If you want to get a hint of where AT&T is executing on its initial vision of its 3 Screen strategy, you can check out their new AT&T Experience Store in Houston.
A couple of things to note:
1. It's a big store....more than 5,000 square-feet. Eye-catching tattoos. High-tech speakers. Pulsating beats. Four dozen screens. The latest, coolest, hottest wireless phones.
2. This is the first of many planned conversions of company-owned Cingular stores from wireless-centric spaces to a high-energy retail format that showcases AT&T’s complete provider profile.
3. This is first public display to to demonstrate the benefits of housing AT&T’s product suite under one roof. It is also the first to feature a fully integrated media experience made possible through convergence by encouraging interaction with the company’s extensive portfolio of wireless, broadband, video and wireline voice products and services via several experience and personalization stations located throughout the store.
4. The store will feature several new retail concepts including six integrated “customer experience” stations encouraging customer interaction with cutting edge wireline, wireless and converged services.
5. Stations Include:
AT&T Entertainment: The focal point of the store, customers will be invited to watch AT&T U-verse TV and AT&T Homezone service demonstrations on three 52” high-definition plasma televisions, test drive both the Web-based and wireless remote access feature, experience high definition programming and browse an extensive video on demand catalogue in this section.
AT&T Home Connections: Customers will be able to browse the Internet, customize AT&T Yahoo! homepage portals, and test AT&T Remote Monitoring through a remote camera set up in the store via wireless phones.
Music: Customers will be able to listen to XM Satellite Radio on wireless phones, Bluetooth headphones, and Bluetooth external speakers and also transfer personalized music content via laptop or mobile phone. The new iPhone, when it becomes available in the near future, will also be showcased at this station.
Gaming: Using wireless phones, Bluetooth stereo headsets, and laptops, personnel will demonstrate game downloading to wireless phones and store laptops at this station.
Messaging and Video: This station will highlight 3G phones and Bluetooth accessories and will provide customer interaction with multimedia messaging and photo and video sharing capabilities.
Laptop Mobility, E-mail and Data: Geared toward road warriors, on-the-go customers, and small business owners, this front-of-store station will include wireless phones, PDAs, smartphones, GPS, and Bluetooth accessories. Customers will be encouraged to interact with e-mail and Microsoft applications across these devices.
Also, in the very cool department, from the phone company as we no longer know it, there will be a centrally located Personal Style Studio that will showcase high-end accessories and will allow customers to purchase external wireless features like ringtones, crystal handset designs, and phone “tattoos,” or pictures customers can download to a laptop in-store, print on a sticker, and apply to wireless phones.
Other unique features include four dozen screens located throughout the store. On these screens, visitors can learn about and experience a variety of AT&T products and services including broadband, wireless, voice and video throughout the store and six 32-inch LCD displays running digital messages informing customers about a variety of lifestyle, product benefits and features. A series of “Guided Selling Kiosks” also provide valuable information to assist employees and customers during the sales process.
According to an AT&T news release, the move is part of the multifaceted campaign launched in January to transition the Cingular brand to AT&T, one of the best-known and iconic brands in the world, and a key initiative in the company’s ongoing commitment to integrate its wireline and wireless operations and strengthen its position as a complete provider of communications and entertainment services.
The store is located at 3773 Southwest Freeway, it is the first of several additional AT&T Experience Stores to open throughout the 22-state local service territory this year with San Antonio and Atlanta locations slated to open in May.
It's good to see AT&T transitioning their retial initiatives. I will be visiting the store in mid-April. More news (and video) to follow. It will also be interesting to see how they launch and merchandise the upcoming Apple iPhone....
Laurie Flynn from The New York Times has an expanded story you can read here....
