Swiss start-up promises unforgettable experiences

Modelled on the Smartbox, the phenomenally successful French company that sells gift get-aways, the Oh! Company aims for a clientele that is looking for adventures with a local flavour.

"From the onset, we decided to come up with home-grown proposals," says founder of The Oh! Company, Gregory Barbezat, who with executive president business partner, Manuel Donzé, takes pride in knowing just about every partner on their lists.

Record a song in a studio in Lausanne, eat a fondue after kayaking on Lake Gruyère, try body-flying in Rümlang, experience a blind-folded dinner in Geneva or a love boat in Merlischachen, mountain bike with a pro in the Valais, visit the heart of a glacier in Zinal, each experience is meant to  be memorable.

"The concept is to offer mini breaks without the hassle of having to organize them," says Barbezat.

What distinguishes Oh! From the Smartbox however is the fact that Barbezat decided to use the web as the organizational platform. Whereas the Smartbox is a physical printed object with a fixed offer over an entire year, Oh! can adapt its offer at the drop of a click.

It publishes Oh! Boxes on the themes of sports and sensations, wellness, discovery, European escapades, gastronomy or romantic breaks, but it also proposes individual get-aways on the web for people looking for out-of-the-ordinary excitement or reverie.

The website even includes categories like Staff favourites, Most wanted ones or The other crazy stuff. Prices start as low as 49 Swiss francs for a dance lesson and climb to 5,000 francs for a luxury trip with a Ferrari thrown in. The average amount spent for an "unforgettable experience" is 220 francs.

Several of the mountain walking proposals have been planned by the famous Swiss adventurer Sarah Marquis, who will soon be leaving on a two year descent from Siberia to Australia (see Swisster article below).

"Our flexibility is a guarantee in quality, since we can drop unsatisfactory providers or add promising new ones along the way. We can also avoid over-booking, the downside of any published offer," Gregory Barbezat stresses.

Some hotels have been known to turn Smartbox clients away during busy periods and only accept them when business is slack.

The Oh! Company wants "everyone to be satisfied" so if someone for example receives a wellness gift but prefers a mountain bike hike, the change can be made. An upgrade is also possible with an additional payment.

"We are looking to make our website even more user-friendly and will launch a new version in September, in the same three languages, French, English and German."

The new site will include a feedback tab. As from June, an interactive blog will be integrated into the present site because "clients are our quality guarantee" says Barbezat.

Sales are naturally highest during the pre-Christmas period – between 35 and 40 percent – which is when the company’s promotional campaign takes place, including TV spots. Celebrations, like Mother’s Day, are also busy.

For people who prefer buying a physical voucher, the product is now distributed by FNAC, Media Markt, Casino, France Loisirs, most post offices and Nature et Découvertes, that has a shop in Lausanne and will be inaugurating one in Geneva on 14 July.

Oh! has just opened an office in Zurich with the intention of developing its activities in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, although Barbezat admits that the concept is very new in that part of the country.

The company was self-financed from its beginnings in 2007, but has recently received the hefty backing of private investors.

It finances its activities by taking a margin of 20 to 30 percent, which is paid by the service providers, on the model of credit cards, where the commission is paid by the seller, not the buyer.

"But I can assure you that If you have a voucher for a 99 franc massage, you will get a 99 franc massage," Barbezat says convincingly.

The Oh! Company also intends to develop its B to B model (business to business), since the offers are considered ideal corporate gifts to "reward performances or events".

Furthermore, they can be custom-tailored and even branded to the name of a company. Nissan, for example, offers 20 "Adrenaline" projects in its own name to buyers of Nissan cars.

"We're in the business of keeping a lot of people happy," Gregory Barbezat repeats.

Visit the website for further information.