Olivier DUBOIS
Olivier Dubois, in charge of Customer Loyalty, Customer Files and Credit at Téléshopping

Why are you offering your customers these new credit products?
> Olivier DUBOIS: Credit is becoming ever more essential in retailing and particularly in distance selling. A considerable proportion of the customers of major distance selling brands make use of credit. It is also a very effective way of promoting customer loyalty. Téléshopping has always offered its customers credit, but the original system required customers to fill out a new application every time they made a purchase. It was time to update the process.

In 2001, you launched the OKshopping card. What did this product consist of?
> O. D.: With the “first version” of the OKshopping card the customer could fill in a single application form for a revolving credit facility which offered three ways of paying: “three interest-free instalments”, “settle at the end of the month”, or “low monthly payments”. We decided to develop our credit products further, which is why we approached Finaref. In our respective areas we are part of the same business and we share the same culture of distance selling! We sell goods and Finaref sells credit...

What do you expect from the new-style card developed with Finaref?
> O. D.: It will enable us to develop in three directions. First and foremost, it represents a considerable improvement in our information systems! Applications can be processed more rapidly, so customers will receive their new cards within five days of Finaref receiving the application, instead of the current three weeks. Being more reactive in this way is particularly important given that distance shoppers are often impulse buyers.
The new card will also improve customer satisfaction. The OKshopping card offers new functionalities: it can be used in all our stores, customers will be able to access their accounts on the internet and it will also be possible to apply for a card on line.
Finally, it will help us keep in contact with our cardholder base. The OKshopping card will be part of our customer loyalty strategy. Our marketing teams and those of Finaref will be able to work together to develop new initiatives.
We expect to be able to work with Finaref to develop a dynamic multi-channel communication strategy. The OKshopping card will feature in our television advertisements, on our web sites and in our catalogues.

In practical terms what are your objectives?
> O. D.: We intend to launch the card by 3 July, even though the contract with Finaref was only signed on 15 February! Six months is very short, a record for a project of this scale. But we are on track...
In five years time we expect to have a base of 200,000 cardholders accounting for 15% to 20% of our sales. Téléshopping has 1.4 million active customers, so the growth potential is huge!
These objectives might seem ambitious but we are optimistic that we can achieve them, especially as we have found our partners at Finaref to be motivated, curious and enthusiastic, and we have an excellent working relationship.
We are working with people who have a real commercial instinct and who share our culture of customer satisfaction, which is why as retailers we can be so sure of success.

 

The Téléshopping Group in figures

1987: founding of Téléshopping, TF1’s first subsidiary after privatisation. 364, is the number of Téléshopping broadcasts per year, with viewing levels of 400,000 during the week and up to 1 million on Saturdays 3 programmes: Téléshopping, Télévitrine, Shopping Avenue Matin. 1 website (www.teleshopping.fr) 11 printed catalogues per year (between 600,000 and 800,000 copies sent out per month) 2 Téléshopping stores 2 million parcels sent per year, i.e. one every three seconds 1,4 million active customers 1 internet sales subsidiary: www.surinvitation.com 1 telesales subsidiary for cable and satellite television: Euroshopping Recently, the establishment of 1 international subsidiary in Turkey

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