With just 2 million users since launch in May 2016, Blaze, Safaricom’s youth network is launching physical centers to entice more youths to join its network.
The firm today launched the first of seven BLAZE Campus Experience Zones, which will act as last mile selling points for Safaricom products and services.
“Since launching BLAZE in May 2016 the number of youth on our network has grown two million. With this growth has come the need to provide specialized customer care to enhance their experience on our network, a request that our subscribers have made clear to us,” said Sylvia Mulinge, Safaricom Director for Consumer Business.
BLAZE intends to invest close to KES 50 million to roll out the seven experience zones in universities across the country.
Each experience zone consists of customer service desks, a dedicated team trained specifically to handle requests from BLAZE subscribers, a retail section with great value BLAZE devices and accessories, and a gaming zone where customers can relax and unwind while waiting to be served.
There is no other place to sell these devices, some of them faulty like the TECNO R6S but the firm is partnering with learning institutions to dispose off as many of these devices as possible. The firm will also provide sales, marketing and customer service internships for the students.
After today’s launch at The Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Safaricom is targeting to launch Egerton University, Mt. Kenya University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Pwani University, Moi University and the Technical University of Mombasa.
“Each of these institutions will give us access to thousands of students, making them a great choice for our customer experience initiatives while at the same time enabling us bring our brand closer to the youth, rather than asking them to come to us,” said Ms. Mulinge.
BLAZE is a sub-brand of Safaricom and was created to give the youth aged 26 years and below products, services and benefits tailored specifically to meet their everyday needs.