Picture this: you walk into a telecom store, but instead of just seeing rows of phones and gadgets, there's…a bunch of people playing Xbox? What’s going on here?
I saw this tactic firsthand a few weeks ago when I visited EE’s spectacular new experience store in Gateshead at The Metro Centre mall.
Those of us with backgrounds in retail and store design know how important immersive experiences are to attracting customers and getting them to spend time in a store. And while video games are fun (who doesn't love a bit of digital escapism, right?), they’re also a clever way to advertise those complementary high-value services, like fibre and virtual gaming services.
In this article, I will spotlight how a few telcos from around the world are using gaming today, as well as give some tips that will help you introduce a gaming element to your brand. Let’s dive in!
Three Telcos Who Are Leveraging Gaming
Here are three interesting examples of telcos who are using gaming in different ways to appeal to customers and drive new revenue.
EE
As I mentioned above, EE is a beautiful example of a telco whose store design has gone all-in on gaming. Their flagship features several different game zones, including those for PC gaming, console gaming, as well as pods that replicate the experience of driving and flying - complete with steering and foot pedals.
Not only is this a feast for the senses, there’s no doubt in my mind that EE is well positioned to increase their sales of gaming bundles and plans that will support the demands of the modern gamer.
Telstra
In Australia, Telstra has taken their gaming positioning up a notch. Not only do their stores feature similar interactive gaming zones and VR experiences, but they sell gaming gear and services on their website. Customers can purchase consoles, controllers, and accessories online, alongside more traditional telco offerings.
Telstra also offers some gaming-based value-added services. One is their Game Optimiser service. This $10 monthly subscription lets users configure their home network settings to prioritize the demands of their game, thus maximizing their performance.
They also offer Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as a monthly subscription, which gives gamers access to 100 games on their console, PC or mobile. These charges are reflected on their monthly bill.
Not only are these services a great source of recurring revenue, but they help further cement Telstra as the provider of choice for Australian gamers.
Zain
Another great example of a telco that is leveraging gaming is Zain in Kuwait. There are an estimated 5.8 million gamers in the Kingdom. In 2020, Zain recognized that gaming services accounted for the majority of their data traffic.
In response, they launched Zain eSports, a series of online gaming tournaments in partnership with EA Sports. This was a pretty safe bet. According to Statista, the eSports market is booming, and by 2025, they anticipate there will be over 318 million eSports enthusiasts worldwide.
Like Telstra, Zain also offers cloud gaming add-ons. Customers can subscribe to GeForce, giving them access to 1500 popular games.
Five Tips For Incorporating Gaming
Are you thinking about using gaming to enhance your retail experience and drive new revenue? Here are some things to consider.
- Research Your Market & Audience: First, take the time to understand if gaming will work for your market. Do you have the fibre and 5G connections that are needed to offer these services? What are your competitors doing? You’ll also want to analyze your network traffic, like Zain did. If a lot of users are using their data for gaming, that’s a good sign that there’s an opportunity here. You’ll also want to research what types of gaming experiences resonate with your market, as this will direct your investment (mobile, VR, console games, etc.).
- Showcase Gaming In Your Retail Stores: Next, you’ll want to promote gaming in your retail stores. Be sure to include great experiential elements like EE’s, as well as information on your supporting offers (like high-speed connections, add-on services, etc.). The goal should be to draw customers in with those great experience components, then prove the value of your services. As a bonus, even non-gamers will be attracted to the lights and sounds on showcase, driving overall footfall and dwell time.
- Showcase Gaming On Your E-Commerce Site: Your interest in gaming shouldn’t end at your retail store. Take a page out of Telstra’s book and be sure to offer gaming products and services online too. This could include everything from hardware and accessories, to gaming subscriptions. Be sure to present these services as add-ons when customers purchase new 5G plans or sign up for new fibre connections. Customers that purchase premium services are likely to overlap with the gaming crowd, so it’s a sure way to increase that basket size.
- Build A Community: If you are ready to go all-in on gaming, follow Zain’s example and host gaming events and tournaments. These can even take place in your store to further drive attention and traffic. However you do it, building a community will bring customers together and help create memorable experiences that transcend the transaction.
- Monitor Your Success: Like with any initiative, you’ll need to continuously monitor its success, gather feedback, and identify areas for improvement. Track your sales volumes, NPS scores, and conversion rates, and take action where necessary.
Wrap Up
Gaming is a great opportunity for telcos to transform how they interact with customers and drive sales. By investing in this category, you can literally “level up” by captivating a new segment of customers and securing new sources of revenue.
Will Gibson
Offering insight and concrete solutions for telcos looking to take their business to the next level.
