​[르포] Hogang worries over… Non-face-to-face purchase of smartphones’U + Untact Store’

The era of untouched purchases with a smartphone has begun. LG U+ opened the’U+ Untact Store’ aimed at the busy MZ generation (born in the early 1980s to early 2000s) who prefer non-face-to-face service.

On the 23rd, LG Uplus opened the first unmanned store’U+ Untact Store’ in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Unlike existing unmanned stores that only supported SIM opening and device change, it is characterized by the fact that the entire service can be performed as an unmanned service.

Before visiting a store to purchase a smartphone, there is always tension that it will become a so-called’hoguang (hogu + customer)’. Sometimes it is burdensome because I think I should buy anything due to the excessive kindness of the staff. In unmanned stores, you don’t need to worry about this.

As a result of its own survey, LG Uplus confirmed that customers are uncomfortable when visiting stores, such as feeling burdened by employees’ gaze or invitation to sign up for services, and feeling variations in the level of response by store and employee. Accordingly, the Untact Store was opened for the MZ generation who wants to eliminate the burden of face-to-face counseling, uniformly provide business processing quality, and want fast business processing.

“As the demands of customers who prefer non-face-to-face after Corona increase, we are leading the innovation of non-face-to-face channels by quickly reorganizing the system and improving it more efficiently.” By continuing to provide centered services, we will gain genuine customer sympathy and secure LG U+’s’Chin Fan (true fan)’.”

When you open the door of the’U + Untact Store’ located near Jonggak Station of Subway Line 1, a’Welcome Board’ is installed at the entrance of the store. By entering your mobile phone number, a QR code that allows you to use various store services is issued by text. It can be used regardless of the affiliated carrier.

Two kiosks are installed on the left wall of the store. By populating the QR code issued from the Welcome Board on the LCD and inserting it into a kiosk reader, you can easily collect fees, change rate plans and numbers, and issue various confirmations without the help of the staff. Customers who want to open a self-contained or used phone can use a kiosk to activate it in 3 minutes.

For customers who have difficulty using devices, we introduced the’YouShop AI Chatbot’ for artificial intelligence (AI) consultation. Even if you colloquially say “What’s the current rate?”, it immediately understands and displays the monthly usage fee on the screen. In addition, there are customer services such as chat, counselor, and staff call, so there is no need to worry if the kiosk is clumsy.

Next to the kiosk is the’Home Service Experience Zone’. You can experience services such as IPTV, Kakao Little Friends Phone 4, Upipen, and Elementary Country.

There are three’cell phone experience zones’ in the center of the store. You can use the latest smartphones on display and compare the specifications of each device. When you place the displayed smartphone on the signage, various information such as purchase statistics and device specifications are displayed on the screen. If you put two units at the same time, you can compare the features of each specification at a glance.

In particular, the point of being able to compare photos taken with each smartphone attracted attention. In addition to the performance indicated by objective indicators, photographs reflect subjective areas such as color and personal preferences, so opinions are always divided on which model is good. Pictures of the same subject under the same conditions by the photographer using each smartphone are displayed side by side on the screen. You can see at a glance what smartphones are coming out and how.

An official from LG Uplus said, “Currently, we are servicing mainly premium models displayed in stores, but in the long run, we plan to expand digital contents so that we can compare even mid- to low-end models.”

There is a separate’self-opening zone’ next to the mobile phone experience zone. The difference from the existing unmanned stores is that even the opening and receipt of the terminal can be done without face-to-face. There is a small room separated from other spaces as sensitive personal information is entered upon opening. Using a tablet PC, customers can open their smartphones in 10 minutes by themselves, including new subscriptions, device changes, and number transfers. You can choose all of your smartphone models, terminal installment periods, rate plans, discount methods, and additional service benefits, so you can relieve your concern that you may become a’hogaeng’.

When self-opening is completed, a QR code ticket is printed out on paper. If you touch the reader of an unmanned locker next to it, the locker opens, and you can receive your purchased smartphone and SIM card on the spot.

There are also vending machines and attachments for LCD protective film, so you can buy the protective film immediately after purchase and attach it cleanly.

There is also a free coffee machine on one side of the store. Not only LG U+ customers, but also subscribers of other companies can drink a cup of fragrant coffee just by taking a QR code. I felt that anyone would like to compare their smartphones directly, or if there is a service they need, they are welcome to visit anytime.