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

[Jbanks1989]

I agree, only because people won’t be happy with them when they say they can’t help with problems... 

[Jbanks1989]

I hope disgruntled customers won’t get angry at the kiosk workers when they don’t solve their problems... 

[Jbanks1989]

I think it’s a great idea. It will also provide better customer service!

[dna2016]

@SD08  & @Anonymous  got 2 cineplex free admission.  Gonna use that to watch either Captain Marvel or just forget that and wait until the next Avengers   Pretty nice to get something when there wasn't supposed to be something to get to begin with.

[Anonymous]

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@SD08 wrote:

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@dna2016 wrote:

@Alan_K  sweet, got the prize in the mail yesterday, really appreciate it, I definitely wasn't expecting anything.  Thanks big time, will definitely come in handy VERY VERY SOON, lol.

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@dna2016   Let me guess.  You got a PM SIM card?  

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 @SD08 

iirc it was a Dairy Queen gift card or something like that for him being one to guess what the reveal was going to be.

[SD08]

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@dna2016 wrote:

@Alan_K  sweet, got the prize in the mail yesterday, really appreciate it, I definitely wasn't expecting anything.  Thanks big time, will definitely come in handy VERY VERY SOON, lol.

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@dna2016   Let me guess.  You got a PM SIM card?  

[dna2016]

@Alan_K  sweet, got the prize in the mail yesterday, really appreciate it, I definitely wasn't expecting anything.  Thanks big time, will definitely come in handy VERY VERY SOON, lol.

[Lieux]

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@Milk wrote:

Why no Ontario locations?

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Not NOW @Milk ...perhaps later...they wrote that is a beginning...

[Milk]

Why no Ontario locations?

[saje_ward]

Cool. I can see this helping out with referrals. Some of the people that I tell PM about struggle with the online only concept. Having a place they can see and touch may be helpful.

That said, I don't want to see the cost of service increasing.

[c70nut]

Kiosks are preferable to machines, I like dealing with a real person and it makes a job for someone.  A vending machine can't troubleshoot a problem.

[Buzzee24]

I agree about the Walmart Reps (and I do understand they work on commission and have targets) I sent my 12 yr old son in to buy what I thought would be 4 separate sim cards, each with a little set of cardboard directions encasing each and he came back out to get me which took at least half an hour while I walked around the store. I used to work for "Big Red" as I so affectionately call him, and often the systems in-store can have brutal delays. So yay you Public Mobile!

[frank312]

great,thanks PM

[demon1102]

Hopefully the price won't increase to cover the rental and extra wages. 

[Thecrimson1919]

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@popping wrote:

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

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I haven't read all the comments to see if anyone chimed in on this but I think Marlborough Mall is a horrible choice. Sure it's in a lower income area where customers will appreciate the price, yes it's in a mall that will have lower costs but it's also a mall people don't want to go to. There's next to no stores people frequent, it's dirty and there's a walmart attached where you can already activate public mobile. 

Sunridge Mall would be a better choice. It's in the same area, is totally clean and remodeled, has stores people actually go to, would have still have a lower cost compared to Chinook or Market and there's no walmart attached.

I frequent Sunridge because I like the smaller mall and it's a nice mall. I avoid Marlborough like the plague .

[makkahn28]

@stonechucker , @Alan_K , perhaps IF PM had Online Tutorials that go into specifics, then that may render Kiosks obsolete.

The Vending Machines would be more cost effective, and perhaps allow PM to concentrate on more Big Hot topic Issues, like Glitch issues when they occur, Perhaps MORE LTE related Promos, 

Perhaps work on eventually introducing an E-Sim when Phones start to become much more popular.

I can already sense that ONCE March 17 comes and call centers disappear, there will always be a chain reaction here and there. 

You know, IF PM, Let's say introduced an Postpaid, BUT with ZERO Call Center, Online support as it is now, No Phone sell, Kiosks and such, BUT added Stuff, who knows, maybe this could be the beginning of a NEW future in how Telecom's operate.

Plus, The Ask Help thing, I find the layout obtuse.

I can say that I am not confident that it will work. 

PM should have SOME Online Vids of Popular  things, like what is Power Cycling, how to Transfer A/C to

an Q&A Vid, this might perhaps cut down on the Red Tape that can be quite taxing.

Plus, Kiosks are NOT exactly cheap.

Prices could certainly rise, Only a matter of Percentage.

Streamlining things might be better than what is occuring right now

[stonechucker]

@makkahn28, can you suggest more options?  I liked the vending machine idea also, however that is a huge expense to get running, dealing with possible vandalism, and inventory restocking on a consistant basis.  I’m not saying is impossible, but a staffed kiosk has more opportunity to pull potential customers, than a vending machine.

[makkahn28]

The Community is ok, works.

The New Ask for Help thing, I have my doubts that it will work 

PM I think is missing out on other Key areas

Hoping PM will have something Greater to announce eventually

[makkahn28]

The Community is ok, works.

The New Ask for Help thing, I have my doubts that it will work 

PM I think is missing out on other Key areas

[makkahn28]

I think that PM having Kiosks is NOT the Best idea, a Vending Machine would have been more appropriate.

This Big announcement was Depressing.

Just saying, I would have expected more out of PM and this is a waste of material.

Just my opinion

[Pizzaeh]

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@denis2 wrote:

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.

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Ahem, @denis2  I’m having 🍕 right now. 

[Americantug]

Hello all,

Brand new to Public Mobile. Recommended by a friend and pleased I made the change. Connecting was seamless.

Good luck with the kiosk's

americantug

[stonechucker]

@6500K 

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@6500K wrote:

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@Watoko wrote:

As long as the price of our plans remain the same, then it is good to see PM expanding and growing the brand with physical kiosks. Again, hopefully not at the cost of our competitive phone plans.

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I am not speaking on behalf of PM, but I agree that they will not increase the cost of their current plans to offset the costs of opening kiosks.  The backlash from the community would be huge!

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There are no fast and hard truth to this, other than Public Mobile does leave locked in plans 'as-is' for longer periods of time, than the Big 3 and Middle 3 do.  The terms of service allow for changes to be made, and take effect 30 days or later.

Legacy and Pioneer users have been seen to have this happen multiple times since I arrived here in 2016, and we witnessed a failed attempt at increasing the $120 Fall 2016 Promo to $150 (a 90-day plan) in early 2018 that was only cancelled due to a huge backlash.  

Public Mobile, in my opinion, is a lot fairer than the larger/higher tier providers towards customer longevity.

[6500K]

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@Watoko wrote:

As long as the price of our plans remain the same, then it is good to see PM expanding and growing the brand with physical kiosks. Again, hopefully not at the cost of our competitive phone plans.

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I am not speaking on behalf of PM, but I agree that they will not increase the cost of their current plans to offset the costs of opening kiosks.  The backlash from the community would be huge!

[6500K]

Hey I just found out something interesting.  You can change the subject of this message but still have it included in the thread.  When I replied to @Razvan_A I didn't realize he had changed the subject line . . .

Sorry for the aside that's not related to this thread.

[Watoko]

As long as the price of our plans remain the same, then it is good to see PM expanding and growing the brand with physical kiosks. Again, hopefully not at the cost of our competitive phone plans.

[CellGirl]

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@Lieux wrote:

@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?

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True--it kind of sucks that SIM activation will be the only type of support at PM kiosks. . why even bother having them? Yes, brand promotion, but the customer expectation will be tech support 😞

[tehowennathe]

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@computergeek541 wrote:

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@RossN wrote:

why not just sell your product in the telus or koodo stores that already exist and save a crap load of money?

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Likely, they don't want the brands competing with each other within the same store.

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Actually near by where I live there is a originally a Telus store, but 2 years ago they added a Koodo sign to the building. It's a small store next to a Chinese restaurant and a Subway restaurant. It's rather small but the two logos sit side by side 

[danielj]

@Razvan_A   

@6500K 

 "Unless existing customers for some reason are looking for a new SIM or helping refer somebody on the spot there are no benefits to existing customers." 

My original post directly brought up the point of referring new customers and how that was basically one of the few benefits of the kiosk.

Why would you try to act like your pointing out new information to me.

Kiosk or not we get refer a friend rewards. It will still involve pretty much the same amount of effort from our end, since @6500K brought himself he would have to try not to appear too much of a creep or cheapskate preying on the new customers approaching the Kiosk.

The Kiosks in one way duplicates the one element of the refer a friend process.

The two people I referred, I am the one the turned too if when the have had issue signing up or any other issues with the service. The refer the friend progress is have us act as the Kiosk and call center.

The refer the Kiosks will not make any drastic changes to the refer the friend progress. Most people that are referred by friends will still likely sign up online. People working at the Kiosks will possible be biased to deter people to implement the refer a friend process during activation to try to save Public Mobile some money.

New SIMs, Load Vouchers, and possibly some benefits to help refer friends are the few possible benefits to existing customers. Most of the existing customer likely currently doing most of this through Public Mobile website and not leaving their house to do so. The cost of the  Kiosks is not overall worth it to existing customers. Especially when you have been asking Public Mobile to fix the issues with their system and not add another ineffective layer. We see the overall retail landscape is eroding and being replace by e-commerce (example amazon). Public Mobile should not be going backwards.

One of the only other small benefits is being able to have some quality control for retail sign up and people to tell and show other retail partners how Public Mobile wants it to be done.

[ryjawar77]

Honestly? If anything, it will give more exposure to PM and more brand awareness. WOW Mobile doesn't really scream Public Mobile, but if you suddenly have a kiosk advertising Public Mobile, you suddenly have brand advertising. I don't think it will affect rates at all... if anything, I would expect that more people would be likely to join PM and be more aware of the service available.