Telstra has built a high-tech customer insight centre in Sydney that it believes will help it work with clients to develop better connected, cross-platform communication solutions.
The centre is peppered with world firsts and at the core is a 360 degree interactive ring-shaped screen – the first of its kind in the world – developed by Telstra, for Telstra.
The 3600 sq feet centre is part of a $112 million redevelopment of its George Street site that also included its Discovery Store. It includes a 300-person connected auditorium, a 4k-ready broadcast studio, workshop and collaboration spaces, pop-up installations, a restaurant, and “hands-on” technology demonstration areas such as a connected home. It's even got a talking robot called Jed, and a 3D printing machine.
Telstra will spend at least two weeks doing a deep dive preparations for customers, compiling all the content and information onto a personalised iPad the customer receives when they arrive.
Customers get a walk-through tour of each zone, with bespoke solutions mocked up to suit their business needs. Andy Bateman, director of segment marketing at Telstra, told AdNews that the expectation is that as a result of the new insights facility, Telstra can provide better quality solutions for clients – and that its “close rate” on deals would be significantly higher.
There is no minimum spend required from clients to get the benefit of the insight centre and it's open to all Telstra business customers from SMEs to global clients. It's open for business this week, and Telstra expects to have more than 10,000 client meetings in the space this year.
The development for the centre was led by David Woodbridge, general manager of Telstra Experience Centres.
Bateman, says the centre was designed to bring together leading-edge technologies, innovations and insights to shift customers’ expectations of what’s possible in their business.
“Our customer research told us that customers didn't just want a show and tell of the latest technology, but insights from the industry, their business opportunities and challenges might be - through the lens of a telco. You won't get a PowerPoint presentation or a sales deck here – what you will get is a facilitated, curated workshop that identifies opportunities to grow your business and how to take advantage of the opportunities that technology can bring to your business.”
It was two-years in the planning – and Telstra is not disclosing how much it cost to build except for saying “multi million”.
Both the theatre and broadcast studio will also be operated as new revenue streams – available for rent for events and outside companies to use the facilities. The theatre – will also be used as a venue to offer consumer customers experiences, such as exclusive concerts, as part of the Thanks loyalty scheme it runs.
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