WiFreeZone

Onilov Victor
WiFreeZone is a startup created by 3 professionals from Huelva. The WiFreeZone is a
special type of social network designed for the companies (hotels and others). The meaning of
this social free network is that the companies (public and private firms) can connect with their
costumers through this network while using their devices connected to the companies’ WiFi.
The new technology offers to the companies great opportunities: for example a hotel can use
the WiFreeZone network for asking costumers a feedback of the services provided and also to
manage these opinions towards the different online platforms or a gym, which uses the
WiFreeZone, giving to the customers free network can obtain reviews about the conditions
offered to the costumers or can let them know about any important announces. The first
attempt of this startup was not exactly the WiFi network for the companies, it was an
application for sending orders from the costumers’ mobile phone in the restaurants. After
those attempts to make an application designed for the orders in the restaurants, they decided
that internet is very important for people even there are in the restaurant, and they decided to
come with an application with benefits for both parts, owners and customers, with an new WiFi
network – WiFreeZone. This young company has expanded in five countries in Europe, Latin
America and Africa. It’s good innovative idea of using network, that involves two aspects: to
make network more accessible for the costumers and to make the realtions with costumers
more accessible for the companies for marketing aspects.

For me, this company and specially this kind of social network, I meet the first time, it’s
something new for me. If I would speak about the strategy used by this company, for sure it’s
an offensive strategy for some reasons: WiFreeZone is a new small company on the Huelva’s
and Spanish’s markets, providing WiFi network and for sure it’s not the first in Huelva and
whole Spain, this company is a follower. As two alternatives of offensive strategies, in my
oppinion this company uses: the first one - flanking attack or market segmentation and the
second one – innovatory strategy. Let’s develop both alternatives selected above.

֎ Flanking Attack or Market Segmentation

The main reason why I think that company is using a Flanking Attack or Market
Segmentation is because the company decided to launch in the Internet Service Providers
Market. In this market, according to the google information, in Huelva, as well as in whole Spain
there are a lot of internet providers, with a good reputation, for example: Vodafone, Orange,
TDC Huelva, OliveNet Huelva, JAZZTEL and others. But none of the companies mentioned above
are specialized only in providing internet for the companies (private and pulic), WiFreeZone
provides internet exclusively for the companies and at a very high level. The public and private
firms (legal person) are the main and the unique costumer of the WiFreeZone services, and it
represents a unique market segment, in other words – Market Segmentation.

Flanking Attack Strategy we can see in this case in the fact that WiFreeZone decided to attack
the biggest Internet Providers launching in the area of internet provider for legal person only,
one of the segment which maybe wasn’t served well by major internet providers.

֎ Innovatory Strategy (Technological innovation)

Another basic strategy maybe used by the WiFreeZone is Innovatory Strategy, in my

opinion, and there are some proofs: this kind of strategy is suited by small and young
companies (underdogs) without substantial resources, like the company about we are speaking.
It is often used by the upstart company which is going into fight with more bigger opponents
and offers the better products, lower price and generally a innovative products or services,
different than opponents etc. The WiFreeZone company is an upstart company, a young
company wich offers an innovative services to the customers, different than others. It comes to
the internet providers market’s, a market with hard competition and big competitors in Huelva
and Spain, but it comes with a innovative service – social WiFi network for the hotels and
others kind of businesses. This social WiFi network can serve like an important marketing tool.

Both of the strategy that I have described above through the WiFreeZone Company are
relevant, but if I would have to chose only one, the first one – Flanking Attack or Market
Segmentation is more appropiate, in my vision.

Sources:

1. https://wifreezone.com/?lang=en
2. https://huelvabuenasnoticias.com/2018/02/02/un-proyecto-de-wifi-social-nacido-en-huelva-se-
convierte-en-referente-en-el-mercado-extendiendose-por-europa-latinoamerica-y-africa/
3. Lynch, R. Corporate Strategy. Harlow: FT‐Prentice Hall, 2006, sections 4.4.4 and 4.4.5