POPAI Industry Leaders visit Telstra Discovery Centre Melbourne

28.06.2016

Retail and consumer goods leaders visited the flagship Telstra Discovery Centre in Melbourne today for an exclusive POPAI event exploring the changing face of retail.

Telstra’s Director of Retail Operations, Andrew Smith, hosted representatives of major brands including The Good Guys, JB HiFi, Blackmores, Dulux and Travel Money Group in a tour of Telstra’s flagship centre, followed by a keynote presentation from Managing Director of experiential agency TRO.

Key aspects of the store that featured in the tour included the ‘tap and take’ information capability, 3D heat mapping, and traffic counters to help manage service.

“Our Melbourne Discovery  store aims to bring together the best in digital and physical retail so that people can explore  world class technology and interact with Telstra when, where and how they choose,” said Mr Smith.

“Our aim is for customers to never have to go looking for a staff member.  We focus on providing the best personalised service when customers need us and the best digital experience when they don’t.

“Our team of tech experts, who have completed extensive training on customer needs and behaviours, can also speak to customers in a range of languages and dialects, including  Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkein, French, Spanish, Malay,  Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Nepali, Newari and Vietnamese.”

Other elements of the store showcased to the group included Telstra’s signature window displays, which have become a community fixture in Melbourne, utilising ground-breaking augmented reality technologies.

Rebecca Rynehart, Managing Director of TRO experiential agency, Telstra’s partner in creating the window campaigns, says it’s all about engaging with customers and creating ‘theatre and excitement’ in the Melbourne CBD.

“It’s all about interaction,” said Ms Rynehart. “It’s about brand experience. We want to entice customers to come and just play.  That play starts with the windows. So far customers have been able to create a GIF of themselves with graffiti, literally picture themselves on a tropical island, or be inspired by a constantly changing digital work of art. That sets the tone for coming into the store and playing with a new service or device they’ve heard about but haven’t tried."

POPAI’s General Manager Lee McClymont said the event was a highlight of the year so far.

“As the global peak industry body for retail marketing and shopper experience, our charter is to inspire marketing at retail, worldwide. To have an event like this in a flagship store that is delivering globally leading interactive experiences – this delivers right to the core of that charter. We thank Telstra and TRO for sharing such an inspiring event with our members.”

Further POPAI member retail tours will be held throughout the year and announcements made on www.popai.com.au.

POPAI is the only global, not-for-profit, industry association exclusively operating as the focal point for Marketing at Retail excellence. POPAI has 20 offices covering 45 countries and more than 1,700 members worldwide. General Manager Lee McClymont can be contacted on popai@popai.com.au / 0414 941 585.