New Crystal Xfinity Store a Sign of Changing Times
What was once an empty storefront in the Crystal Town Center is now home to the metro area’s newest Xfinity store.
“We really want to make sure that as customers come in, that they are able to get to what they need very quickly,” said Jill Hornbacher, Xfinity’s senior director of external communications.
She says this new Crystal location is now the 16th Xfinity store in the metro, which signifies the company’s continued expansion in the Twin Cities.
“We’ve actually invested more than $525 million over the last three years just here in Minnesota, and this store is one example of that investment,” she said.
In the not-too-distant past, Comcast was known primarily as a cable company. But not only have they rebranded as Xfinity, they don’t even use the phrase “Cable TV” anymore.
“We are a media and technology company, and we are here to help people connect them to what matters most for all of their connectivity experiences,” Hornbacher said.
While they still offer cable programming, their business also includes everything from Wi-Fi, to discounted online streaming services, to cell phones. The emphasis on Xfinity Mobile is something customers will notice immediately.
“All you literally have to do is switch over to our service, port a number, and then we can get the phone free for you,” said George Brown, the Xfinity store’s assistant manager, as he showed off a selection of phones.
Staff members at the new Crystal Xfinity store happily greet customers when they walk in. The store is located at 5606 West Broadway Avenue in Crystal.
But make no mistake, Xfinity wants to emphasize face-to-face customer service versus having to deal with someone over the phone.
“Oh yes, when I can see the smile rather than just feel the smile on the other end [of a phone],” said Lisa Boss, a customer from Plymouth, when asked if she prefers the in-person experience.
Xfinity’s goal is to have a store no more than 15 minutes away from where people live and work. It’s one way to help shed whatever stigma may have existed in the past about its customer service.
“This is really a great experience to quickly stop in, quickly meet with friendly, knowledgeable staff and really help you with all of your connectivity needs,” Hornbacher said. “Whether that’s signing up, or if you’re a current customer, this store is here to help.”
The Crystal Xfinity store celebrates its official grand opening on Friday, Oct. 11. Xfinity will also donate $2,500 to the NEAR Food Shelf in Crystal as part of that event.
Related: New Xfinity Store Opens in Brooklyn Center
