The Short Names

Do you run an online, web, TV or mobile service that will help Orange build relationships with its customers and generate more than €20 million (£18 million) for the telco in the next three years? If so, Orange might want to invest in you. The telco is looking for companies to invest in as part of its new Orange Service Call + Reward project, run in conjunction with NESTA, to find innovative new ways of keeping customers happy. The submission deadline is next Friday and a decision should be made by March.

It’s more than a little similar to O2’s Limus project, which builds apps exclusive to customers such as the My O2 app and a forthcoming O2 Tips and Tricks iPhone app. As the fierce battle for UK market share intensifies—despite Orange’s pending merger with T-Mobile—it’s about attracting customers and keeping them, and operators are keen to increase their customer loyalty through as many avenues as possible.

In its brief, Orange says it is after something along the lines of its two-for-one Orange Wednesdays cinema deal, now very much cemented as part of its UK retention and marketing strategy. But other suggested areas for innovation include: messaging, communities, cross-media content portability; geo-location apps; personalisation of hardware; and software and API-based services. Orange says it is “specifically interested” in things relating to content areas like travel, personal finance, style and sports.