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Case Study

O2 Telefónica

O2 Telefónica transforms appointment management with TIMIFY's scalable, secure, and customizable booking solution. Discover how TIMIFY was able to provide a tailored solution to address the unique needs of a leading telecommunications provider.

a person booking a meeting with an o2 store in Germany using timify
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Industry

Retail

Size

Large Enterprise

Location

Germany

Use case

Appointment Booking

O2 Telefónica, prioritizing customer-centric solutions, has implemented TIMIFY into over 1500 O2 stores, partners, and quality partner stores across Germany, as well as into their comprehensive digital service offering. This integration has provided a unified, convenient booking experience, bridging the gap between online and in-store customer journeys.

The Company

telefonica Germany Hauptsitz
Source
  • Headquarters: Munich, Germany
  • Employees: Approximately 7,500
  • Revenue: 8.6 billion euros (2023)
  • Ownership: Majority-owned by Telefonica S.A. (Spain)
  • Market: Germany, operating under the O2 brand
  • Customer Base: 45 million mobile telephone lines, and 2.4 million broadband lines.

The company, a leading telecommunications provider in Germany, is dedicated to making a sustainable digital future accessible to everyone, benefiting both customers and employees. They have actively embraced digital processes not only to streamline daily tasks and support flexible work arrangements, but also to foster collaboration and enhance customer satisfaction. One such solution has been the implementation of appointment booking.

As a project manager, I am extremely satisfied with TIMIFY's appointment scheduling tool and especially with the collaboration with the team. All of our shops can use the tool and benefit from its efficiency and user-friendliness. TIMIFY is a reliable partner for us, always working solution-oriented. The tool has made the everyday work of our shop employees possible during a challenging time and is still being used today. Our customers also appreciate the simple and convenient online appointment scheduling, which makes the entire customer flow pleasant and smooth. It integrates seamlessly into our comprehensive digital service offering for customers.
Dominik Lindner - Senior Projektmanager Innovation & Digitalisierung POS, Telefónica Germany Retail GmbH

The Challenges

During the pandemic, O2 Telefónica initially partnered with TIMIFY to implement appointment booking for their "Click & Meet" in-store services. Key requirements included a swift and flexible setup, GDPR compliance, and the ability to reliably manage high volumes of appointments.

TIMIFY's account management team successfully deployed the system in 400 stores within just three days, integrating it seamlessly into various store types:

  • O2  Owned Stores: Fully owned and operated by O2 Telefónica.
  • O2  Partner Stores: Branded by O2 Telefónica but operated by independent partners.
  • O2  Quality Partner Stores: Distribute O2 Telefónica products alongside other brands.

This solution ensured O2 Telefónica's swift compliance with Click & Meet regulations in Germany, enabling them to continue providing uninterrupted service to their customers.

02 shop in Munich
Source


Pilot Phase

Following this initial success, O2 Telefónica conducted a six-month pilot program, expanding the TIMIFY appointment booking system to 800 stores. This initiative aimed to streamline in-store services and enhance the customer experience, serving as a crucial component of their broader digitalization strategy.

The integration presented challenges due to the diverse systems and configurations across different store types, as well as the need to comply with stringent telecommunications industry regulations.

Critically, to ensure full compliance with EU-GDPR guidelines, a dedicated cloud-based data hosting environment was established exclusively for Telefónica. This setup guaranteed data privacy and security, with no personal data exposed to third-party US providers, and full ownership and control over all customer information.

The Solution

After the success of the pilot phase, TIMIFY's system has been implemented to allow customers to self-schedule appointments online with over 1500 O2 stores, partners, and quality partner stores across Germany by selecting a specific in-store service (such as contract renewal, pick-ups, payment of a mobile invoice, product consultation, and solutions for entrepreneurs and freelancers,) and an available time slot. Key features include: 

  • Appointment Booking: Customers can book appointments for specific services.
  • Appointment Rescheduling: Customers have the flexibility to reschedule appointments if needed.
  • Appointment Cancellation: Easy cancellation options are available for customers. 

Customizations:

  • Customizable Booking Widget: The widget was adapted to fit O2 Telefónica's corporate identity, ensuring a seamless brand experience for customers.
  • Adaptable Email Templates: Email templates are customizable to maintain brand consistency and provide clear communication with customers.
  • Web-App Customization: Specific features like the chat button (Intercom) and online booking button have been customized or deactivated according to O2 Telefónica’s needs.
  • Dedicated Sender Email Domain: Ensures all communication is consistent with O2 Telefónica's branding.

Website Integration:

timify booking widget for telefonica germany
Source

TIMIFY Booking Widget, has been included in key pages across the website. The store locator tool on O2 Telefónica’s website allows customers to find and book appointments at nearby stores.

Comprehensive Hosting Packages TIMIFY provided robust hosting solutions, including:

  • Dedicated Environment: During the pilot phase, TIMIFY offered a dedicated environment that ensured customer data was stored exclusively in Germany, meeting strict data protection and GDPR requirements.
  • Open Cloud Hosting: This dedicated hosting, coupled with an external email provider, provided the necessary data privacy and security assurances. 

Comprehensive Multi-Store Management:   

TIMIFY Allows centralized management of all stores, providing insights and control over bookings through our solution for multi-stores businesses “TIMIFY Branch Manager”

  • Three Types of Branch Managers: For owned stores, partner stores, and quality partner stores.
  • Advanced Management Tools: Branch managers can oversee and manage the booking system across all store types, ensuring consistency and efficiency. 

Technical Details:

  • Core Product & API: The core TIMIFY product and its API form the foundation of the solution.
  • API Gateway for Emails: Facilitates seamless email communication through an integrated gateway.
  • Contacts Middleware: Ensures data synchronization and management between different systems.
  • PartOS: O2 Telefónica’s CMS for managing sales partners.
  • Email: Transitioned to the standard TIMIFY email setup.

Data Security:

  • Automated Customer Deletion: Customer data is automatically deleted within the TIMIFY core product every two days to comply with GDPR.
  • Security Measures: Specific security measures were implemented as part of the switch to the AWS TIMIFY cloud, ensuring compliance with O2 Telefónica’s stringent requirements.
 

Dedicated Support Manager: 

A key advantage of choosing TIMIFY was the provision of a dedicated support manager. This manager was responsible for overseeing the integration process and addressing all of their needs, allowing the company to focus on its core activities of sales and promotion.

Integration Benefits

The implementation of TIMIFY's appointment booking system resulted in several significant successes for O2 Telefónica:

  • Improved Customer Experience: Reduced waiting times and streamlined appointment scheduling processes led to higher customer satisfaction.
  • Enhanced Follow-Up Services: Employees will be able to send emails with an prefiled booking button to offer personalized follow-up calls to customer who have already been in store, providing a higher level of service and ensuring continuity of care.
  • Marketing Integration: Campaign emails, such as those for Black Friday and Valentine's Day, include a link to the booking widget of the associated shop in the email footer. This integration helps drive traffic to stores and increases customer engagement with promotional events.
  • Operational Efficiency: The ability to manage appointments efficiently and analyze performance metrics in real-time enhanced overall store operations.
  • Scalability and Flexibility: The solution was scalable across various store types (owned, partner, and quality partner stores) and supported the integration of multiple brands.
  • GDPR Compliance: Ensured complete compliance with stringent data protection regulations, fostering customer trust and confidence.

Future Plans

O2 Telefónica has shown interest in implementing two additional TIMIFY solutions, which are currently in the evaluation stage:

  • TIMIFY Virtual Queue Management: This solution will allow customers to easily register and join a virtual queue, eliminating the need to wait in the store. Customers will be notified by phone about the remaining wait time, enhancing the overall customer experience and reducing in-store congestion.
  • TIMIFY Call Centre: This extension of the TIMIFY Branch Manager will enable telephone agents to schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments. By providing individual access rights, agents will have a comprehensive overview of availability, allowing them to manage appointments efficiently within a single system.

These features, once implemented, are expected to further improve customer service and operational efficiency at O2 Telefónica.