“Energy from Repower brings spirits to life − just like our grappa.”

Two entrepreneurial sisters: Nicoletta and Claudia Mazzetti among the casks in the cellars of Distilleria Mazzetti in Altavilla Monferrato (Piemont). They use Repower's Verde Dentro offering for one-stop green power supply and electric vehicle services, getting expert advice and support from Repower sales consultant Piero Guarino.

In 2015, Repower Italy focused even more closely on energy services for its customers as well as expanding its offering of products and services. The aim is to firmly position Repower Italy as a full-service provider placing great emphasis on individual advice, and to gradually reduce dependence on the absolute price of energy.

Sales

In 2015 Repower Italy's sales company sold 3.6 terawatt hours of electricity (up 5 per cent on the prior year) and 236 million cubic metres of gas (up 6 per cent on the previous year) to consumers.

Verde Dentro, a package bundling the supply of energy with electric vehicle services, became established as a tried-and-tested product in 2015. More than 160 PALINA charging stations have already been installed in Italy. These PALINAS are also part of the Verde Dentro package.

After a successful trial phase, two innovative products, VAMPA and eFFettiva, were officially brought to market in 2015. VAMPA is a thermal imaging service that enables customers to identify and prevent faults and hazards such as overheating and the damage they can potentially cause to electrical equipment. More than 70 customers have signed up for the product since its market launch. Like VAMPA, the eFFettiva service also helps consumers in terms of energy efficiency, enabling them to reduce their electricity consumption without sacrificing performance, comfort or convenience. Specially designed software captures and visualises the customer's energy consumption in real time. Repower evaluates the measurements to give the customer targeted advice on how to boost their efficiency and optimise their energy performance.

Last but not least, 2015 saw successful efforts to manage accounts receivable, with outstanding accounts reduced by around EUR 8.4 million.

In addition to the established small and medium-sized business segment, Repower is attempting to extend its portfolio to include customers at both the smaller and larger ends of the scale. This will also involve the use of specific IT applications. The plan is to introduce an online platform to manage small customers, and harness the existing Repricer tool (see section on Trading in Milan) to provide the necessary technical support for large customers. A sales campaign has already resulted in the first successes in terms of acquiring large customers.

To achieve this growth, Repower intends to strengthen its countrywide network of sales consultants, who currently number around 500. Plans also include ongoing training and the recruitment of new sales personnel to boost presence throughout Italy and be able to offer business customers personal service in line with their needs. The focus is on extra services that will differentiate Repower from the competition and enable the company to evolve into a “personal trainer” for energy matters.

In 2015 Repower increased awareness by means of a communications campaign. Nationwide advertising was an efficient way of building the Repower brand and opening new sales channels.