Emmanuel Malan, the general manager of Accor Services, considers the Romanian voucher market, one of the most profitable segments of the economy, is saturated at this moment and time has come for linear development through product portfolio diversification. "We want something new for our customers and luncheon vouchers (under the Tichet Restaurant brand) are a basic product. It is services that will make the difference on the market," stated Malan.
Emmanuel Malan, 45, has been general manager of Accor Services since January 2003. The Frenchman came to Romania after he had run Academie Accor training company in France.
Beside luncheon vouchers, the products Accor Services has launched include international cards for discounts at the group's hotels (Sofitel, Mercure, Novotel, Ibis and Suitehotel), discount cards for use in the group's hotels in Romania (Sofitel, Ibis or Continental partner chain), as well as risk and accident insurance, valid in the case of employees benefiting from nominal luncheon vouchers. These services are provided to companies included in the customer portfolio of Accor Services. "Our strategy is to diversify our portfolio to the highest extent possible; we started with Tichet Cadou (Gift Voucher) three years ago and now we have some diversification products, such as Tichet Cresa (Nursery School Voucher), ready to enter the market," says Malan.
Tichet Cresa is a type of voucher that mothers of children aged up to three are going to receive from the firms they work for to help them pay for the services related to their children's being cared for in nursery schools. Their value is set by law and revolves around 300 RON (85 euros).
"The legislative framework is not ready yet for this type of services. I believe firms agree with this project, this is something useful. We hope to introduce it by yearend, with the vouchers b
