Behind the scenes
Caring and calm: Patrick’s recipe for success in retail
by Catherine Barth
Good morning, how can I help you?
7.12.2020
Translation: machine translated
Since the beginning of December, Alessio Riccio has been welcoming our Italian-speaking customers. Alessio is not just a customer service employee, but leader of our in-house call centre. In this interview, he tells us how he did it.
Alessio sits alone in the open-plan office when I call him for the interview. He feels comfortable in the office and his flat is too small for telecommuting anyway, he explains. Hardly anyone knows our customer service like Alessio. No wonder: during his business studies, Alessio already had a part-time job in digitec's customer service department. When he left his studies, he stayed with us, increased his work rate and, since 2014, has been managing our call centre. Today, his team consists of more than 60 employees.
Norina: you are the voice of our Italian line. How did this happen?
Alessio: I have wanted an Italian-language customer service hotline for a long time. But I had to be patient. When we received the go-ahead for our project, suddenly everything had to go fast. Our in-house translation team put everything aside to translate the waiting message into Italian. Only a few days later I went to the recording studio to record it. Given the hurry, I took care of it. Otherwise, I would have gladly left the job to someone in my team who speaks Italian.
How was the studio recording session?
It was a piece of cake. After all, it wasn't the first recording we did in Grizzly GmbH's studio. The studio belongs to the guys from the Swiss band Baba Shrimps. With their nonchalance they create a great atmosphere. There is no room for nervousness. Besides, it's a familiar environment, as the brother of the Baba Shrimps' singer also works at Digitec Galaxus.
Is a course in diction and voice use necessary or is it much simpler?
Of course there are also companies that provide professional operators. However, in keeping with our corporate culture, it is natural for us to carry out these tasks in-house. And my background as a rapper certainly helped me during the recording.
You also work in the call centre. What is the significance of this new service?
Our online shops have been speaking four languages for quite some time. The fact that we can now also greet our customers in Italian over the phone is for me, as for the rest of the team, an important milestone. Especially for Bojana, who as project manager has been campaigning for more Italian.
The fact that we can now greet our customers in Italian even over the phone is for me, as for the rest of the team, an important milestone.
Have we neglected our Ticino customers so far?
We have not let our Italian-speaking customers down. Although there was no official selection for Italian, customers always had the opportunity to speak to one of our Italian-speaking staff. They were personal operators, so to speak. Especially now that the Italian line is operational, many customers are asking for a shop in Ticino. At the moment that is not part of our plans. But who knows, maybe one day we will also be present in the 'Sonnenstube'.
Do our Italian-speaking customers behave differently? Do they have other demands?
Of course there are cultural differences. Perhaps it is not just a cliché: Italian-speaking customers are looser and more affable. We are quicker to call each other 'tu' than with Swiss Germans. They are very happy that we speak Italian. Because, unfortunately, Italian always takes a back seat in Switzerland and the Ticino people always have to adapt.
Norina Brun
Senior Communications Manager
norina.brun@digitecgalaxus.chNews aren’t enough for me – it’s the stories behind the news that capture my interest. Curiosity is my constant companion and the reason why I spend Saturday afternoons in my favourite café, eavesdropping on city stories while planning my next travel adventure and creating new event ideas. Zen meditation can wait.
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