In the heart of the Eastleigh business centre, a new journey in business and technology has begun.
It is called a phygital shop as it brings to life the concept in marketing where digital experiences are blended with physical ones.
Walking into the new Safaricom Business outlet at the BBS mall, you are drawn to the blend of technology and customer-centric zones that allow you to have an experience like no other.
Safaricom hopes that the shop will help inform customers about their products beyond the well-known offerings – telecommunication and internet access – an idea that has long been on the agenda of the Enterprise Business Unit.
“Setting up an Enterprise-led outlet has long been a dream of ours, and we have designed this shop to reflect the journey we are on in the pursuit of frictionless customer service. The different experiential zones in this shop will meet the diverse needs of the business community in Eastleigh and surrounding areas in a unique way. Our aim is to make this shop a hub where customers can experience the full spectrum of what Safaricom Business has to offer,” said Cynthia Karuri-Kropac, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Safaricom PLC.
When you walk into this space, your first point of contact is the Queue Management System machine, where you log in with your specific request.
The Queue Management System (QMS) machine.
The machine issues a ticket that allows you to go to the specific area where your needs will be served.
This phygital experience, where physical and digital worlds meet, is a first for Safaricom and the country.
The first stop is the Enterprise Zone, where you can interact with the Safaricom business hub on tablets.
The device showcase area
Here, you get to experience the Safaricom business solutions to see what they can do for you.
The solutions range from cyber security to the 5G Internet for Business to IoT (Internet of Things), business voice data and SMS, cloud solutions, and 5G routers.
At this zone, you learn about each offering, understand the benefits, pricing, and various plans, and then you can make an informed decision.
They also showcase endpoint security on the devices (tablets).
Endpoint security on a tablet means that the user can block out access to certain apps and the internet.
For example, if you have a tablet running the My County app, it prevents the user from accessing other apps such as Google, Instagram, etc.
For IoT, a user can experience how it works through gamified screens.
The IoT Zone
Here, you can experience IoT solutions, including asset tracking, fleet management, smart water meters, and transportation tags.
From the shop, you can buy IoT SIM cards, which are special SIM cards that enable users to track anything they have been installed in, such as vehicles. The SIM cards were used to track rally cars at this year’s WRC Safari Rally.
At the shop, users can see in real-time how these SIM cards work.
There will also be dedicated brand ambassadors to guide customers on a range of devices, including Kenyan-assembled 4G phones and other phone accessories.
Additionally, the shop has meeting pods. The soundproof meeting pods are specifically designed to ensure that when the Safaricom team is engaging with customers, if they want some moment of privacy, they can simply go in and have meetings.
The Soundproof meeting pods
Towards the back, there is a tech bar area where customers who have device issues can be sorted.
The tech bar
Just next to the tech bar is the discovery zone, which looks like a movie theatre experience.
The discovery zone
At this zone, the Safaricom team will be able to do demos to educate customers on their various product and service offerings.
Additionally, this space can also be disassembled to form a working space where people can work, or the Safaricom team can have practical experiences with any of the product services that they currently have or intend to launch.
A self-service area enables customers to do two things.
The self-service area
First, it allows you to rate Safaricom on the service you have experienced in this store, meaning instant customer feedback.
Secondly, it provides specific processes that enable you to perform some of the services yourself, meaning that you don’t have to come in and wait in line.
Some of these include SIM replacement, M-PESA reversal, and M-PESA statements.
With its new outlet, Safaricom has not only created a space for entrepreneurs but has also set the stage for a new era in customer experience, delivering technology-first services.
