Rogers shows off new “community” retail store designs

Today Rogers announced and presented their new “community” retail store design. Their flagship downtown Toronto location has been remodelled to show off its new retail strategy, one that Rogers execs hope to make customers feel at home.

I quickly popped into the new Rogers Store experience and this particular location in Toronto (Yonge and Bloor ) is bright and inviting. There are many cool aspects such as a live devices (smartphone and tablets) for customers to use, free Wi-Fi and a plethora of Rogers magazines to flip through. Apparently 8/10 people who walk through their stores are Rogers customers looking to either upgrade, talk about their account, get assistance, or sign up for a new service (not just limited to wireless but possible internet, cable, home phone).

As you’ll see in the pics there’s a dedicated section on the right hand side of the store where customers can sit with a Rogers rep – at a round tablet that was designed to encourage communication and openness – where they can see their account and what services are available to them. In addition, a “community table” that’s similar to what some Starbucks coffee shops have has been included into the design. This allows Rogers to hold various educational sessions that might surround “understanding Android or “how-to” classes with customers. A calendar has been plastered on the wall that showcases daily events in the Rogers world, such as what’s on TV, or when the next Blue Jays game is on. The future plan is to make the calendar completely interactive and electronic, but for now it’s paper and plastic.

Rogers already has this concept live in Toronto, Barrie, Vancouver and will roll out to all their locations across Canada. Sian Doyle, VP of Retail at Rogers said “Service and community are at the heart of our innovative new stores. This store opening is part of a larger retail transformation to enhance how we service and sell to our customers.”