IPTV services, which can be adjusted based on technological advancements and market demands.
- Focus on Value and Customer Satisfaction: The company aims to improve average revenue per offer (ARPO) while maintaining customer satisfaction. This indicates a strategy focused on delivering value through enriched service offerings, even in a highly competitive market with challenging macroeconomic conditions.
- Investment in Infrastructure and Strategic Partnerships: Orange’s investment in network infrastructure and strategic partnerships is critical to its pricing strategy. By developing and enhancing their infrastructure, they can offer improved services that justify their pricing models.
- Growth in Emerging Markets: A significant part of their strategy involves expanding and strengthening their position in growing markets like Africa and the Middle East. This might involve tailored pricing strategies catering to these regions’ economic conditions and consumer behavior.
- Forward-Looking Approach with Technological Integration: Orange’s pricing strategy also aligns with its technological advancements. They focus on building new services and applications, like on-demand enterprise networks, which might come with innovative pricing models.
Orange Place Strategy
Orange is a multinational company with operations spread across the globe. It has two hundred and sixty-three million consumers as its clients, and they are situated everywhere in the world. Its headquarters is located in Paris, and Stephane Richard is its CEO. The company employs a large sales force of nearly 170,000 employees to work efficiently with different customers; out of these, 105,000 are in France. Orange is dedicated to providing services and products to everyone and everywhere. It has a world-class network that guides its users through every difficulty and problem in the digital world.
Orange’s place and marketing strategy of Orange one can be summarized in the following key points:
- Global Presence: Orange is a major telecommunications company with a significant worldwide presence. They are exceptionally prominent in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, serving as a critical digital partner in these regions.
- Expanding Network Infrastructure: The company invests heavily in fixed and mobile infrastructure. This includes deploying millions of additional fiber connections in Europe and the Middle East/Africa (MEA) region.
- Strategic Partnerships for Network Expansion: Orange engages in strategic partnerships and joint ventures for network sharing and infrastructure development. These collaborations help in sharing financial costs and securing investments, thus enhancing their network reach and capabilities.
- Focus on High-Speed Broadband and Decommissioning Legacy Networks: Part of their strategy involves modernizing networks by transitioning to high-speed broadband and phasing out older technologies like copper and 2G/3G networks in Europe.
- Innovation in Network Management: Leveraging data and AI, Orange enhances network management through automation and virtualization. They aim to improve effectiveness, resilience, and performance with their “Network Integration Factories” initiative.
Orange Promotion Strategy
Orange is a premium brand and recognizes the value of high-scale advertising. It has taken the help of television, radio, and print media like magazines and newspapers to highlight its various services and products and attract customers. It has an official website where relevant information is published along with its commercials to create brand awareness amongst target consumers. The company has a very informative tagline, Today Changes with Orange, and it has become trendy.
Orange has undertaken numerous sponsorship and marketing deals. In 2015, the Senegal National Basketball Team was chosen by Orange to become their jersey sponsor officially. The company has also established the Orange Foundation to support projects related to girls’ education and health issues like Autism.
Some Recent Video ads and Print ads for Orange are:
Orange People Strategy
The “People” component of the Service Marketing Mix refers to the employees, customers, and other stakeholders who play a significant role in the service delivery and perception of a brand. In the context of Orange, a multinational telecommunications corporation, this aspect is crucial for ensuring high-quality customer experiences, building brand loyalty, and maintaining competitive advantage. Here are some key points about the “People” element in the Service Marketing Mix of Orange:
- Employee Training and Development: Orange invests significantly in training and development programs for its employees to ensure they possess the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver superior customer service. This includes technical training, customer service skills, and continuous professional development programs.
- Customer-Centric Culture: The company fosters a customer-centric culture, emphasizing the importance of understanding and meeting customer needs. Employees across all levels are encouraged to prioritize customer satisfaction and build strong customer relationships.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Orange is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within its workforce. The company believes a diverse workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and decision-making, improving service delivery to a diverse customer base.
- Employee Engagement: Orange actively engages its employees through various initiatives, including feedback mechanisms, employee recognition programs, and opportunities for career advancement. Engaged employees are likelier to provide high-quality service and contribute positively to the customer experience.
- Customer Service Teams: Orange has dedicated customer service teams available through multiple channels, including phone, email, social media, and in-person at retail stores. These teams are crucial in resolving customer issues, providing product information, and enhancing overall customer satisfaction.
- Brand Ambassadors: Employees at all levels are considered brand ambassadors of Orange. They play a crucial role in representing the company’s values and brand promise through their interactions with customers and stakeholders.
- Innovative Service Delivery: The people at Orange also create innovative service delivery methods that enhance customer convenience and accessibility. This includes developing and maintaining digital platforms, mobile applications, and self-service kiosks.
- Global and Local Expertise: With operations in multiple countries, Orange leverages global expertise and local knowledge to tailor its services and customer interactions to meet the specific needs of different markets.
- Community Engagement: Orange and its employees engage with local communities through various CSR initiatives, which helps build a positive brand image and strengthens relationships with customers beyond the transactional level.
- Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Orange values customer and employee feedback as a source of learning and continuous improvement. This feedback is used to refine service delivery processes, employee training programs, and customer engagement strategies.
Orange Process Strategy
The “Process” element of the Service Marketing Mix refers to the procedures, mechanisms, and flow of activities by which services are consumed. This is crucial for service companies like Orange, as it directly impacts the customer experience, service delivery efficiency, and overall customer satisfaction. Here are some key points about the “Process” component in the Service Marketing Mix of Orange:
- Customer Onboarding: Orange has streamlined processes for customer onboarding, ensuring that new customers can easily subscribe to services, set up their accounts, and start using services as quickly as possible. This might include online registration, digital verification, and quick-start guides.
- Billing and Payment Systems: Orange employs an efficient and user-friendly billing and payment system, allowing customers to receive their bills electronically and make payments through multiple channels, including online banking, mobile payments, and in-person at Orange stores or kiosks.
- Customer Service and Support: The company has established a comprehensive customer service and support process that includes multiple touchpoints such as call centers, email support, live chat, and social media platforms. These are designed to resolve issues quickly and efficiently, emphasizing minimizing wait times and improving resolution rates.
- Service Provisioning and Activation: Orange has automated many service provisioning and activation processes, enabling services like mobile plans, internet subscriptions, or add-on features to be activated remotely and almost instantaneously once a customer subscribes or requests.
- Network Maintenance and Upgrades: The company follows a systematic process for network maintenance and upgrades to ensure minimal downtime and the best possible service quality. This includes regular maintenance schedules, real-time monitoring of network performance, and rapid response teams for addressing network issues.
- Feedback Loops and Continuous Improvement: Orange incorporates customer feedback mechanisms throughout its service processes, allowing continuous monitoring and improvement. Feedback collected from surveys, social media, and direct customer interactions is analyzed and used to refine service delivery.
- Complaint Handling and Resolution: Orange has established transparent processes for handling and resolving customer complaints. This includes a tiered support system to escalate issues when necessary, ensuring that the appropriate level of expertise addresses more complex problems.
- Self-Service Options: To enhance customer convenience and reduce the demand on customer service representatives, Orange offers extensive self-service options, including online account management, mobile apps for service management, and self-help resources for troubleshooting common issues.
- Data Security and Privacy: The process also encompasses stringent data security and privacy measures to protect customer information. This includes compliance with local and international data protection regulations, secure data storage and transmission protocols, and regular security audits.
- Sustainability Practices: Orange incorporates sustainable practices into its service delivery processes to reduce environmental impact. This includes electronic billing to reduce paper use, recycling programs for devices and equipment, and energy-efficient technologies in network operations.
Orange Physical Evidence Strategy
The “Physical Evidence” element of the Service Marketing Mix refers to the tangible or intangible elements that allow customers to evaluate the service before, during, and after its consumption. Physical evidence plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions of service quality and brand credibility for a company like Orange, which operates in the telecommunications industry.
Orange’s marketing strategy encompasses a comprehensive marketing mix framework, focusing on business customers and online sales channels. Their distribution strategies are supported by a dedicated customer service department, reflecting their commitment to providing exceptional service. This approach aligns seamlessly with Orange’s overarching business strategies, solidifying its position as a leader in the telecommunications industry.
Here are some key points about the “Physical Evidence” component in the Service Marketing Mix of Orange:
- Branding Elements: Orange’s visual identity, including its logo, color scheme, and typography, is consistently applied across all physical and digital touchpoints. This creates a recognizable and reassuring presence that customers associate with reliability and quality service.
- Retail Stores and Service Centers: Orange’s retail stores and service centers are designed to reflect the brand’s values and commitment to customer service. These spaces’ layout, design, and ambiance are carefully considered to provide a welcoming and professional environment for customers.
- Website and Mobile Applications: The functionality, design, and usability of Orange’s website and mobile applications serve as key physical evidence of the company’s commitment to providing accessible and user-friendly digital services. These platforms are often customers’ first point of contact, making their design and reliability critical.
- Marketing and Communication Materials: Brochures, advertisements, and promotional materials inform customers about products and services and contribute to the brand’s overall perception. The quality and clarity of these materials reflect Orange’s professionalism and value proposition.
- Billing Statements: The clarity, accuracy, and presentation of billing statements are physical evidence of Orange’s transparency and reliability. Well-designed bills that are easy to understand reinforce trust in the service provider.
- Customer Service Interactions: The professionalism, attire, and behavior of customer services representatives, whether in-person, over the phone, or via digital channels, are tangible indicators of the company’s service quality and customer care standards.
- Network Quality and Reliability: Although more intangible, the quality and reliability of the network service itself are crucial forms of physical evidence. Fast, reliable connectivity and minimal downtime are key expectations that, when met, positively influence customer perceptions of Orange.
- Equipment and Devices: The quality, design, and performance of equipment and devices offered by Orange, such as modems, routers, and branded mobile phones, serve as physical evidence of the company’s commitment to quality and innovation.
- Online Reviews and Testimonials: In the digital age, online reviews and testimonials are physical evidence of a service’s quality and customer satisfaction. Positive feedback and ratings on third-party websites and social media platforms can significantly influence potential customers.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives: Efforts in sustainability, community engagement, and ethical practices are increasingly important forms of physical evidence that reflect a company’s values and commitment to societal well-being. Orange’s participation in CSR activities can enhance its reputation and customer loyalty.
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