Project Overview
As part of a national rebrand designed to celebrate the best of the past by redefining it for the future, Optus Singtel embarked on a redesign of their single biggest brand experience touchpoint...their retail stores.
The second-ranked mobile carrier worked with greater group to redefine the customer experience, introducing innovative design, interactive selling tools and communications to deliver an experiential store.
As part of a 300 store rollout, George Street is the premier flagship in Sydney.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
GREATER GROUP
CEO Global: Neil Arrowsmith
Creative Director: Bob Angley
General Manager - Design: Chris Ballard
General Manager - Design Production: Max Durack
CEO Asia: Ryan Arrowsmith
OPTUS SINGTEL
Managing Director: Rohan Ganeson
VP Retail Transition: Phillip Wise
VP Retail Sales: Michele Garra
National Retail Development Manager: Adam Morris
Project Brief
Optus launched a different look in the market with a new logo, a new feel and a new way of speaking to customers in July 2013. This was the beginning of something big to deliver on the promise of yes – the very commitment their business was built on.
greater group's challenge was to redefine the customer experience in the retail stores, bringing to life the new brand identity and showcasing the improved customer experience.
The brief was to create an open smart and innovative store design where customers could experience the product through a series of zones.
We conducted a series of site visits to observe and analyse the existing store experience and design, mapping the customer journey, zoning and category management. In addition we commissioned market research where customers and staff were interviewed to gain additional insights into perceptions, experience and how people shop.
Project Innovation/Need
With the launch of the new brand we made the bold move to brand the store YES rather than the traditional Optus, leading with the attitude of the brand and promise to its customers first.
With key brand principles of warm, simple and new, we created a design which was a quantum shift from the previous design and signified the changes inside and out.
SPACE: A simple and open design enabling both self navigation and consultation
TOUCH: Live product featured on all display tables and wall displays to encourage interaction
COMMUNICATIONS: Bold entry signage and lightboxes used to highlight brand messages which flow to digital screens throughout the zones to promote offers
MODULARITY: We created a modular wall merchandising system which reduced wet trades onsite during the fitout process and delivered full flexibility for merchandising changeout.
INTERACTIVITY: A series of interactive zones have been created to showcase live devices and digital signage.
SPEED: The success of a retail rollout is reducing downtime and loss of sales experienced during the fitout process. We have been able to achieve a significantly reduced onsite fitout time of just 14 days, saving 10 days from the previous design.
Design Challenge
The new brand was lighter and brighter and we wanted to replicate this in the look and feel of the store so all tables appear to float in the space through the use of clear glass bases and bold blue circular ceiling light features have been introduced to draw people through the space.
Flexibility was key to enable Optus to keep the store experience fresh, we designed a flexible wall display system to enable change of product, communications and merchandising including use of magnetic graphics and clip frame and signage systems.
With a national rollout, modularity is key to our design solutions, all joinery created is designed to work across all 5 formats in the Optus network.
User Experience
Redefining the customer experience to mirror the brand promise of YES mean't creating a design which naturally flowed from one zone to another encouraging the customer to browse, self navigate but also to interact with specialist staff in a way that suited their needs. Staff are no longer anchored behind a counter, they roam the store with tablets.
Key zones included:
INTERACTION - live devices showcased in a central hub
MERCHANDISE - grouped by customer need and showcased with digital communications
CONSULTATION - lounge style seating on an open format
WAIT - generous bench seating which also doubles as additional consultation space
HELP - a dedicated area for technical queries and assistance
Branded Experience
This award celebrates creative and innovative design for branded experiences intended to persuade an audience to purchase or take some action upon products, ideas or services. Consideration given to the technical, conceptual and aesthetic elements, user experience, audience engagement and message delivery.
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