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Kally Lavoie
John Haley
Katie Ginsberg
Lindsay Lodge
Kendall Quinn

Team Secondary Research Findings


Executive Summary

The mobile market is growing and Verizon is at the forefront. Millennials particularly
value multi-purpose smartphones and consult their mobile devices before and during in-
store purchases. They are highly dependent on their smartphones, and heavily integrate
them into their daily lives.

Hypotheses

If Verizon exhibits all of its devices (not only smartphones) and their multiple uses, it will
stand out amongst its consumers and competing carriers.

If Verizon makes the in-store experience more engaging and entertaining, consumers
will have more positive experiences and be more willing to continuously visit.

If Verizon personalizes each individuals experience with the brand, it will attract and
retain more Millennials.

What We Wanted to Learn:

! Gain insight into Millennial values, behaviors, including purchase behavior, and
decision making.
! Why is Verizon the current leader? What are their successes and weaknesses?
! How can Verizon improve the in-store experience?
! Why do Millennials find smartphones so appealing?
! Learn more about the current and future mobile landscape.
! What do Millennials currently think about in-store experiences at technology
stores?

Secondary Research
! Blogs

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! News Articles
! Academic Journals
! Research Studies
! Carrier Websites
! Social Media

Primary Research
! Interviews
! Focus Group
! In-Store Observation
! In-Store Survey

Primary Research Findings
We each conducted personal interviews with Millennials about their experiences at
technology stores. The interviews helped us to better understand what consumers like
and dislike about shopping at technology retail stores and how Verizon could use this
information to create a more positive in-store experience for their customers.

Positive in-store experiences:
! Store was logically organized and easy to navigate
! Knowledgeable employees
! The staff was very helpful
! The store was up-to-date and modern

Negative in-store experiences:
! Sales representatives seemed very inexperienced and unknowledgeable
! Employees seemed rushed
! Long wait time for available sales representative
! Staff did not give proper attention or make eye contact
! They were unable to solve smartphone problems
! Staff was not friendly

What would make someone want to stay longer:
! More seating available to try out products
! Appealing layout/ color scheme of store; updated but also not overly fancy (can
be intimidating)
! If there were more devices to explore while waiting to see a sales representative

Suggestions for Verizon:

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! Setup appointment schedules online, which would give consumers an exact time
to meet with an employee and cut down on the amount of waiting customers
! More variety of products on display, such as smart watches, wireless charging
stations, headphones, and bluetooth speakers
! Let people take the devices for a certain amount of time for a test drive to allow
them to figure out if they will enjoy the product

Secondary Research Findings
Increased Sales of Smartphones
! Since 2009, consumers have been disconnecting their landlines and using only
wireless phones
! New cell phone handsets are selling at a rate of 1.7 to 1.9 billion yearlymaking
the cellular phone the fastest-selling single item of consumer electronics by far
! Incremental smartphone ownership: 75% of 25-34 year olds own smartphones
(up from 59% in 2011)
! 4/5 Millennials own a smartphone
! 78% of teens, ages 12-17, now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of
those own smartphones. That translates into 37% of all teens have smartphones,
up from just 23% in 2011.

What Does This Mean?
As the sale of smartphones increases, and as landline use is being discontinued,
Millennials are becoming more dependent on their cell phones. Our research indicates
that 37% of all teens and 75% of 25-34
year olds own smartphones. Both of these
age groups have seen a significant
increase in smartphone vs. cell phone
usage as noted in the table. This research
indicates that not only are Millennials more
dependent on smartphones, but the
number of Millennials using this technology
is increasing. Verizon needs to capture the
attention of these Millennials through their
increased smartphone usage.


Android vs. iPhone
! 52% of smartphone users own an Android device. Apple is in second place with
42.7% of the market share


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What Does This Mean?
As seen in the figure before, Android is the top U.S. Smartphone operating system. 52%
of smartphone users own an Android device. This research indicates that there is a
large market of smartphone users who own Android device rather than Apple devices.
Verizon should take advantage of the growing popularity of these devices, because a
large variety of Android devices are available at Verizon stores.


Increased Desire for Multi-Purpose Devices
! The Internet and app features offer new opportunities for consumers, introducing
devices that function more than just communication tools
! 65% of Millennials use a second device while watching television
! Millennials love to watch television using online streaming, such as Netflix and
Hulu, both available on smartphone and tablet apps


What Does This Mean?

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With the creation of the smartphones, Millennials are preferring devices that have
multiple uses. They are relying on their devices for more than simply communication
purposes. By combining more functions on these devices, providers can help improve
and better suit consumers lifestyles and needs.

Millennials Purchasing Behavior
! Millennials refer to 8-11 resources during the shopping process
! 50% of Millennials browse products in store before purchasing online
! 69% of Millennials browse products online before purchasing items in store
! Despite being a digital generation, Millennials still enjoy traditional shopping
! Millennials demand a customer-centric shopping experience
! Millennials only walk up to the register 57% of the time
! 21% more likely to be influenced by in-store touch screen displays
! More likely to make impulse purchases than any other generation
! 41% of Millennials have made purchases with their smartphones

What Does This Mean?
Understanding the purchasing behaviors of Millennials can influence the in-store
Verizon experience. While 41% of Millennials have made purchases with their
smartphones, they still enjoy traditional shopping. Millennials are more deliberate when
making a purchase, as they refer to 8-11 sources during the process by conducting
informal research both in-store and online. At the same time, Millennials are more likely
to make impulse purchases than any other generation. During the shopping experience,
Millennials want a consumer-centric shopping experience.

Engaging Consumers with Media
! Millennials will go out of their way and support causes about current social issues
that are important to them.
! Young consumers have a need to connect with each other, mostly through a
digital outlet.
! Millennials are still subject to many changes; it is the companys job to continue
to engage with the consumers and make sure they get what they want.
! Facebook and Twitter arent the prime sources of social media marketing to
Millennials. Many companies have utilized Instagram for its advertising
capabilities.
! Millennials have a general disdain for advertising. Direct negative attitude to paid
advertising that interferes with how they access their media.

What Does This Mean?

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Although Verizon may not want to spend too much money on advertising, there are
several ways that it could attract consumers utilizing social media and other forms of
media. There should be a large amount of focus on getting the consumers to engage
with each other about Verizon. Millennials have the inherent desire to share their
experiences with their friends. The Apple Store has done a great job with this. When
people go to the store, they always share their experiences through their smartphones.
Verizon should use this as a model.

The Current and Future Trends of Wireless Carriers



The wireless mobile phone industry is currently being controlled by four major carriers.
They are responding to Millennials values of community engagement, multi-use
devices, customer experience, community engagement, brand personality and brand
loyalty, and implementing these into their campaigns and products.

Carriers are recognizing the importance of differentiating themselves because they are
all selling similar products. In order to gain more control over the industry and
consumers, the major carriers are beginning to consolidate with smaller providers. In
order to better appeal to their target markets, they are continuously changing and
establishing unique brand personalities.

What Does This Mean?
Because of the highly saturated market, carriers are attempting to increase brand
loyalty among current customers, while also trying to influence customers of the other
carriers to switch companies. It is important for Verizon to build brand loyalty among
current customers while trying to attract Millennials. By standing out from the
competition and creating a strong brand personality, Verizon will be able to differentiate
themselves from other wireless carriers.


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Importance of Findings/Insights
Prior to developing a campaign, it is vital to understand the culture in which the target
audience is immersed. Nearly all U.S. Millennials own a smartphone, and the majority of
those devices are Androids. Understanding and utilizing the rivalry between the two
companies can help Verizon update the in-store experience as well as create
campaigns featuring Android products versus Apple products.

Recognizing how much Millennials rely on these devices could be the foundation of our
campaign efforts. Millennials have an increasing dependence on smartphones and
technology, as they consult their devices constantly throughout the day. Millennials
value these devices immensely because of their multi-purpose uses. In order to
differentiate itself, Verizon should create and present more ways to use the devices to
attract and inspire consumers. Millennials are quick learners, so instead of teaching the
basic uses, the in-store wireless workshops should focus on the complex uses that
many consumers are unaware of.

Identifying the behaviors that Millennials have while shopping in-store is also great
insight that will ultimately help Verizon attract this age group to the stores. Millennials
shopping behaviors differentiate them from other generations. Over half of Millennials
use their smartphones when making purchasing decisions in-store. If Verizon stores
offered demo tables of products with tablets playing informational videos on the
products, Millennials might be less likely to read opinions on technology blogs and other
websites before choosing to buy a product and could make their in-store experience
more helpful.

From our primary research, we learned that Millennials value genuine customer service.
It is important that Verizon employees create a friendly and engaging atmosphere for
consumers, making them feel welcomed and wanted. By implementing these insights
into our campaign, we will be able to better target and appeal to the Millennial market
and create a memorable in-store experience.

Next Steps

We are going to explore how Verizon can better display technologies other than
smartphones. We will look into how Verizon can incorporate FitBits, tablets and more
devices into the in-store experience. Presenting these new devices will make for a more
engaging and interactive visit.


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We are going to investigate how we can encourage Millennials to share positive
feedback with friends regarding visits to the Verizon store. We want to figure out how to
create a culture that promotes positive sharing on social media.

We plan to conduct a focus group with 8-12 college students. These participants are
part of Verizons target audience and will provide important insight. We will ask the
following questions:

! What are some companies that you frequent because of the in-store
experiences?
! What makes those experiences memorable for you?
! Would a company with a better customer service department attract you to
purchase its product more than one without?
! Describe a past enjoyable in-store experience.

We also plan to supplement our findings by making observations in the Apple and
Verizon Stores. We will survey customers about their in-store experiences and compare
and contrast our findings.