Maurizio and Enrico Andronico talk about their new project
Having been very regular visitors to the Free Mind Foundry Campus for some time now, the two entrepreneurs with a history of national success behind them in the consumer electronics sector, Doctors Maurizio Andronico and Enrico Andronico, respectively President and Vice President of Nextouch SpA, write from here the future of their new company, telling their story in this short interview.
What is Nexttouch and how did this new project of yours come about?
Maurizio A.: Nextouch is our new creation, a company founded together with Enrico, and born from the desire to make use of skills acquired in 25 years of experience in the marketing and distribution of consumer electronics products.
New relationships and skills in multiple sectors also contributed to the birth of the new project, which is easy to nurture in a highly innovative and contaminating environment like that of Free Mind Foundry. It was therefore simple to pool the skills of different people who were friends of us such as those of the engineer. Simone Massaro, regarding the more strictly technological and cybersecurity-related aspects; Dr. also on the Board of Directors. Dario Carosi, very young owner of Mondo Convenienza; in addition to the professionalism and specializations of professionals coming from the archipelago of digital companies with which we live within the campus and from other external partner companies.
Nextouch refers to the relationship with people, with all stakeholders and partners at 360°, recreating a digital ecosystem within which everyone gives their essential contribution. And this is precisely what it has in common with the concept of contamination and networking between all the innovative realities in FMF, where we have also attended several master's courses on digital transformation.
What is the picture of the Italian retail market? And what are the main ongoing trends that large retailers are slowly adopting?
Enrico A.: The Italian retail market is very competitive and constantly evolving. The main players are Amazon in the online sector, and then UniEuro and Media World in the multi-channel sector, with numerous physical points of sale, but which are now mainly investing in online and digital channels. On the other hand, Trony, Euronics and Expert represent large purchasing groups that mainly operate in the physical channel where they develop almost all of their turnover.
The main trends and tendencies converge in omnichannel, a consumer-centric approach that aims to provide a unified and fluid seamless shopping experience, and which involves reaching the reference target through all the touchpoints of the customer journey; touchpoints through which the customer comes into contact with the reality or category of products he intends to purchase.
For these reasons, the omnichannel approach constitutes our unique value proposition and we intend to launch the first native omnichannel reality in this sector.
What new resilience solutions have been adopted by large sector players to deal with the pandemic situation?
Maurizio A. After an initial inevitable shutdown of physical stores, digital transformation became necessary and took over. After May 2020, there was a very significant growth in sales of consumer electronics products. The pandemic has undoubtedly benefited our sector, and in particular has generated new needs. Smart working and distance learning have physiologically led to an increase in requests for quality devices for Wi-Fi connection, with a general 35% increase in purchases in the IT sector, a boom in sales of household appliances and products from the TV and kitchen world, beauty and home entertainment products. In the coming years, the consumer electronics market will still maintain its lead over other sectors in which there is more fear or distrust in spending, such as in the events, travel and catering sectors.
Added value was brought by the sense of belonging of the people who work in physical stores and to whom great credit goes, because they took significant risks.
There is more and more talk about the omnichannel approach, e-commerce and the digitalisation of physical processes. How have the purchasing and consumption methods of your target group changed in recent years and how does Nextouch fit into this framework?
Maurizio A. Today consumers are increasingly connected to digital tools and this has created the need to adopt an omnichannel sales and purchasing approach. However, multi-channeling in itself does not guarantee the integration of channels. Nextouch is aimed at an evolved and connected target ranging from 25 to 55 years old, made up of a dynamic and demanding audience, who wants everything immediately, easily and at the best quality-price ratio. This is why we will ensure that native omnichannel in our business model is reflected in every detail of our project.
What skills are needed to manage the omnichannel customer experience?
Enrico A. We are equipping ourselves with the best tools and technologies and specialized professional figures. We are building an attractive website, rich in content and services that represents a link of continuity between site, point of sale and customer service. As regards the tools for the relationship with the latter, we are choosing the most advanced CRMs, chatbots for the first contact of the user online and the management of remote sales. Among the professional figures, we are looking for digital marketing specialists capable of putting into practice a user or consumer-centric approach in every area of application and shop assistants to finalize the sale within physical stores. We will also use external partners to improve our customer service offering.
What will be the main challenges for Nexttouch to address and with what vision for the future?
Maurizio A.: The consumer is now accustomed to increasingly digital purchasing experiences, and has raised the bar in his evaluation of the quality of the service. The market is unpredictable as are the moves of new competitors. The challenges, therefore, are many and push on the one hand towards increasingly refined technological experiences and digital skills, and on the other towards greater specialization in order to face new needs and prevent any risks. It will be necessary to deal with the protection of personal data and privacy, and the security of sensitive data and processes from cyber attacks. But we are happy to embark on a new growth path that will guide Nextouch to make a difference in such a competitive and exciting market.