With their customer-centric approach and commitment to introducing innovative offerings, NiceMobil has emerged as one of the fastest-growing telco service providers in Norway. (As well as winning multiple awards for excellence in eSIM, Customer Experience, Digital User Experience, Best Mobile Subscriptions, Customer Favourite of the Year, and achieving the top NPS score of all Norwegian Operators!) 🚀
MVNO Nation interviewed Shiraz Abid about his success with NiceMobil as he shared five Tips and five Tricks to help other MVNOs preparing to launch.
FIVE TIPS:
1 . KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS
In the Norwegian market, with 6 million subscribers, the country exhibits a high level of digital savviness and a predominant reliance on technology. The majority of car sales are electric, and it’s a largely cashless society. Despite the satisfaction with MNOs, subscribers, being tech-savvy, weren’t getting what they desired.
Recognizing this, Shiraz and his team at NiceMobil realized that going fully digital was the solution to attract more customers, aligning with the preferences of their tech-savvy audience.
2. HAVE A VERY CLEAR STRATEGY
Shiraz and his team knew they needed to go 100 percent digital and reviewed all the possible options to make it happen.
Challenge
- Create new low-cost / high-value brand aligned with company’s Digital Strategy
- Avoid risks associated with a long-term transformation program with focus on lean & agile operating model
- Goal to go to market quickly with the 100% Digital Brand in less than 4 months
Solution
- Rapid greenfield launch of new “Digital Attacker” brand NiceMobil in 100 days
- 100% eSIM at launch. (Expanded later to include free physical SIM & next day delivery)
- Integrated locally relevant Payment & ID Verification options
3. REVIEW YOUR NEEDS AND PARTNERS WHO CAN DELIVER Instead of utilising the legacy tech provided by parent MNO Ice, NiceMobil chose a different route and selected a new innovative TelcoTech supplier Moflix who could deliver fast and agile with a full end-to-end digital solution to drive rapid growth in a lean operating model on a modern platform.
Today, close cooperation with ICE continues with NiceMobil as an incubator for trying out new features and innovations.
4. DESIGN THE DIGITAL CUSTOMER JOURNEY CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE IT IS SEAMLESS
NiceMobil customer journey in a nutshell:
• Download the app from the App Store or Google Play and create your profile.
• Verify your identity using your bank ID.
• Nice Mobile uses eSIM, eliminating the need for a physical SIM card. The app checks your phone’s compatibility.
• Add your email and specify your communication preferences.
• Choose the mobile subscription that suits you.
• Decide whether to keep your current number or get a new one for free.
• Register your preferred payment card for automatic monthly charges.
• Verify the details, accept the terms, and finalize your order.
• For any queries, refer to FAQs or contact customer support via chat.
• Once your eSIM is active, you can remove your physical SIM if you have one
• Welcome to Nice Mobile!
5. CHANGE AND OPTIMISE
Shiraz Abid - ICE Norway (SA): “How is the customer journey? What does the customer need to do? Test, test, test, test all the way, and then the rest will come. At launch, we came up with a Minimum Viable Product and were very happy with that. For the last couple of years, we have been optimizing the customer journey, creating new products, and improving the customer service experience. The customer journey is everything.”
FIVE TRICKS:
1 . AUTOMATE AND ANALYSE YOUR DATA
The KYC process brought innovation to identification and payment methods, departing from traditional approaches. The streamlined app operations mirror the simplicity of managing a Netflix subscription. The team closely monitors daily metrics, including customer compatibility checks, order placements, and drop-off rates.
2. CREATE A SMALL TEAM
Shiraz: “We aimed to establish a challenger brand within a company that itself is a challenger brand. Effective management of dynamics was crucial. A key aspect involved having a very small team, a core Dream Team. It’s possible to operate a fully digital mobile operator with just six people, and that’s what we do today. We receive tech support from Ice in the backend, while these individuals handle more commercial aspects.”
3. ESIM ALL THE WAY? LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS!
NiceMobil was the first to launch a fully digital Telco in an App with 100% eSIM. They opted for a fully digital approach, but interestingly, they now also offer plastic SIMs as well. Why?
At that time, not enough people in the Norwegian market had eSIM compatible devices - it was around 40-50%. Their addressable market was too low, and they needed to grow.
The lesson here is not to fall in love with the concept but with the solutions and the customers. Customers wanted plastic SIMs, so they created plastic SIMs, but with a twist. They introduced them exclusively through Xpress delivery, allowing customers to order at 9 p.m. and receive it at their house by 7 am. And the physical cards are half the size of traditional plastic SIMs which helps with advancing sustainability.
4. ADD SOMETHING SPECIAL - LOCAL VALUE
NiceMobil forged a strategic partnership with Vipps MobilePay, the leading microservice payment provider in Norway and Denmark (renowned among 4.2 million Norwegians...over 80% of the population!).
This collaboration allows the company to handle both KYC and payments, aligning with Vipps MobilePays’ modern and premium image. It reflects their commitment to a contemporary, customer-centric concept, eliminating traditional prepaid or postpaid models and reducing reliance on retail stores.
5. KEEP BUILDING A TRUSTED BRAND
Shiraz: “In the initial year, the focus was on minimal launches and customer journey optimization. Learning from this, the team experimented extensively in the last 12 months. Digital marketing played a significant role, but early insights emphasized the importance of building brand trust. Sponsorships, outdoor marketing, and various approaches were tested to instill trust.
Initiatives like Member-Get-Member and word-of-mouth campaigns have proven successful, highlighting the importance of creating satisfied customers and establishing trust as a foundation for loyalty, despite the initial time investment needed for traction.”
Key Takeaways:
Nice Mobile has emerged as one of the fastest-growing telco service providers in Norway. Their customer-centric approach and willingness to introduce innovative offerings to the market have proven to be successful.
Download the full Guide PDF from MVNO Nation
https://www.mvnonation.com/resource/10-tips-%26-tricks-to-launch-a-fully-digital-mvno