Data are among the most valuable assets for businesses in today’s world. This is particularly relevant when it comes to the development of apps, in which data play a crucial role in creating a successful app that meets the needs of its intended users
We spoke with Marija Stojanović, Head of Digital Platforms at Yettel, about ways to create apps that deliver a superior user experience and drive business growth.
What have you been creating lately in the ecosystem of your digital services?
– We have prepared the Yettel Shopping platform – not just for Yettel customers, but for all those seeking the best offers and great discounts when shopping online. Customers can access our platform in two ways: via the Yettel App or by finding it on the web via shopping.yettel.rs.
Customer can then check out available discounts and after simple registration download coupons that interest them. Unlimited number of coupons can be downloaded, saved and used during the period of coupon validity. The coupons can be shared via social media, so if a user doesn’t want to use a certain coupon, they can give it away to friends or family.
What distinguishes your platform from others?
– The data we have about customers allows us to offer them personalised benefits in line with their interests. We have the tools that allow us to segment customer base and then, for example, give the younger female population in a specific location a certain type of offer, while giving someone else something completely different. Companies we partner with can choose whether to go for the whole population or to approach a small market segment from our customer base. The user experience is extremely important to us at Yettel, which is why our experts negotiate with partners the best discounts for app users. In a nutshell, our platform is based on an idea of quick and easy access to desired products and services at affordable prices supported by discounts Yettel negotiates for the customers. That’s why the name is simply: Yettel shopping.
How did you come up with this kind of idea? Did you have some previous knowledge or data?
– The platform was created after the great success of Yettel Friday, innovative digital scratch card. Yettel Friday, has been used by more than 600,000 users on a weekly basis for three years now. Alongside telco prizes customers get every Friday, we partnered with several partners from different industries to enrich pool of prizes. We saw substantial customer engagement on the app, thus it was time to scale the innovation. Yettel Friday was born from an internal hackathon, a popular initiative in the IT industry that brings together developers from marketing. They are given a task they have to resolve within 24 hours.
That’s how our team of three colleagues designed a scratcher and we decided to launch it.
What are your future plans?
– Yettel shopping is currently used by about half a million users. So far, we partnered with nearly 400 companies, half of them being active continuously, and with ads in over 10 different categories. We cooperate with big companies, but also provide an online solution for advertising and increasing sales to small businesses. Our intention is to provide small companies with a comprehensive online business solution based on our knowhow and available data. I believe that data and app creation are crucial for remaining competitive in today’s digital economy, as is creating apps that make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.