Retail franchise Yakety Yak Wireless’ location in Huntington Beach, Calif., sells devices and service from Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp. (both Sprint and Nextel brands) and soon will offer wares from MetroPCS Communications Inc. It offers services that include contact-list backup and transfer as well as photo printing. The location also serves as a training store where other franchisees learn about providing customer service.
Co-owner and CFO Troy Haar spoke with RCR Wireless News on current and future retail trends.
What are the most popular handsets at your location?
The most popular handsets are going to be the LG 9400, for the mobile television that it has as well as VZ Navigator, with Verizon Wireless. It’s a very hot handset right now due to the fact that it has the flip-screen, and it’s a really nice phone. Another one that just came out, and has had a bit of comparison to the iPhone, is the LG 8700, because of the music capabilities and the sleek look. It has a faster connection speed [than the iPhone] and it’s just more acclimated to the customer.
Which accessories are customers most interested in?
The Bluetooth headsets, especially in California with the new law going into effect [requiring hands-free devices for calling while driving]. Any Bluetooth wireless devices, any type of Bluetooth speakerphone for the cars, and Bluetooth car kits are all very hot. The second we get Bluetooth shipments in, they’re usually gone within a couple of days.
What plans are hot?
Right now, Verizon Wireless has the unlimited messaging plan; on the primary line you pretty much pay $20 more per month, but you get unlimited text, pic and video messaging. People are just wanting to see a carrier that actually has plans that are going to be pretty much good for what they’re doing. Verizon even has [plans] that give people a discount for using the PDA services on their phones, and it’s one of the only ones I’ve compared that does that.
What data add-ons are customers asking for?
One of them is Vcast Mobile TV, also VZ Navigator. Any text messaging plan. . Text is the first thing they’re going to use or keep using. When they’re not using their phone [for voice] , they’re text messaging.
What trends do you expect to see for the rest of the year?
For one, a lot of the minor carriers are going to give the major carriers a run for their money-Cricket, MetroPCS. A lot of the small, minor companies that have unlimited plans-Boost Unlimited is another one. They have plans for $50-$60 a month and they get unlimited text and all that.
Even beyond that, wireless devices are no longer a phone anymore-it’s a device, it’s something that people have their whole lives on. . I see that a lot of the stores are going to have to take more time to provide customer service to the customer, because nobody is going to know how to use the device when they first get it. There’s going to be a lot more attention that has to be paid to that within the storefront. The stores that aren’t doing that are the ones that aren’t going to succeed.
