GERMANOS: Successful year with strong performance in 2021

A successful year with strong performance, despite the reduced traffic due to a pandemic, proved to be 2021 for the GERMANOS stores, according to what was announced at the annual conference of its associates, which this year was held digitally. From the OTE Headquarters in Maroussi and through live connections with the GERMANOS stores in Aspropyrgos, Thessaloniki, Larissa and Pyrgos, more than 2,000 associates and employees of the network branches from all over Greece were informed about the most important achievements of the past year. set the goals for 2022, with the customer always in the spotlight. The value of the physical store and the modern trends in retail were some of the topics that occupied the conference.

The need for change as a condition for the development and survival in the new digital age, but also for the priority to the customer, spoke at the conference the President and CEO of OTE Group, Mr. Michalis Tsamaz, while thanking the people of GERMANOS for their effort and excellent work.

“In an environment full of challenges, where retail and customer needs are changing rapidly, we reacted quickly. We were flexible and adapted to the new data. At GERMANO we saw the crisis as an opportunity. We made even more use of technology and did very well.” , stressed at the conference Mr. Thanasis Stratos, Chief Customer Operations Officer of the OTE Group and President & CEO of GERMANOS.

Messrs. Costas Vouzas, Director of BU Retail OTE Group, and Petros Papangelis, Manager of OTE Group Branch Network, presented in detail to GERMANOS associates the results of the past year, as well as the strategy and plans of the chain for 2022. Emphasis on growth in the excellent customer experience, in the personalized service and in the provision of complete solutions.

As mentioned at the conference, the physical store was, is and will be very important. It is simply changing, evolving to meet the modern needs of customers. It remains, however, the most important sales channel, operates in addition to the online store and offers digital experiences and emotions to customers. That’s why its image needs to be upgraded. Already in 2021, 8 new G Prime stores were created in Aspropyrgos, Xanthi, Karlovasi, Kifissia, Ioannina, Sitia, Mytilene and Piraeus, with a new design philosophy, modern aesthetics, eco friendly materials, more interactive and with a wider range of products.

Another bet that the physical store of the new era must win is that of sustainable development. For the OTE Group, sustainable development is at the core of its strategy, which is why GERMANOS stores intend to increase the number of devices they recycle this year. In this way they will strengthen their contribution to the protection of the environment, which is a priority of the OTE Group, but also of Deutsche Telekom.

Record shares in all major product categories in 2021

Last year, the GERMANOS store network recorded an upward trend in sales of both COSMOTE services and technology products, with a significant increase in turnover. An important role was played by the strong offers that ran throughout the year, the targeted actions through Retail CRM, but also the faster supply of the stores through automation.

Compared to last year, in 2021 GERMANOS also recorded an upward trend in the sales of COSMOTE services in fixed and mobile. COSMOTE Fiber connections have also increased significantly. A great increase was also observed in the new COSMOTE TV connections, thanks to the new OTT platform, the football matches of the Greek championship that are broadcast exclusively by the Group’s platform, but also the combined offers with televisions.

With authorized service in 11 product categories and specialized technicians, in 2021 GERMANOS remained the No1 destination for service1 (mobile & technology products), adding 6 new manufacturers and reaching a total of 65. In its new, state-of-the-art repair center, over 80,000 are being repaired devices per year, while 65% of repairs are carried out directly within the store.

As noted at the conference, last year GERMANOS remained the No. 1 brand in recognition and preference, among the general public, among technology and telecommunications stores2. Highlights of the year include the G App, the GERMANOS loyalty program, which in 2021 reached thousands of active users and more than 200,000 downloads, the significant improvement of the eshop that became simpler and friendlier to navigation, as well as the excellent course of the YouTube channel of GERMANOS, thanks to its rich content that attracts young audiences.

Aim for the development and the excellent customer experience for 2022

“At GERMANO our goal is to remain the first choice of the customer. We want to go ahead and grow, utilizing our advantages: the modern network, the know-how, the passion and experience of our people, but also our innovative products. We have “We have a clear strategy to achieve this. We are ready for tomorrow,” Thanasis Stratos told the conference.

The development and the excellent customer experience through the convergence of digital and physical world, remain key priorities of the chain for the new year. In 2022, emphasis is also placed on providing complete solutions to the customer, with a combination of service and product, which facilitate his daily life. The goal of the GERMANOS stores is the utilization of the large investment of over 3 billion euros by the OTE group in state-of-the-art fixed and mobile networks, with which the optical fiber will reach 3 million homes and businesses.