Verizon's Smart Stores Foster Mobile Lifestyles
By Megan Zielinski, contributing writer
On November 15, Verizon Wireless will open their doors at its newest Destination Store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago—the nation’s largest interactive store to feature the most up-to-date Verizon 4G LTE devices and technologies.
The two story, 10,000 square-feet store will serve as a hands-on learning center—an engaging environment for customers to experience how wireless technology can enhance everyday activities. Specific Lifestyle Zones set up in the Smart Store focuses on popular mobile use categories such as Amplify It, for music lovers; Have Fun, for gamers, Get Fit, for health trackers; Home and on the Go, for monitoring the connected home; and Anywhere Business, for working customers.
“We will engage with our customers to help them discover all that wireless technology can do for their mobile lifestyles. Our trained Zone specialists are equipped to help walk them through how technology can align with their interests and everyday communication needs in their personal and professional lives,” said Brian Pascoe, president, Verizon Wireless Illinois/Wisconsin Region.
In celebration of the grand opening, famous names including Academy and GRAMMY winning music star Jennifer Hudson, Verizon’s very first customer, will debut the new store on November 15 along with granting wishes for domestic violence survivors from the Palatine, Ill. WINGS Metro Center. Verizon will donate $250,000 to the domestic violence shelter made possible from the HopeLine program—a Verizon funding program to domestic violence awareness and shelters nationwide. Other well-known faces will be present at the grand-opening such as social media sensation Matthew Lee Espinosa, who will post video content of the new store opening for millions of Internet followers to see.
Verizon opened the first Smart Stores early this fall in Las Vegas, Nev. Troy, Mich. West Deptford, N.J. and Burbank, California—all 1,700 Verizon stores will be converted into Smart Stores, designed with a brand-new layout and knowledgeable specialists to educate customers on Verizon’s high-quality devices and accessories. The transformation of all stores will enable Verizon to better-connect with customers as they learn how to better-connect their world. “Creating the best customer experience – at every touch point – is our goal as we reinvent retail,” said Domenico D’Ambrosio, executive director national retail operations at Verizon Wireless.
The new stores will continuously unveil special promotions and exclusive offers, host helpful workshops on latest devices, provide easy land-line in-store payment options with installed kiosks, and will be efficiently managed using real-time technologies to keep customer wait-time down and satisfaction rates up.