{"id":35329,"date":"2014-02-20T15:30:34","date_gmt":"2014-02-20T14:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/casser-les-codes-olivier-devys-fondateur-et-president-des-hotels-okko-20140220.html"},"modified":"2016-02-10T10:16:42","modified_gmt":"2016-02-10T09:16:42","slug":"breaking-codes-olivier-devys-founder-and-chairman-of-hotels-okko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/breaking-codes-olivier-devys-founder-and-chairman-of-hotels-okko","title":{"rendered":"\"Breaking the mould: Olivier Devys, founder and chairman of Okko Hotels"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first Okko hotel has just opened in Nantes. Is this the first of many?<\/h2>\n

Olivier Devys -<\/strong> The gestation period lasted six years. After this first hotel in Nantes, we will have two other openings this year, in Grenoble and Lyon, in a building that we have bought and are renovating. We will have ten hotels in our portfolio by 2017, including two in Paris, one each in Strasbourg and Cannes, as well as in Bayonne and Toulon. We intend to develop our offer in all the major French cities. In fact, Bayonne and Toulon are the smallest of our target cities. We've given ourselves ten years to reach the 50 hotels mark.<\/p>\n

What exactly is the Okko concept?<\/h2>\n

O. D. -<\/strong> Okko is a four-star hotel - according to the new classification - so it's top of the range, but definitely not luxury. The concept is totally urban, with locations in the heart of cities. That's why our hotels don't have restaurants. In Nantes, you have a multitude of options within 300 metres of our establishment. Our hotels mainly target individual customers, both business and leisure. We do not cater for groups, as we do not have meeting rooms, banqueting facilities or breakfast facilities. We don't compete with Novotel, for example, to refer to a group that Paul Dubrule or myself know well (editor's note: Olivier Devys, former CEO of the Suite Hotel chain, and Paul Dubrule, founder of Accor, are the two shareholders in the new chain).<\/p>\n

\"Okko<\/p>\n

What can you offer all these individual travellers?<\/h2>\n

O. D. - <\/strong>We pamper our customers. Firstly with our all-inclusive offer, including video on demand, an in-room Nespresso machine, telephone and broadband Internet, but also through our club and its 24\/7 service. Named after Anglo-Saxon clubs, it's a large living room where you can read the press, print your emails, drink a coffee or even hold an informal meeting around a table. Based on the mezze model, we offer a selection of dishes, including a slice of pie, cheese, ham, olives and hot soup. For example, if a customer returns very late from a day of auditing, they can ask to be served a plate of charcuterie with a glass of wine. All included in the price.<\/p>\n

Okko is also innovating in terms of reception by dematerialising the check in - check out process. What is the advantage of this innovation?<\/h2>\n

O. D. -<\/strong> Customers book online and receive their room key by text message on their smartphone. This virtual key emits an audible signal that gives access to the room, as well as to the club, fitness centre, sauna and ironing room. Our staff are entirely dedicated to hospitality. They are there to provide information on the city's restaurants and bars, and to serve food and drink. As everything is included, they don't try to charge. There's no commercial relationship, it's different from what we're used to.<\/p>\n

\"Club<\/p>\n

Design is also an important element of the brand, with simple, clean lines and functionality...<\/h2>\n

O. D. -<\/strong> I met Patrice Norguet when I was working for Suite Hotel. And I wanted him to be our regular designer for our hotels, at least for the first generation of Okko. He created atypical rooms with, for example, not a wall separating the bathroom from the bedroom, but a continuity provided by a glass and wood structure. Inspired by moucharabiehs, it preserves the customer's privacy without creating a break. Initial reviews have been glowing: \"it feels like home\" is the most common response.<\/p>\n

How does Okko stand out in the French hotel industry?<\/h2>\n

O. D. -<\/strong> Many observers, including those from major groups, consider the French hotel industry to be obsolete and conservative. And ever more expensive too, without any real challenge. A recent study shows that it is 35% more expensive than elsewhere in Europe. This is a record we cannot celebrate. By reorganising our business, with fewer administrative costs in particular, but also more compact hotels and a single target customer base, we are creating value. And we're returning that value to the customer, because our rates are all-inclusive and a little cheaper than the competition. We haven't invented anything: it's the same approach that Simon Hayek took when he launched the Swatch. We can also see this development in the automotive sector, jewellery, airlines and railways. The French hotel industry has long been innovative. But today, innovation tends to come from abroad, like Citizen M in the Netherlands or Motel One in Germany. We've drawn inspiration from them by questioning ourselves, breaking with codes and paying attention to price.<\/p>\n