now happening at c spire

C Spire Wireless opens new state-of-the-art retail store in Laurel to showcase personalized wireless services

2013-07-18

Store offers hands-on, interactive retail experience to help customers choose wireless devices, apps, content and accessories to best meet their individual needs

Laurel, Miss. (July 18, 2013) – C Spire Wireless, the only U.S. provider that makes wireless service conveniently personal for customers, today announced the grand opening of its new 3,400 square foot prototype retail store in Laurel.

The new, state-of-the-art store, located at 1203 Highway 15 N, features C Spire’s latest open floor plan design, wireless devices, feature and smart phones and accessories, as well as the company’s industry-leading personalization program, which gives customers apps and content that fit who they are, services that anticipate their needs and rewards for using their phone in new ways.

The store, which was previously located at 330 North 16th Avenue, officially opens today with a 10:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting, reception and celebration featuring C Spire executives, elected officials and local business and community leaders in Laurel and Jones County. Food, prizes and giveaways will also be a part of the grand opening.

The Laurel store has a state-of-the-art, hands-on design to engage customers and provides a “try before you buy” personalized service experience, according to Trey Upchurch, market manager for C Spire. Upchurch and his 17 -member staff are trained to assist consumer and business customers with individual purchasing decisions, personalized customer service and technical support. Regular store hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“C Spire is customer inspired and we want customers to feel that from the moment they walk through our doors,” said Stephanie Kilpatrick, regional manager of Retail Operations for C Spire Wireless. “Our new retail design makes it easy for customers to learn more and fully immerse themselves in the personalized wireless experience.”

Kilpatrick said the Laurel store features C Spire’s new open floor plan that removes barriers between the service area and sales floor, making the entire store one environment designed to personalize the customer experience. The store showcases a highly interactive and engaging retail concept and offers consumers a more high-tech, personalized experience, providing them with the latest and most innovative products and services.

Among the new store’s features are:

  • A distinctive exterior design that reinforces the unique personalized experience customers receive
  • A redesigned entry area where customers can relax as C Spire retail staff help them through every step of personalizing their wireless experience
  • Placement and organization of smartphones, tablets, wireless modems, mobile hotspots and other devices along the walls so customers and retail staff can receive more personalized service
  • A new Engage area is the hub of store activity with compelling, interactive high-definition screens that demonstrate all of the benefits of personalized wireless available only from C Spire. Customers can interact with the touchscreen displays or browse on tablet computers in the lounge area to learn more about industry-first products and services like PERCS, the company’s personalized rewards and customer engagement program and Circle, the company’s community forum that engages consumers in a two-way conversation about products, services and their wireless experience.
  • A reconfigured consultation area in the center of the store where C Spire retail CREW staff can work alongside customers at casual café style stations to give personalized attention to their wireless needs.

“We’re proud of our new store, but we’re even more excited about continuing to contribute to the economic development of this region,” Kilpatrick said. The new retail location builds on C Spire’s significant capital and network investments in Laurel and the surrounding area, including the roll out of 4G LTE mobile broadband services last year.

“Expansion of C Spire’s retail operations is good news for consumers and businesses in the city of Laurel and the surrounding area. C Spire is a great corporate neighbor and we really appreciate the investments they continue to make in our community and in our people,” said Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee. “This announcement reinforces their high level of commitment to providing our residents and businesses with access to the latest wireless technology, including a strong network, a wide variety of devices, plans, apps and more.”

Local business leaders echoed Magee’s praise of the company’s decision to select Laurel as one of the first markets for its new prototype retail store design. “Any opportunity for business growth and enhanced wireless coverage in Laurel is great for the business community and residents alike,” said Mitch Stennett, president of the Economic Development Authority of Jones County.

“Business development and growth, along with advances in available technology that include expansion and provision of high-speed wireless, services and applications, are all elements that make Laurel attractive for continued economic development,” Stennett said. “We appreciate C Spire’s continued investment in Jones County.”

For more information on C Spire’s retail operations, network expansion and overall community investment, visit www.cspire.com.

About C Spire Wireless
C Spire Wireless is a diversified wireless communications and technology services company passionately committed to making wireless service conveniently personal. The company is the first in the U.S. to personalize customer service by powering its fast 3G and 4G LTE networks with extensive optical fiber infrastructure, offering plans with unlimited and shared voice and data, products and services with key customer-inspired elements and the industry’s first engagement-based rewards program. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire Wireless and its products and services, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire, Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire, Google + or www.pinterest.com/cspirewireless.