Vodafone Expanding UK Retail Store Outlets

Vodafone UK has announced plans to open a further 50 retail stores over the coming financial year, taking its total to 400. The expansion plans build on VodafoneÃ's announcement in March that it would be recruiting over 300 more retail employees. These new stores will create approximately 200 additional roles in retail.

The new stores will start to appear on the high street and in shopping centres from September starting with Bristol Cabot Circus and White City London in September and Liverpool One in October. It is planned that the majority of the new retail locations will be found, and work completed to turn them into stores by spring 2009.

"Vodafone UK is focused on ensuring that our customers get the best customer service experience possible on the high street," Tom Devine, director of consumer sales for Vodafone UK, explains. "To deliver this we need to make sure that our customers and potential customers can speak face-to-face with a retail advisor at a town near them. This multi-million pound investment will bring our total number of stores to 400 and ensure we can not only meet, but surpass our customersÃ' expectations."

In June 2006 Vodafone unveiled its new concept in store design with its bold change to the appearance of the store, and most of the new stores will follow the new design, which includes defined zones such as a 'self-serviceÃ' area at the front of the store for products including phone covers and top-ups, as well as online self-help, while at the back of the store there will be a 'pharmacy for phonesÃ' where customers can receive advice on a phone or service.

Vodafone is also investing in technology to make serving customers easier for its retail teams and improve the speed of service. Following a trial with Cable&Wireless, new broadband connections are being rolled out to stores to improve the speed of tills and back office systems which will quicken the time it takes to purchase or order a new phone, pay a bill or update account information. The roll out of broadband will also increase bandwidth and allow Vodafone to use more innovative in-store displays such as digital signage which will give helpful tips and hints, and information on the latest offers.

Posted to the site on 13th August 2008