What is your secret to being voted best brand in the Major Domestic Appliances category year after year? The main reason is actually more relevant today than ever. From the very beginning, quality and durability were the main pillars of our strategy. Our products are tested to last 20 years and our machines last 10,000 hours - that’s on average more than twice as long as those of our competitors. So when you know that every new machine comes with a lot of costs (CO2 emissions and raw material consumption in production, waste in disposal of the old machine), that really describes our long-term thinking that is woven into the DNA of our family business. And we will never deviate from that. Soundness and quality will always be our trademark : buy less, buy better. Secondly, we always strive to bring relevant innovation to the market. From the very beginning, Miele has focused its innovation strategy on sustainability, ensuring that the next generation of appliances is even more energy efficient in terms of electricity and water consumption. This has recently been confirmed by Test Achats. But we are also proud of making consumers’ lives easier with our appliances, such as the Mix&Match function on our steamers, which puts a delicious and healthy meal on the table in just 30 minutes. Another reason is that Miele is also an iconic brand for Belgians, and our appliances are a partner in crime in many Belgian households! And finally, I must say that staying number 1 would not be possible without our very strong network of retail partners who tell the Miele story every day.
In our previous edition of Best Brands, you explained that customers were invited to Miele Experience Centers where they could test out Miele household appliances before buying. In 2021, during the corona pandemic, how did you keep in touch with your consumers?
We simply kept reinventing ourselves. Our quality approach allowed us to stay close to our consumers in a safe way. For example, we launched virtual cooking workshops so that our customers could get to know their steamers better from home. We also set up virtual tours in our Miele Experience Centers to help consumers choose their appliances on a dedicated website (www.inspiredby.miele.be), combined with virtual sales advice. And of course we also put extra effort into our social media presence.
Miele always scores extremely well on « share of Soul ». However, we see in the results of the Best Brands report that brands like Bosch and Samsung have a slightly higher score this year. What actions are you taking to become number 1 again next year?
We are working on several levels. First, we ensure that the highest quality is also accessible to a younger audience.
We therefore like to recruit young people: Miele is a family business, but also a family brand and it is passed on from generation to generation. This is truly part of our DNA and it’s something we continue to encourage year after year. Similarly, ‘Daily life Convenience’ is the cornerstone of our communication strategy: it’s not just about showing what our appliances can do, but also how they make the lives of Belgian families better & easier.
This edition is all about the Best Hybrid Brand. How does Miele connect with its customers in both the digital and physical world?
Today, you absolutely have to embrace the omnichannel approach and be present where the consumer is, whether that’s in the traditional store, in chain stores, in our own stores or in e-commerce. What we also believe is important is to offer the right brand experience in an online & offline environment. We did this, for example, with virtual sales consultations where Belgians could interact with cooking classes or learn more about our products from the safety of their own homes. We also built a virtual showroom for our kitchen appliances that can be consulted 24/7. At Miele, we work hard on connectivity and the Miele app is a great example: thanks to Foodview, you can simply whip out your smartphone and keep an eye on what’s cooking in the oven, without leaving your guests out in the cold.
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