Podcast, the new voice of Tinext

Sharing your values, projects and ambitions is an essential part of a company's communication. 

This year, we have decided to boost our visibility and enhance our impact in French-speaking Switzerland. 

As a company specialized in digitalization and digital support for businesses, a presence on the Internet and social networks was an obvious choice. But how do we stand out? 

And above all, how do we add a touch of humanity in a field that is dictated by algorithms? When, at Tinext, we seek to bring personality and life into the process?

In search of Tinext's core human values

The first step in the creative process is the scriptwriting workshop.
 
All teams are present because the stakes are high: giving a voice to our service proposal.

Lydie, the head of Tinext Romandie, is surrounded by her team: Giulia in marketing, Laura and Benjamin the digital strategy consultants, and Stefano, the CEO who is online from Ticino. You will enjoy his melodious accent that gives the podcast a nice rhythm. On the technical side, Michaël coordinates the workshop, Nicolas and Benoît are present for script and sound, Sacheen for the copywriting. 

An open discussion ensues, focusing on the company's communication challenges, the objectives sought, and the messages to be conveyed through each episode. The discussion allowed each member of the team to talk about the stakes as they felt and perceived them. 

Benjamin is convinced by the approach. For him, producing a podcast represents an exponential transformation for a company. "The blog is not enough; the podcast is a fantastic additional tool.”
He has a long commute to work, which he uses to listen to the latest podcasts. 
 

Creating a closer relationship with the customer 

The one thing that resonates most with Laura is the way voices are used. "We can convey so much more, we can share, personify Tinext, bring more emotion, so that the person listening to us can feel the brand. And at the same time, we remain close to the person listening to us." 

Most of the companies and SMEs that Tinext caters to are not yet mature in their digital process. "It is for these companies that it is interesting to use voice. Having the right words, the right tone, and helping them see Tinext as a reassuring partner." 

Then Giulia goes on. The first thing that comes to mind is how personal someone's voice is, like a fingerprint. "It's authentic, my voice can only come from me. Tinext's voice is something extremely strong, I'm glad we can use it. Voice is the original, old-fashioned form of communication. On top of that, there is the storytelling aspect. Ever since we were children, we loved it when our parents told us a bedtime story. Between girlfriends, we crave to hear the latest anecdotes about each other. This podcast is an opportunity for Tinext to be the parent, the girlfriend who tells a story, shares an emotion." 

Voice as a driver of growth, both for sales and development

Lydie expresses the need to find the right tone for Tinext. "In my sales role, the first thing I need to do with new customers is to tell them stories. Talk about them, their needs, and about Tinext, our journey. The idea is to show through the tone of voice, through the approach, that we really try to understand our customers, to be there to guide them in their process towards digitization." 

Stefano closes the roundtable discussion by asking a key question: "What do we really need to make progress in the French-speaking Swiss market? The most important thing is to succeed in establishing a relationship of trust with a potential customer. And I feel that audio, the voice, will be the perfect way to achieve that." 

He too is used to listening to podcasts, which he feels are a great way to address different points of view, on sometimes sensitive or difficult topics. 

"The podcast creates a clear, simple message. It's a very personal way of dealing with a subject, even if the topic is rather cold, such as technical or financial matters. It establishes a sort of recurring appointment with the listener, a relationship that warms up, almost a friend." 

In our field of digitalization, of digital transformation, companies sometimes feel a state of apprehension, of anxiety. Companies know they must do something. There is this post-covid situation where everything becomes digital, but where do we start, what do we do? It's a very big change, how should they approach it?

A live, close experience

The two main advantages that stand out and that the whole team agrees on is that the audio message is a great way to create a direct experience, which can last over time, and which will surprise a little bit. 

And then, the notion of the relationship, which helps creating a climate of trust with the listener. A close conversation with the audience. To succeed in establishing a communication that is more conversational and emotional. 

The stakes are of the order of storyfication: above and beyond storytelling. It's the art of creating narratives. It's the ability to empathize with the customer, to know how to talk to them and at what level, in order to pay special attention to them.
 

The manifesto and our conviction

The day continues around the deep identity of Tinext and its manifesto. This is how we will be able to formulate the pitch, the brief introductory statement for each of the three podcast episodes. 

The first strong element that emerges is the human notion. The desire to accompany customers, hand in hand. 

"In our approach, the customer is central. The person is central. Yes, there is technology, but above all there is the human element. For our customers, our customers' customers, and our employees. You can't have long-term success without the human dimension. We are the partners of companies in this journey, this shift that they must make. But with the person at the center. There is a notion of mutual success. We work closely with our clients. We are not a service provider, we are more than that", says Stefano.
 

A second workshop to define the framework

Then comes a purely technical session to determine who will speak and what they will say. The questions to ask and the answers we want to give. 

The framework is set. 

A first episode dedicated to the company, its vision, its values, in which Lydie and Stefano will intervene as a duo, with Delphine as host, an actress with a velvet voice. 

A second episode will feature Giulia and Benjamin, who will discuss the services offered by the Geneva team, including the Salesforce CRM program and digital experience consulting.

The third episode will involve Lydie and Laura talking about a customer case and showing in concrete terms how Tinext supports companies throughout their digital transformation process.

A residency day to record the voices

After two weeks spent maturing these discussions, it is time to meet to record. 

The whole team is back together, with the participation of JP Kalonji who will sketch the highlights of the day through his illustrations. 

The day starts with a pleasant gathering around delicious croissants. The tension is palpable during the first minutes. Later, the microphones will eventually be forgotten. 

The pitch is finally ready, and it is Delphine, a young actress, who records it. 
 

Two full days of brainstorming condensed into three sentences that sum up everything. Challenge accomplished. 

Then, the recordings begin.

The cast, in pairs, retire to a separate room, to avoid any noise or distraction. Nicolas and Benoît record, Delphine asks the questions.  

Some sequences progress more quickly than others. Sometimes we must start again, sometimes several times. And sometimes the first take is already good. It's a real job to know how to speak into a microphone while keeping your naturalness and fluidity. 

The place is however favorable to serenity. 

On the shores of Lake Geneva, in a place called the Espace Enchanté, a few steps from the medieval town of Yvoire, the whole team lives a moment out of time. A wonderful way to create cohesion, to get together. 

The weather was beautiful that day. While the first pair is recording, the rest of the team meets to discuss and rehearse the text that they will say in a moment, when it is their turn behind the microphone. 

The highlight that will bring the entire team together is the lunch break. Over a tagine, Giulia asks us the question that will animate the whole meal. "What is your most comforting dish? A great opportunity to go back to childhood memories, and cultural specialties. The world goes round, we end up showing each other pictures of unknown dishes, and the bonds are tightened again.  

It will take no less than the whole day to finalize the three episodes. The journey ends with a photo session of the team reunited to illustrate the social networks and the communication of Tinext throughout the presentation sequences of the different episodes. 

Overall, it was a memorable experience for each member of the team. With the sole hope of having positive feedback and many listeners who will happily receive the words that each collaborator has transmitted with emotion.

Enjoy listening and discovering the promises of Tinext 

We hope you enjoy listening to our three podcast episodes and discover who we are, how we operate, and what we bring to companies in French-speaking Switzerland to help them in their digital transformation.