Inside the Wifirst offer with our Product Manager

Behind the scenes at Wifirst! In this section of the blog we would like to highlight each of the teams that work behind the scenes to offer the best managed WiFi service to our customers.

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Wifirst offers solutions and services in line with the needs of its customers in its various target markets (tourism & hotels, residential, retail, healthcare, senior living, defence, offices, B2B, etc.). Wifirst combines its efforts in research and development to offer innovative telecom solutions to its customers. A true leader, Alexis Girerd, our product manager, is in charge of coordinating all the internal teams from the design to the sale of each product in our catalogue. His missions - which are extremely varied - range from defining a need, to training sales staff, to managing relations with our partners... He told us more about his daily work.

1/ What does your job entail? 

My role at Wifirst is to animate and enrich our product catalogue.

Initially, with the help of the marketing, sales and technical management teams, I identify all the new products that can be added to our catalogue, in response to either a request from one of our customers or to our own desire to offer a technological innovation.

Once the need has been identified, the teams must be coordinated so that we all move in the right direction! This involves writing the product specifications and the development of the product by the technical department. Here, my responsibility as product manager is to determine the selling price. Next, I am responsible for training the sales staff on what they need to know about each product. I also create the necessary documentation for them to sell the products to our customers.

2/ How did you get to this point? What was your evolution at Wifirst?

After studying at a business school, I immediately entered the telecommunications sector. I first worked as a Product Manager at Orange -that's how I discovered this job-, and two years later I became a consultant, keeping my focus on the product. I then joined Wifirst over 4 years ago, when they were looking for their first Product Manager! 

My evolution since joining the company has been to oversee more and more of the products in the Wifirst catalogue: I started by focusing on TV and Chromecast, and have gradually grown to manage the entire catalogue. The next step will be to build a team of product managers to be able to do more!

3/ What are your greatest daily challenges?

My greatest challenge is the relationship with the teams and with all the people I deal with.  I take on the role of adviser on the overall knowledge of a product. I sometimes accompany sales representatives to customer meetings to provide expertise on the various products. Moreover, the relationship with the partners is largely my responsibility. 

4/ What makes you proud of your job?

I pride myself on the value of the work I do, as I actively participate in Wifirst's ability to sell products that satisfy our customers. As the product is the backbone of the company's operation, this makes me a true representative of the Wifirst offer. I am also happy to come up with new ideas to meet a customer's specific needs and to see their satisfaction.

5/ Do you have an anecdote you would like to share with us? 

I've installed many new products for customers myself! In particular, I remember going with someone from engineering to install our first digital signage project. We configured the screen together and I trained the customer at the same time. This kind of field experience is both original for me and very insightful about the real needs of our customers

6/ Where do you see Wifirst in 5 years?

In 5 years, I imagine Wifirst to be the leading European B2B provider. We need to strengthen our international reputation given that we are now well known on a national scale. We still have a lot of customers from different sectors to go after! In 5 years' time, we will probably have clients in sectors that we haven't even considered today!