Client: AT&T WIRELESS
Project: COVID-19 RETAIL SAFETY KIT
►Project description
-
Like many manufacturers in 2020, AXIS shifted a portion of our production focus to help brands and retailers prep their stores for Covid-19 readiness. Through this shared pandemic challenge, brick and mortar retail has been forced to reinvent a variety of interesting solutions and experiences to keep their customers safe, happy, and engaged across the board.
For over 144 years, AT&T has been in the business of creating connection. Though connection looks different now than it did a year ago, AT&T remains committed to reinventing what’s possible for connectivity, technology, entertainment, news, and more. As shoppers begin to reemerge from their homes and venture into physical retail locations, they do so with hesitancy, awareness, and purpose. To address those concerns and aid in the new customer experience, AT&T tapped into AXIS expertise to help them design a store safety concept that would put shoppers’ minds at ease, reinforce safety standards, and assist employees in creating a safe space for all.
►The ask
►The Process
-
Design and produce front of house and back of house solutions AT&T retailers can use for customer traffic maintenance, social distancing, sanitation reminders, and more.
-
When we began this process in March, a simple internet search could return a user with thousands of floor stickers, window clings, and social distancing options without too much trouble; but, AT&T didn’t want that. They wanted a custom solution that allowed for uniform messaging and simplified consistency throughout their stores. Rather than leaving the responsibility up to each store manager, AT&T mobilized AXIS to put together a no-fuss Covid Collection, create sales and instructions sheets for fast and easy implementation, and devise a Store Order Portal so associates could easily re-order or customize their kits to fit their store’s unique footprint.
As we designed, we kept three main things in mind: speed to market, durability, and emotion.
►Speed to Market
►Product Durability
-
By the time AT&T had identified a need for these items, statistics, regulations, and guidance had changed 12 times over; but, that didn’t change the fact that AT&T needed these items in stores FAST. As one can imagine, many of the substrates needed were in high demand. AXIS, created a just-in-time production and pack-out strategy that allowed material to be procured, produced, finished, and kit packed making for rapid deployment into the field. Shipping timelines were dovetailed with production to allow an orderly flow to production, pack-out, and implementation. In addition, AT&T made early and frequent communications to the field that prepared them to receive the items and implement them with speed and accuracy.
-
As with most AXIS projects, we only had one chance to get it right. Ample attention was spent to make sure the most practical (i.e. high quality, durable, resistant) materials were used to sustain indoor and outdoor traffic for the long-term. What wasn’t going to work, was a kit of flimsy, poorly adhered, broken, and/ or faded graphics and stickers that took too long to ship (or remediate) because no Plan B was established...only to not hold up once in the field due to reactive rushing, abandoning an agile mindset, and failing to use crystal clear communication with all parties involved in the deployment. We did our part to make sure that didn’t happen so these pieces could go the length.
►Emotion
►Portal
-
Pandemic-speak isn’t all that comforting. Though we didn’t desire to sugarcoat or downplay the seriousness of the situation, we did support AT&T in offering reassurance to their customers and employees by creating a graphic kit that used a soft color palette, thoughtful copy, and non-confrontational imagery.
We developed each piece with a clear intention. Our designs were built to conjure emotion, to communicate safety and reassurance for both associates and store guests. We included instruction sheets for store associates that explained the purpose and interdependence of each piece, and provided a step-by-step guide on how to best set up the pieces for FOH and BOH success. Employees were supported, empowered, and armed with resources to help them maintain a sense of control in store operations as well as customer management - and in a pandemic, that type of control is priceless.
-
AXIS designed and developed a custom ordering portal for AT&T channel retailers. From it, store managers can easily order more items for their location, request support, or notify AXIS of quality issues. AXIS maintains all inventory, takes care of shipping, and provides customer support 24/7, 365.
