News

AT&T testing new store concept in Chicago

November 16, 2011

AT&T, with 2,300 stores, is one of the country's largest retailers, but now it's on a mission to be the best when it comes to customer service.

The company has been studying some of the most successful names in the customer service business and coming up with some new ideas on how to better sell and support cell phones, Internet service and other products, according to a story in AllThingsD.

Saturday is its first test when it opens its new concept retail store in suburban Chicago. The store has wide open windows, two giant interactive touchscreen walls, features a lot of open space, and is twice the size of the company's typical locations – 10,000 square feet. Customers can also sit on open bar-stool style seats and tables to test devices and services.

Focusing on self-service

AT&T staff will use a combo of iPads and iPhones to handle some of the store's transactions, replacing its usual row of cash register terminals.

The Chicago store is technically the second of the company's two concept stores, however the first one is inside AT&T's headquarters in Atlanta and is only open to employees.

Read more about store design and layout.