Verizon raises the bar with Touchless Retail

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 1, 2020 – Verizon is revolutionizing the way it looks at retail both today and into the future with the introduction of “Touchless Retail” – innovations implemented recently that revolve around making the shopping experience both safer and more satisfying. Touchless Retail leverages both physical and digital changes to reduce the number of physical touchpoints, while streamlining the customer shopping experience.

“We understand how essential it is for our customers to have peace of mind knowing their safety is our first priority as they are transacting business during this unprecedented time” said Krista Bourne, Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations at Verizon. “The Touchless Retail changes we’ve implemented in Verizon retail stores not only contribute to a safer environment today but also will make shopping in our stores more efficient and streamlined in the future.”

With Touchless Retail, customers begin their journey online as they set their in-store appointment for critical troubleshooting or order for in-store pickup and learn about in-store safety measures including the requirements that they wear a face covering.

Upon arrival at the store, exterior and interior social distancing markers, safety partitions, sanitizing stations and employees donning face masks and gloves all ensure the physical observance of public health safety practices. Store hours have been adjusted to allow for one-customer-to-one employee ratio appointments.

Customers use the My Verizon app throughout the process for mobile check-in, product scanning and will soon be able to use it for self-scan verification of IDs. Verizon employees send a link to allow for mobile acceptance of terms and conditions from the customer’s device. When it comes to payment, customers are given a choice to pay through their monthly bill, tap to pay with their phone, self-input their credit card information or even pay with cash through the bill payment kiosk.

Touchless Retail is made up of three key categories: the way customers access the store, along with digital and physical elements:

Accessing the store

• Pre-visit prep
• Schedule an appointment
• Complete an In Store Pick Up order

Physical Elements

• Social distancing decals
• On-floor inventory & demo reduction
• Rep/customer partitions
• Sanitizing stations
• Shifting in-store furniture
• Personal protective equipment
• Enhanced cleaning

Digital Elements

• Mobile Check-In
• Digital Buy & Checkout
• Verizon Pass account verification
• Touchless Cash Payments
• Bill Payment Kiosk to make payments & complete transactions with cash

Many of the changes introduced were not simply in response to the pandemic but in response to consumer preferences for more efficient, digital-based transactions.

Verizon continues to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and ensure greater customer satisfaction. With approximately 70 percent of stores temporarily closed as a result of COVID-19, nearly 10,000 of Verizon’s retail employees have been temporarily redeployed to meet business critical needs, in functions such as customer service and telesales – all from home.

Learn more about Verizon’s Touchless Retail innovation here.