VodafoneZiggo Netherlands has taken the bold step to offer its employees the opportunity to choose to work partially from home, also after the Covid crisis. The central office in Utrecht, facilitating 1600 employees is still the throbbing heart of the Dutch company. One of the main attractions on the first floor is the VodafoneZiggo Experience Centre. This popular destination was designed and developed by Sandenburg concept creation and DST Experience Agency to make the connection with employees, business prospects and high school pupils. Over the last two years thousands of people have discovered the Experience Centre in Netherlands’ largest shopping mall and public transport hub.
The goal of the VodafoneZiggo Experience Centre is to offer all visitors a memorable, inspiring and relevant real life impression of the impact of the future technological landscape on society. Visitors experience how this effects society, healthcare, education, business, their career and their life. More than 5000 clients, school classes, business partners and prospects have visited the place since December 2018, creating a greater brand awareness of VodafoneZiggo and its unique purpose:
‘Fun and progress in every connection’
Friso de Jong, director Real Estate VodafoneZiggo Netherlands, acquired the building plot in Hoog Catharijne Shopping Mall 1,5 year ago. His goal was to bring to life the new purpose of the merged companies.
‘Sandenburg facilitated us as a sounding board, bringing in their practical knowledge and track record of creating memorable experiences. In a joint effort we were able to maximize the full potential of the concept. Bringing the new purpose to life, integrating hospitality features, experience and the central office had to be a perfect fit. I am proud to say we reached this level of ambition when we opened on 1 December 2018. We have received the past year daily on average 200 external visitors in the Experience Centre. More than 2500 employees have participated in reboarding sessions. Every month we let 50 new hires take part in the onboarding sessions, which are also hosted in the Experience Centre.’
De Jong is very excited about the response: ‘Visitors to our head office tell us they experience a wow-moment when they take the stairs up to the entrance of our head office above the consumer store. Clients, business partners and prospects tell us they really feel excited. They are fully aware that they enter a 21st Century office space with multiple functions.’
‘It is a tremendous success from a business perspective, confirming the goal, strategy and values of VodafoneZiggo as a driver of technological progress.’
VodafoneZiggo Netherlands is evaluating with Sandenburg the Experience Centre, discussing updates in a transparent manner. De Jong: ‘The advantage of having Sandenburg making use of the Experience Centre to invite their own clients and prospects, is that we have an ongoing conversation with ideas for the existing spaces and possible new additions, in order to keep the concept of the Experience Centre fresh and in terms of content relevant for our business partners, clients and prospects.’
