Product Dealer Showcase
Potential Realized--Mobile-Link Wireless, Madison, Wisconsin.
When Kristen Graves decided to get her feet wet in the wireless retail market, little did she know how much fun the swim would be. “It’s been a challenge, rewarding and a little crazy all at the same time,” states Kristen. “I had no experience whatsoever running and managing a wireless retail store. As a sub-dealer for previous store owner, I new the ins and outs of the wireless market, but running a store, not a thing,”
To get Kristen started off on the right foot, she has received considerable support and training from Mobile-Link Wireless. The store location was purchased from a Sprint Nextel wireless retailer for servicing equipment and wireless sales. “We knew that she had the base knowledge of the wireless business and we had the operational expertise, so in our minds we felt it was a good match,” states Leo Elman, VP-Mobile-Link Wireless. “She has learned how to run the operation quickly and has found a good group of service and sales people to surround her,” he adds.
One of the first things Kristen accomplished was becoming a ‘certified’ service center for Sprint Nextel handsets, hired staff and waited for customers to walk in the door. “Now we are the only ‘authorized’ service center on the east side of Madison, Wisconsin. Since the corporate store closed in May our traffic has increased dramatically. We’ve added staff and capabilities to keep up with the growing service demand. Customer's even tell where more friendly than the previous owner--hey we'll take a compliment like that any time."
Each wireless retail store has its own set of challenges. Sometimes it takes awhile to get positive momentum going. In the case of the Madison, Wisconsin store, the value of the relationship between Kristen and the Mobile-Link Wireless has been priceless. “I owe a lot to Leo and Mike, [the owner’s of Mobile-Link Wireless],” she states, “Not only did they give me a great chance to succeed, I’m on track to pay off my business loan and business is on an up tick, what could be better?”
Future business looks bright in the Badger town. “We’re just now starting to go out into our market area to visit with businesses about their wireless needs,” said Kristen. “Up to this point, we’ve been taking customers in as they walk in the door, but now the door is swinging back the other way finally and we're proactively getting out into the community."