Fourth online consumer brand, Phones.co.uk, to also launch as company continues to build on last year’s success
A1 Comms is to offer B2B connections through its 75 Go Mobile retail stores for the first time next month as part of a major expansion plan to boost retail revenues.
The Alfreton-based firm, which doubled year-on-year revenues in 2012 to more than £100 million, is in the process of training its store staff – who have previously only dealt with consumers – to sell business connections.
A1 connects EE, O2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile.
The operation will be headed up by former Tech Data Mobile UK and Ireland sales director Steve Fraser, who will join A1 Comms as managing director for retail on March 1.
A1 Comms bought Go Mobile from Shebang Technologies Group last July.
A1 Comms managing director Stuart Joce claims the addition of Fraser, who has previous retail experience in various roles at T-Mobile, Three and Carphone Warehouse, shows the firm is serious about making its mark in the competitive high street market.
Joce said: “We are not messing about – we are very serious about this.
“Selling business connections through our Go Mobile estate is about us making the most of our capability on B2B and will be a key area of focus for us in the next few months. We can do a fantastic job here.
“Steve is highly experienced, having held roles at the highest level of our industry. It gives you an indication of the condition Go Mobile currently finds itself in.”
From the week commencing March 4, all franchise stores will be given their own individual Go Mobile website page.
It will display each shop’s trading hours, postal address and contact telephone number.
A1 Comms is also planning to include IP integration into this at a later date, so visitors to the site will be directed to a page displaying details about their nearest Go Mobile shops.
Expansion
The addition of B2B is just one of several changes to the business A1 Comms has undergone in the past month.
The firm recently opened a third office and is launching its fourth online consumer retail brand, ‘Phones.co.uk.’
The new brand, which will go live early in Q2, will offer connections to all network operators and sell all major handsets, the company said.
It will run alongside the firm’s other brands BuyMobilePhones, Mobile Shop and Affordable Mobiles, the latter acquired as part of the deal with Shebang for the Go Mobile retail estate.
Joce said the new brand would be targeted towards new untapped areas of the market where its other brands are yet to take hold.
Joce said: “Phones.co.uk will look to build on the success we have established online with our current three consumer brands.
“This business will target areas of the market we may have missed.”
