Telstra today showed off its new Customer Insight Centre (CIC), which will henceforth be the go-to location for Telstra business customers when seeking advice on how to better integrate mobility and technology in to their business strategy. Large and small business owners will be welcomed with open arms.
Last year, Telstra took around 9700 of these appointments, where a small group was considered 6 people, split between Sydney and Melbourne over the course of a year. That number is expected to go significantly upwards in 2015, thanks to the new digs.
This is not just for customers, this is a statement
If you were wondering whether or not Telstra was the kind of company to show off, you need look no further than the new ‘Light Ring’ installation in the CIC’s main lobby. It’s essentially a single giant screen, shaped like a ring, facing inwards.
Few places in Australia can boast the kind of technology and kit that Telstra has set up at 400 George St. Fewer companies could afford such a makeover, although Telstra was overtly against answering questions regarding a dollar investment.
By going as all-out as it has, Telstra is demonstrating clearly and loudly the kinds of projects it’s capable of backing, and what its competitors are not.
"Everything in here has been built by Telstra", said Andy Bateman - a senior marketer for the company. VPNs, power, circuitry, cabling; the scale of Telstra's reach is starkly obvious when walking these halls.
Over 100 private video conferences can be held simultaneously from within the CIC; there are multiple rooms for demonstrating new and future products; a theatre with a sound setup unique in Australia; and even rooms dedicated to creating specialised mock-ups for customers aimed at showing what 'the bank of the future' or 'the surgical room of the future' may look like, depending on what kind of business you’re in.
Don't forget the commercial-grade studio, complete with sound tech and cameras, for Telstra business customers to rent for filming and recording purposes.
There’s even a Telstra-owned restaurant, called The Exchange, to finish off your time here. It’s only for business use, so you can’t just walk in off the street and pull up a chair. That being said its décor is far from corporate; utilising old telecommunications technology from the Telstra museum to create a stylish brass and wood theme.
The new CIC is located directly above Telstra’s recently made-over flagship store at 400 George st, directly opposite the Apple store.
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
Related Articles
