Welcome to the ViStra World!

What is ViStra?

"ViStra is a seminar which allows all energy industry employees to experience the complexity and the interrelations of the energy market.
Furthermore, ViStra offers an excellent opportunity for interdisciplinary and intercultural further training encompassing various fields. The results of the game can be thoroughly analysed, and core activities can then be adapted accordingly. By now, a large number of senior executives and employees of European energy suppliers and their customers have been able to benefit from the seminar and the expert knowledge ViStra trainers have accumulated over the years. "

 

  1. Benefits of the Business Game
  2. Roles
  3. Equipment
  4. Playing the game
  5. Result
  6. Participants/Target Groups
  7. Customers Retention

 

1. Benefits of the Business Game

ViStra (Visions and Strategies) is a business game designed for all those involved in the energy market. Thanks to the combination of scenario technique and role-play it offers multiple applications. Encompassing various fields, this seminar represents a unique instrument for interdisciplinary and intercultural further training and education of energy industry employees, as well as for active improvement of customer retention. Furthermore, it is suitable for developing problem-solving strategies for complex situations which energy supply companies and public utility companies are commonly faced with.

Adapting to their role profile, the participants develop different behavioural strategies in order to address various issues including management tasks, questions regarding mains and distribution, problems arising from current energy policy, as well as the task of optimising and expanding the generation system.

The business game helps the participants develop creative problem-solving techniques. In addition, the participants gain insight into the complex interrelations of the energy market, and they are able to benefit from relevant experience on a personal level. To intensify the results, key elements like strategy development, business administration, distribution and sales, team development, project management and process management can be emphasised and reflected by the participants during the assessment phases.

 

2. Roles

The business game features the following roles: "companies" (generation, distribution, sales, finance), a power distributor, an independent power generator from abroad, "customers" (industry, public utility companies, municipal authorities) and a legislator/national authorities. Each role can be represented by one player or by a team of several players.

 

3. Equipment

The supply areas of three different fictitious energy supply companies are defined in the set-up of the game. At the beginning of the game, each company is given individual parameters of activity and structure such as

  • a characteristic generation system,
  • a given mains structure,
  • characteristic customers (industry, public utility companies, municipal authorities) and
  • an opening balance sheet.

The course of the seminar is mainly guided by the participants' activities. To keep the game plausible, additional scenarios describing the general economic conditions and thus the overall setting of the game, are part of each round.

All actions (strategic or operative) are documented in written form (strategy papers, decision papers, contracts). A random generator for the mains and power plants simulates the risk of an actual outage of mains or power plants. It can be influenced by maintenance cycles.

 

4. Playing the game

The game is divided into several rounds. Usually, a seminar covers three rounds, in the course of which an overall period of 15 years is "experienced", starting from the current market situation today. The overall duration of the seminar is 2 or 3 days.

Each round begins with a so-called Strategy phase. Based on individual role profiles and scenarios, the participants map out their strategies for the next round of the game.

In the following operational phase, the players contact each other to negotiate agreements which are then documented. The players can also initiate changes in the generation system or mains availability.

The instructors analyse the participants' results and activities using a computer-aided system. At the end of each round the participants receive

  • their annual financial statements (profit and loss account, finance plan, balance sheet)
  • an overview describing the current situation of one's role in the game.

The final step of a round consists of an individual comparison of strategic targets and the goals actually achieved.

 

5. Result

The game's final result is calculated from the annual financial statements of the individual players. These demonstrate the monetary consequences of the various actions, and the degree to which the players have achieved their targets using their strategies. The participants reflect about their results, and explain significant events, developments and trends in the course of the game.

An impeccable balance sheet, however, is not the only important success factor. It is even more important to develop and try out excellent and innovative ideas and to be courageous enough to take risks and make mistakes - and learn of them. Participants of previous seminars consider the experience gained during the business game a permanent sense of achievement. The experience is highly useful for their daily work and goes far beyond playing the actual game. See "References"

 

6. Participants/Target Groups

Employees from all divisions in the energy industry, senior executives, junior executives and trainees are invited to participate. The number of participants for each seminar is 21 to 35.

You can either book a complete seminar, or book separate places for individual events.

German, French, English, Hungarian and intercultural versions are available.

 

7. Customer Retention

Using the ViStra seminar as a means for improving customer retention has turned out to be one of the highlights of the game. Thanks to the specific structure of the game, representatives from energy supply companies are able to put themselves in their customers' shoes. Not only does this very popular customer event strengthen the links between key account managers and their customers; it also offers an opportunity for everyone to really "walk a mile in the moccasins" of another person.