2degrees rolls out the welcome mat

2degrees rolls out the welcome mat

first retail store opens

2degrees has rolled out the welcome mat, literally, with the launch of their first retail stores.

According to Chief Sales Officer, Mark Cleary, the company has spent many a long month in creating the store concept to ensure that the space was just right for customers to come and meet 2degrees face-to-face for the first time.

“From word go, we’ve made it free and easy for customers to contact us at any time of the day or night, through our call centre. However, with the rapid growth in customer numbers and the continual release of new products and services, it’s key for 2degrees to make a commitment to a complete retail presence,” says Mark.

Modeled on the traditional ‘Kiwi backyard’, customers step on the welcome mat when they enter the store and are greeted with signs of home; the traditional white-wash weatherboard wall, the wooden deck and garden fence.

“We’re delighted with how the stores have developed. They are warm and welcoming, there is nothing sterile or clinical about them,” he says.

The effort put into the store has been equal to the effort that 2degrees has shown in selecting the right retail store staff.

“We spent a lot of time identifying people for the stores. Ensuring that not only were they sharp when it came to the product and technology, but that they were people who could listen, engage and be very good communicators,” says Mark.

For Mark, an industry veteran who at one stage in his career had oversight of over 100 mobile retail stores across Ireland, the move into the retail space for 2degrees is not without its risks.

“People are saying that the retail sector is still struggling and it hasn’t really emerged from the recession. We’re bucking the trend and are one of only a limited number of New Zealand companies making new investments in retail.

“We’ve taken the approach to open our own stores, yet also back a number of accredited dealers who will be opening 2degrees stores of their own across New Zealand over the next six months. Some of them will also be based on the road so they offer the added benefit of going direct to customers,” says Mark.

2degrees will open its first retail store in Sylvia Park, Auckland on Wednesday 13 October, followed by Newmarket, Auckland and a store in Wellington CBD within the following week. The 2degrees owned Christchurch store is planned to open shortly with lots more stores in rollout to come.

2degrees commitment to the retail sector will generate over 200 new jobs over the next 12 months through its own stores and accredited dealer stores.

ENDS

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