Online
services

During a year in which the world suddenly became much more uncertain, a lot of people decided to check whether they had their financial affairs in order. More and more, Online Services is developing into an excellently informed personal assistant – a great help in hard times, says Felix Tenniglo, managing director of Independer and Online Services.

Last year was an especially wild ride for Independer: consumers flocked to the comparison website in droves to compare their health insurance policies, resulting in an impressive 2.5 million comparisons. Meanwhile, uncertainties about the energy market and rising prices changed people’s mindset. “The war in Ukraine affected our sense of security,” says Felix Tenniglo.

“That, combined with high inflation and rising energy prices, caused a lot of people to start wondering: do I have my financial affairs in order? We tried to subdue that anxious little voice.”

The website did this by offering lots of information and tips. “It was an unprecedented year for us,” says Tenniglo. “For a long time in 2022, energy providers refused to accept new customers. We anticipated this with clear articles that answered questions like, ‘What is going on in the Dutch energy market?’ And also by showing that there were major differences between energy providers. Online Services’ core mission is to help and guide people. So we need to provide consumers with good information and enough insight to make the right choices. If we manage to do that, we can give consumers some peace of mind.”

There was very little peace of mind to be had at Online Services in 2022. To some extent, that’s just part of the job: Pricewatch, the price comparison page of special interest title Tweakers, passed one billion page views, as consumers used it to compare the prices of tech products and electronics millions of times. Because the prices of these kinds of products are constantly changing, it’s a world that’s in a constant state of flux. “We want to keep personalising and tailoring the information we provide to consumers,” Tenniglo explains. “Only if they’ve given their permission, of course.”

For health insurance policies, Independer shows consumers the cheapest option, as well as the one that best fits their needs. The website also offers the My Monthly Expenses Tracker, which shows you at a glance what you’re spending on things like your car insurance, health insurance and energy contract.

The automotive industry also struggled in 2022, but Online Services’ Automotive branch didn’t stumble. “Both car companies and consumers are increasingly relying on us as a dependable partner that brings together supply and demand.” Online Services’ recruitment branch turned in excellent results as well. “While the labour market is facing serious staff shortages, the DPG Media brands Nationale Vacaturebank and Intermediair successfully match jobseekers with employers every day.”

Still, when Tenniglo looks back on 2022, he admits that it wasn’t the easiest year. “It’s our ambition to keep growing,” he says, “which we managed to do thanks to our highly motivated team, who all have a winner’s mentality and a strong sense of dedication. In that sense, we were ‘dancing in the rain’ in 2022: continuing to grow despite setbacks while steadily improving our services for an increasing number of consumers.”

“Our job is to guide consumers and to bring clarity to complex matters. And we’re getting better and better at that – we’re increasingly cited as an authority on consumer issues. Look at health insurance: we were mentioned by pretty much every TV programme and media outlet. So that’s a good position to be in, and one that Online Services wants to build on. We’ve been able to help millions of people, including those who are struggling financially right now, to make better choices and save money in smart ways.”