It was an intimate event for a significantly large relaunch of Vodacom World last night, in Midrand. The complex looks much the same from the exterior, but dramatically different inside, with the purpose of Vodacom World similarly having been updated and refreshed to cater to today’s technology as well.

Shameel Joosub, the CEO of Vodacom, explained that Vodacom World, first built in 2008,  now offers 6000 square metres of shopping, with visitors being able to see all the latest technology in the telecoms industry, from fibre to IoT, in one place.

The venue also showcases both consumer and business technology -  general users will be able to compare the latest flagship smartphones from a number of manufacturers and see the latest in gaming, for example, while organisations can interact with the technologies that can enhance their business, and those in government can see pieces of smart cities in action.

All invited

Joosub stressed that it has also been designed to cater to all age groups, including children, who will be able to come to Vodaworld and learn how to code. “We envision Vodacom World as serving as a launchpad for emerging technologies, such as connected cars, smarthomes, and even smart city implementations,” he enthused.

Jorge Mendes, the chief officer: consumer sales & distribution, highlighted two main aims that the revamp aims to accomplish - the company’s desire to be more customer centric, and remain relevant into the future.

He explained that the redesign is meant to cater to the changing behavior of customers. “I think we are going into an era of hyper-personalisation, in which everything is custom made and catered for at a consumer level. This means that the way we deal with customers has to be very flexible,” he elaborated.

Adapting to change

Indeed, sections of Vodacom World have been designed to be modular, with one space being used to showcase different technology trends, depending on what is relevant.

Mendes stressed that the space has also been designed to encourage and facilitate experiences of the different technologies on offer, rather than merely an outlet that consumers go to in order to buy something.

As well, the company envisions the facility being used for companies and individuals to meet, for presentations to take place and ideas to be born. To this end, there is a dedicated space and collaboration rooms, secured by appointment and which can serve as an office environment as the need arises. Samantha Botha, the managing executive: retail operations, explains below.  

Elaborating, Mendes explained he believes increasingly the future will be about partnerships, where those who have services to offer would be able to team up with businesses that have needs that have to be fulfilled, with collaboration happening to the benefit of both parties.

“For us, the experience must trump the transaction. We want to be a sustainable and ethical organization. We want to be here for the long time. It’s not about making a quick buck, it’s really about showcasing possibilities and enabling individuals to can see what they can do with technology,” he concluded.