02.09.2020
Outstanding test winner in a challenging time:Big connect Shoptest: Only O2 receives overall mark "Very good”
The O2 stores achieved an outstanding result in this year's connect Shoptest. The stores of the core brand of Telefónica Germany not only won the test once again, they also significantly extended their lead over the competition and were the only ones to achieve the overall rating 'Very good'. O2 also dominates in the individual evaluations - 14 of the 25 O2 stores tested received the rating 'Outstanding' or 'Very Good'. For the first time in the long history of the connect store test, an O2 store even achieved almost the perfect score with 499 of the maximum possible 500 points.
In the overall evaluation, O2 received the grade 'Very Good' for the appearance of the employees and the tariff and service consulting. The independent testers attest O2 a 'good' rating for its equipment consulting. O2 is the only German provider to succeed in jumping over the 400-point mark this year with a maximum of 500 points to be awarded. This puts O2 a full 44 points ahead of the runner-up, in 2019 the gap was only 6 points.
Wolfgang Metze
"The fact that our O2 Shops have once again been able to secure the test victory in these challenging Corona times and even extend their lead over the competition illustrates the high standards we set for our service quality: We place the customer at the center of our actions every day anew", explains Wolfgang Metze, Member of the Management Board of Telefónica Deutschland responsible for private customers. And he continues: "With this award behind us, we are consistently pursuing our path of offering our O2 customers an outstanding overall experience at all times, consisting of an innovative tariff, value for money, hardware, network, brand, sales and service. I would like to thank Dr. Kai-Uwe Laag and his entire sales team for their outstanding performance and their tireless commitment to our customers".
The connect-editors' editorial team's verdict in the magazine: "The Munich-based network operator, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, can truly pat itself on the back this year: After the Bavarians have made significant gains in all connect-tests, the mobile phone store test now tops the success series. connect continues: "Last year's German winner Telefónica even improved by a whole grade: The Munich-based company achieved the best result in the DACH comparison and was the only one to achieve the overall grade 'Very good'".
High weighting in consulting services
O2 is also there for customers with a mask.
Despite Corona, the editors have not changed the test procedure. Nationwide, 128 independent testers as normal customers visited a total of 200 stores of the three German network operators Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Telefónica / O2 as well as the provider Mobilcom-Debitel in 13 cities and 12 rural regions during the past weeks.
The testers visited each of the 25 stores per provider on different days of the week, once as normal users and once as few users. In both cases, the O2 store employees convinced the testers with their specialist knowledge, tariff and device competence and their appearance. Friendliness, active approach, professional competence and consulting services were decisive factors here. The editorial team's verdict for O2: "The consultants really put their shoulder to the wheel and are seriously interested in putting together the right package for the customers, consisting of tariff and smartphone. They are also very committed when it comes to device consulting, they follow the Corona security rules and know all about the functions". The editorial team therefore rated the advice on both tariffs and devices in 16 of 25 O2 stores tested as 'Very good' or 'Outstanding'. These grades were also achieved by 14 O2 stores for advice on mobile phone services. In 15 O2 Shops, employees received an 'Outstanding' for their appearance and thus the maximum number of points - in eight others a 'Very Good'.
Dr. Kai-Uwe Laag
Dr. Kai-Uwe Laag, CEO of Telefónica Germany Retail GmbH, sees the excellent results in the connect Shoptest as a clear confirmation of the high sales quality: "This award shows that we fully meet our demand for excellent personal service in the store. We are superbly positioned with our OmniChannel sales, and thanks to our great team, our O2 Shops are now once again number one ahead of the competition". The customer at the center of retail - this is the motto in the more than 950 O2 Shops and partner stores of Telefónica Germany: "My thanks go to all those who have contributed to this successful result and - despite the special challenges of the past few months - have shown their full commitment. This was an unprecedented team effort", Laag continues.
Strong presence of the O2 Shops in Münster, Hamburg and Dusseldorf
This year, the editors chose the O2 Shop Münster, Ludgeristraße 5, Ludgeristrasse 5, as the best shop in the comparison of all providers and in the individual evaluation "Rural Region" with 499 out of 500 points.
In the individual evaluation "Big Cities", the O2 Shop Hamburg, Spitaler Str. 6-8, won with 479 points (2019: 460), ahead of the O2 Shop in Dusseldorf, Hunsrückenstr. 43, with 477 points (2019: 424). All three receive the grade 'Outstanding' in the current test.