Basking Ridge, N.J. – Verizon Wireless will roll out its Evolution Store design and operational improvements to
560 more of its company-owned freestanding and mall-based Communications Stores in 2009, bringing the improvements to 830 of its 2,500 company-owned outlets.
The 2,500 outlets also include company-operated kiosks in malls and company-operated stores-within-a-store in retail outlets not owned by the carrier, said a spokesman who declined to specify the number of kiosks and stores-within-a-store.
In another retail announcement, Verizon Wireless said it teamed with regional appliance/electronics chain P.C. Richard and Son to open carrier-operated stores-within-a-store in the chain’s more than 30 New York/New Jersey metro area stores.
The Evolution Store improvements, which debuted last year, include:
- expanded displays of products and services. The displays include more than 70 working phones, smartphones, PC cards and other wireless devices.
- automated greeter kiosks that let customers check in and list their needs, allowing customers to browse the store without losing their place in line if there is a wait for a salesperson.
- a dedicated demo zone that lets customers use interactive touchscreen workstations that they can use to educate themselves or use with the guidance of a salesperson.
- and SHOPP (Streamlined Hybrid Order Processing Path) sales software system, said to speed up the sales process.
The company also will introduce a new design in 28 company-owned kiosks, where consumers will get more access to live phones.
SO far this year, 23 Communications Stores have received the Evolution Store upgrade in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah.
In the P.C. Richard stores, the Verizon kiosks will carry the carrier’s new Verizon Hub, a VoIP multimedia home phone that integrates with select Verizon Wireless services.
