VERTU Concierge Service

One of my friend bought a Vertu mobile last week. Indeed most of people such as me, cannot afford the price of Vertu, which is much higher than other mobile. Mobile phones typically retail for around £100 - £250 pounds, however Vertu is aimed at the top end of the market, those who can afford to spend thousands on a mobile phone.

Although it is unreachable for me because of its high price, I am really interested in its powerful functions that related to our E- Marketing. When I went back home and do some research regards to this luxury mobile then get some information.

Vertu is a new unique luxury brand specialising in top of the range, deluxe mobile phones. And Vertu utilises craftsmanship, precision engineering, high-end technology and a unique personal service dimension, to create a distinctive luxury brand.

A big selling point associated with these phones is the Vertu Concierge Service.  Vertu Concierge provides specialized travel assistance, allowing users to access and reserve restaurants, hotels, concert tickets and much more.  Having a Vertu mobile phone allows users to access this exclusive concierge service, 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, where they will try to assist the every whim of the user.  This service is free for the first year, but you have to pay a subsequent subscription of £500 per annum to avail of the service.  Vertu also offers a customisation service thus truly differentiating itself and allowing the firm to earn even higher margins.

In summary, in my opinion, in the Concierge Service, the Vertu mobile seems like a “agency” between customers and other companies, such as airline companies, hotels and restaurants. This “agency” play a role, who collects, processes and exchange information for both two sides.

I think that, for these airlines companies, hotels and restaurants, it is a new emarketing strategy compared with the traditional e Marketing strategies, that is Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing Strategy, Online Newsletters and Media News Rooms. These companies apply this strategy in order to specialize the top range of customers. That is the most important reason to adopt this “agency”. These customers would not take a flight in economy class. Of course, they always chose the five star hotels, sometimes the presidential suites. If adopt the traditional strategies, it maybe more costly and useless. For example, these customers will treat advertising Email as rubbish Email, then delete them directly. Moreover, these top customers would not search any information from search engine by themselves. Building the business relationship with them personally is much more costly indeed.

However, I found that there are also two disadvantages for this “agency”. Firstly, there is higher risk in this business system. If a customer is not satisfied with the booking of hotels from this “agency”, she/he will think that it is not useful than abandon it. Then the other companies in this system will lose this customer.

Secondly, there is keener competition. The competitors are not some three star hotels or travelling hotels. They are also five star hotels like you, even the seven star hotels. Top market leads to the keener competition.