Special Announcement Revealed!

[Alan_K]

Hey Community,

A couple weeks ago, we let you know that we had a special announcement coming soon and since then, we’ve enjoyed reading all of your comments about what it might be. As much as we’d love it to be a hot slice of pizza in the mail or a free Samsung Galaxy S10+ (thanks for the suggestion @Pizzaeh), we think the hype matches the announcement. Cue the drum roll please…

Starting this spring, we will begin to launch our own branded kiosks across Canada. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, (which many of you correctly guessed @NDesai, @dna2016, @Knockali - look out for your *winning prize*), we think it's important to tell you why we’re making this change. In 2017, we began expanding our business model from selling SIMs solely online to retail partners like Wal-mart and WOW! Mobile to name a few, in order to give more Canadians the ability to find, buy and activate Public Mobile. We wanted to ensure that everyone had easy access, not only online but in person at a retail location near you. With the launch of our own kiosks, we are continuing to build on these efforts while maintaining our focus on giving Canadians more choice on where and how they purchase and service their wireless needs.

As we continue to evolve, our vision remains the same: we’re focused on doing wireless differently; offering all Canadians more choice, freedom and value on Canada’s largest mobile network.

Have more questions? We have more information below. Have any suggestions on how we should celebrate this significant milestone? Leave us a comment.

The Public Mobile Team

FAQ

Spoiler

How many kiosks are you opening and where?

Right now, we have plans to launch up to 15 kiosks in 2019. These kiosks will be nationwide, though the exact mall locations for all of the kiosks are yet be determined and will be announced closer to the time.

The first four that are confirmed to open this Spring are in Galeries D’Anjou (Montreal, QC), Edmonton CIty Centre (Edmonton, AB), Marlborough Mall (Calgary, AB) and Richmond Centre (Richmond, BC).

Why have you changed your strategy?

Our strategy has changed to reflect the growing prepaid market and needs of Canadians where transactions predominantly happen in retail. That said, our  mission has and will always remain the same: to do wireless differently and give Canadians more control on their wireless, through more choice and flexibility while making no compromises on the things that matter most:  value and good network experience.

Why open kiosks and not full-blown corporate stores?

We’re opting for kiosks rather than big corporate stores because we felt this approach better aligns with our overall business model of providing a no frills experience at a low cost on a great network. We even took our frugal, no frills model into the design process of the kiosks. We look forward to sharing design details with you closer to launch.

Will you sell devices?

At this time, no. However, we are always looking at ways to continue to improve the customer experience.

Will store representatives at kiosks provide customer support?

While our store representatives will assist customers activating on Public Mobile, we will continue to offer customer support online.

I love Public Mobile! Can I work at the kiosk?

We love you too! And yes, calling all Public Mobile brand ambassadors to apply. Check out our job page for all the deets and to see if a kiosk is launching in a mall near you.

https://telus.taleo.net/careersection/publicmobile/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en

[Camelia_M]

Hi @Sharry19,

We’re making this change in order to give more people the ability to find, buy and activate Public Mobile.

We wanted to ensure that everyone had easy access, not only online but in person at a retail location near them.

That said, our mission has and will always remain the same: to do wireless differently and give Canadians more control on their wireless, through more choice and flexibility while making no compromises on the things that matter most: value and good network experience.

[NDesai]

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@will13am wrote:

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@NDesai wrote:

That's awesome. Hard to believe we now have this when we had nothing about 2 years ago. PM have done a great job to expand and create awareness of this brand. I can only hope for better things to come....

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Your dreams of promoting full speed LTE data plans won't be met with this expansion, not unless the competition goes that way. 

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Don't worry, we'll get there 

[Sharry19]

@Camelia_M Just wondering if this will increase the cost of our monthly plans because before it was LESS FOR LESS but now it will be different !!

[denis2]

Why is everybody beeing so negative about this announcement, when we joined we knew that this was an online help platform, for one i am happy i dont have to deal with phone reps in who knows what country to solve my problems. This is what i chose to switch to and so far i am satisfied with the help i have gotten from all of you on line. So you did not get your pizza, get over it.

[FBR]

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@RobertQc wrote:

Paying a mall spot rental at least 3 locations, having to hire a store manager, full time employee and part time employee (I can see this from the job postings), wsib, cpp, ei, holiday pay, etc just to be able to activate when we can already do it ourselves. As usual, a way to promote or increase business, good walk through traffic yes, but nothing to help the existing customers or solve any of the issues we can not already solve ourselves.

These kiosks will not provide any help outside of the initial activation which means they will take your money and at the first sign of trouble say "too bad, cant help you", tell you to go to the community forum then turn their back on you and start activating the next person in line, just like all the other retailers meanwhile the ones who are getting paid pennies per hour are getting hyped up about nothing while dealing with these angry customers watching the same problems not get fixed since launch.

TL;DR

Disappointed as finding coal in my stocking after mom said I was getting a special present this year.

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My thoughts exactly as well. If PM is paying wages and leasing kiosk locations, might as well train and give staff the ability to fix problems.

Otherwise, I don't see any huge benefit of this move. -- imho

[Camelia_M]

Hi @Lieux,

While our store representatives will assist customers activating on Public Mobile, we will continue to offer customer support online. 

Why? Because we stand by our online support model as we believe it’s easier, faster and more convenient than traditional support models.

Having an online support model is one of the many ways we are able to pass savings on to our customers in the form of Rewards and dollars off their plan.

Also, we’ve been working tirelessly to improve and enhance our support model with many exciting changes rolling out this year, which we will start sharing very soon.

[ShawnC13]

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@dararara wrote:

So now there will be people who are not very tech literate seeing Public Mobile kiosks outside, thinking it’s something good, signing up for it. And then when they have a problem, they’ll be on their own, and they’ll have to waste a lot of time trying to figure out how all of this community thing works. You’re trying to “compete” with Chatr and Lucky, but you’re forgetting that they provide customer service over the phone for the same price. Public Mobile should just stay underground where only the people who know how things work would know about it.

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We have those people signing up now.

[will13am]

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@NDesai wrote:

That's awesome. Hard to believe we now have this when we had nothing about 2 years ago. PM have done a great job to expand and create awareness of this brand. I can only hope for better things to come....

---

Your dreams of promoting full speed LTE data plans won't be met with this expansion, not unless the competition goes that way. 

[dararara]

If you’re happy just because there’ll now be another place where the only thing they do is basically sell you a SIM Card $10, I have no words. This Special Announcement is an abomination, especially after all that hype.

[denis2]

you cant make everyone happy

[RobertQc]

Paying a mall spot rental at least 3 locations, having to hire a store manager, full time employee and part time employee (I can see this from the job postings), wsib, cpp, ei, holiday pay, etc just to be able to activate when we can already do it ourselves. As usual, a way to promote or increase business, good walk through traffic yes, but nothing to help the existing customers or solve any of the issues we can not already solve ourselves.

These kiosks will not provide any help outside of the initial activation which means they will take your money and at the first sign of trouble say "too bad, cant help you", tell you to go to the community forum then turn their back on you and start activating the next person in line, just like all the other retailers meanwhile the ones who are getting paid pennies per hour are getting hyped up about nothing while dealing with these angry customers watching the same problems not get fixed since launch.

TL;DR

Disappointed as finding coal in my stocking after mom said I was getting a special present this year.

[dararara]

Yeah, a senior who rarely, if ever, uses a computer will love getting help from the community.

[smp99]

I hope the Kiosk staff will know the difference between activating in store or online. Or maybe the promos can read "Activate online OR at one of our NEW kiosks"

This is a good move - but if all they are doing is selling SIMS, I can see a lot of downtime.

I'm not sure this announcement required a 2 week teaser thread.

[denis2]

They will not be on their own, the community is there, only on line instead og on hold, oups i mean on phone

[dararara]

So now there will be people who are not very tech literate seeing Public Mobile kiosks outside, thinking it’s something good, signing up for it. And then when they have a problem, they’ll be on their own, and they’ll have to waste a lot of time trying to figure out how all of this community thing works. You’re trying to “compete” with Chatr and Lucky, but you’re forgetting that they provide customer service over the phone for the same price. Public Mobile should just stay underground where only the people who know how things work would know about it.

[FBR]

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@mimmo wrote:

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@FBR wrote:

Does this mean a staff at the kiosk can resolve a problem for a customer faster? Compared to using the moderator team here?

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No support is still done via community.  Maybe they will offer a computer for customers to interact in the community when at the kiosk, or allow staff to teach customers on the community. 

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If the kiosk staff is being paid wages from public mobile, I think it would make sense to give them power or admin rights to fix problems on the spot, rather than direct them to the community forums.

This is just my opinion.

[NDesai]

That's awesome. Hard to believe we now have this when we had nothing about 2 years ago. PM have done a great job to expand and create awareness of this brand. I can only hope for better things to come....

[cavemantoronto]

Own kiosk meaning under Public name but all corporate or franchised out?

[wickedgx]

Intresting business decision. I hope they expand in Ontario in the future.

Also sadface that it's not an annouancement for current customers but still good for the overall brand of Public Mobile.

[Lieux]

@Camelia_M I don't understand...why the staff would not help the customers with problems??? They will not be trained in public mobile site and problems?

[will13am]

I thought I would see price increasing coming hidden in the spoiler.  I suppose with the competing prepaid brands having stores, it is hard to compete effectively with online only.  Being able to work effectively with the current service model, I can't say that I am excited by this announcement.  On the less selfish side, I am happy to see Public Mobile expanding as this is testimony that the market likes the brand. 

[SD08]

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Thanks for letting us know, Alan.

One thing I'd definitely expect from these kiosks:  Unlike at Walmart, customers should definitely be able to get SIMS without being forced to activate in-store.

[popping]

Great choice for the Marlborough Mall location in Calgary.  It is not a high end mall like the Chinook Mall or Market Mall.  It fits the PM no frill model.  The Marlborough Mall WM mobile store just need to tell the new subscribers to buy SIM at the nearby PM kiosk. lol

[CellGirl]

Awesome news 🙂

Ensure there's a kiosk in the Oshawa/Whitby area  😄

[Camelia_M]

Hi @FBR,

The store representatives will be able to help out with the activation process, all other issues will be handled thru the community 🙂

Camelia_M

[mimmo]

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@FBR wrote:

Does this mean a staff at the kiosk can resolve a problem for a customer faster? Compared to using the moderator team here?

---

No support is still done via community.  Maybe they will offer a computer for customers to interact in the community when at the kiosk, or allow staff to teach customers on the community. 

[ShawnC13]

Thanks for the reveal @Alan_K , I wonder when I kiosk will be near me.  Part Time job at night could make more than community rewards lol.  I see this as PM evolving into more of a mainstream provider and not on the fringe from when I joined.  I just hope this doesn't mean higher costs coming down on us the end user.  

[FBR]

Does this mean a staff at the kiosk can resolve a problem for a customer faster? Compared to using the moderator team here?

[Lieux]

Finally!!!!

Interesting I can't wait to see what this will give and especially when there will be one in my city!!

And I hope the staff will not oblige anyone to activate at the kiosk the sim card we just bought!!

[dna2016]

I KNEW IT.  Makes sense, because I don't see anything else getting that type of hype beforehand.  As long as it's a kiosk and not a retail location, too much money to lease out a brick & mortar, just ask HBC and Sears about that.  

I think this is a good idea, I think strategically looking at where to have kiosks set up is going to be the interesting part.  Hi traffic malls will have big leases attached to it.  This is going to be interesting to see where this leads to as well (i.e. more advertising).  This is good, so that customers can finally not have to fight with those Walmart reps for a $10 SIM card.