Focus On Business —

‘The Wireless Connection’ Rings In Selection And Service

 By Jeff White

The Wireless Connection, which opened March 4 in the old Pepperidge Farm store on South Main Street, is Reid Ferris’ answer to what he feels the cellular phone retail market lacks: customer service.

Working at a wireless store that now is one of his competitors, Mr Ferris, 19, grew frustrated because he felt that he often could not go as far as he wanted to please a customer. By opening his own store, he now has the power to do anything for a customer. “We offer 200 percent customer satisfaction,” he says of The Wireless Connection’s biggest selling point.

It was a fortuitous time for Mr Ferris to branch out and open his own cellular phone store, with the rise of wireless sales increasing almost by the week. The Wireless Connection only deals with cellular phones and pagers, an advantage, Mr Ferris notes, over some other local stores that offer too wide a selection. He feels his store, by opting to limit what it sells, is more focused.

As a phone store, The Wireless Connection is what is known as a master dealer, specializing in every major brand of wireless service, including AT&T, MCI Worldcom, SNET, Omnipoint, and Nextel. “We’re more like a cellular agent because we carry all the providers,” Mr Ferris explains.

Along with typical phone offerings from brands like Nokia, Erickson, Motorola, and Qualcom, The Wireless Connection offers a wide assortment of cellular phone accessories, from phone covers and chargers to car speakerphone adapters. And accessories that are not in stock can be ordered, and are usually received within a day or two.

Mr Ferris says that so far his business has been well received, and his spacious store complete with sofa and coffee machine helps greet new customers that he says come to his store on a daily basis.

Mr Ferris, a lifelong Newtown resident, is not alone in the store. He has the help Greg Carnrick, who helps man the floor and take care of customers. “Cellular phone stores are a dime a dozen,” Mr Carnrick says. “What distinguishes us is the level of service.”

Toward that end, Mr Ferris makes himself totally accessible to customers. If you have ever tried calling a cellular provider’s customer service hotline, you know the amount of time spent on hold. Mr Ferris addressed this reality by creating a voicemail service for his store. Customers call and leave their numbers and the problems they are having with their phones or service, and Mr Ferris will often call them back himself.

The Wireless Connection also will do the service maintenance and repair for its customers. A faulty phone can be brought into the store, and while Mr Ferris sends it to the manufacturer, he will give customers a loner phone, “so they’re never without a phone.”

Reid Ferris has chosen to work in a market that is constantly changing due to technological advances in cellular services. Both he and Mr Carnick are constantly on the lookout for “the most up-to-date equipment.”

“We’re always getting new phones in. The one big thing is to keep up with industry advances,” Mr Reid points out. Customers often come into his store looking for an upgrade, which he will walk them through while determining whether or not a customer wo                         uld benefit from a new phone or an entirely new service.

For now, The Wireless Connection is open every day of the week, Monday through Friday from 10 am to 7 pm, Saturday from 9 am  to 6 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm.

Although Mr Ferris does not plan to go anywhere, he remains excited at where the cellular phone industry is headed, and is happy to be along for the ride. “I like this industry,” says the 1998 Newtown High School graduate, “because it’s always changing.”