Aaron Rogers With Staples US Retail

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Atlanta Business Radio. Brought to you by on pay. Atlanta’s New standard in payroll. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:24] Lee Kantor here another episode of Atlanta Business Radio, and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, Onpay. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Atlanta Business Radio, we have Aaron Rogers with Staples. Welcome, Aaron.

Aaron Rogers: [00:00:42] Thanks, Lee. It’s great to be with you today.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:44] Well, excited to be caught up on what’s happening at Staples. I hear there are some changes in the making. Can you share a little bit about what’s going on?

Aaron Rogers: [00:00:52] I sure can. We’re really excited about the launch of our reimagined stores in the Atlanta market. So we’re we’re reimagining 14 of our stores, which is a pretty large footprint for us in in most cities around the country. So we’re bringing new services, new product offerings, really a change in how we do business in order to support the communities in Atlanta, in the ways in which they do business, in the ways in which they learn today and the ways in which they work.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:17] So what are these new stores going to look like? What are some of the new services being offered?

Aaron Rogers: [00:01:22] So the stores are fully reimagined from the physical space. We are incorporating lots of new services. So most of our customers in Atlanta today know us for things like office supplies and copy and print services. But we do have way more than just that. So in our copy and print centers, we are able to print large scale posters, banners, decals, engineering prints. We really are that one stop printing solution for any small business out there. We have a full suite of shipping services in our stores today. So anything from UPS, USPS to many of the return services you see out there today, like Happy Returns or Amazon lockers, things like that in travel, which is probably the most surprising for folks in the Atlanta market, is we are now your one stop shop for anything. You need to plan your trip for travel. So we’ve been offering passport services for quite some time. However, we now have eight of our 14 reimagined stores in Atlanta with TSA PreCheck appointments available, which is a great way to expedite and make your travel plans that much easier. On top of that, we’re launching new products that are related to travel to make your trip that much more enjoyable. Things like Bose Quietcomfort headphones, Samsonite luggage, worldwide power adapters, travel adapters, all the travel and trial products that you need for your toiletry bag in tech services. We just launched actually this past weekend a 24 over seven 365 tech support package, three tiers for our small businesses, our workers, our learners that can do anything from helping folks get set up or troubleshooting those catastrophes we sometimes have with technology these days, lots of new products like Apple and gaming. So just a whole host of things we’re bringing to the Atlanta market to make folks lives that much easier.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:12] Now, is part of the impetus of this change. The fact that there are so many more remote work at home folks out there that need all these kind of concierge services that maybe they relied on a help desk before and now that’s just not the reality anymore.

Aaron Rogers: [00:03:27] That’s a great question, Lee. And if you really think about it, you know, the pandemic accelerated the ways in which we do business work and learn in a variety of different ways. We’re all working from various locations. One day could be different than the next day. Same thing for small businesses. They need services a lot more in the ways in which they’re reaching out to their customers. Things like those shipping services or any of the printed and marketing materials as they’re trying to compete with a lot of the online businesses out there to get their name out. So yeah, for sure. There’s a lot that has changed in all of our lives, whether we are small business owners or we’re the average consumer out there and we feel like these services we’re bringing to market at a ton of value for these folks as they continue to grow.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:10] So now having kind of brick and mortar stores around the area and especially these reimagined stores, how does Staples kind of immerse itself in that community in order to become that trusted resource that all those folks need to run their day to day business?

Aaron Rogers: [00:04:27] Yeah, I would say, you know, retail is a people business. So it’s it’s getting in touch with the right people. It’s connecting with the customers on the ground. So we’ve been in contact with lots of our customers in the Atlanta market, getting to know them, getting to know their needs, getting to know more about their businesses. In fact, we actually launched coming out of the Pandemic, the Community Business Directory, where we showcase small businesses on our website for the suite of things that they can do and give them some more exposure at a grand level. Um, you know, that that whole idea of that in-person feel that we missed in the pandemic has really brought back this resurgence. We’re seeing strong partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce in each of the locations within our Atlanta market, and we’re really partnering with them well to understand what are our small businesses need, what can we continue to further round out our offerings with to make sure we’re supporting them as they grow and evolve?

Lee Kantor: [00:05:22] So. Has the stores been opened yet or this is happening shortly?

Aaron Rogers: [00:05:27] Yeah, another great timely question. So we’ve gone through the remodel process. The stores are physically done. We invested quite a bit, not just in the physical store but also in our people and trainings, you know, both from how they engage with small businesses and and customers in the local market to some more specialty training, like being a live TSA enrollment agent. Um, all of that has taken place over the last couple of number of weeks and months and we’re happy to say we’re actually launching our ribbon cutting events in all 14 locations this week and next week. So starting today, actually our ribbon cutting start and we have local dignitaries from each of the local markets, superintendents of schools, mayors, those types of folks to really help celebrate the opening of these locations or the reopening of these locations with the local communities.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:17] So any advice for that entrepreneur out there that maybe hasn’t visited a Staples? What are some of the things that you would recommend them just going in just to kind of explore what’s out there in the possibilities about ways that it can help them with their needs, but plus also maybe some ways the services can be they can be kind of a partner with them in helping them grow.

Aaron Rogers: [00:06:42] Yeah, I would say the biggest thing is don’t think of Staples as the old staples. You know, we’re not an office supply superstore anymore. We’re not just a place where you can go get a black and white copies at the copy machine. We have so much more to offer as you think about how busy these folks are, these small businesses who are just grinding it out every day, really looking to grow and evolve their businesses. We’ve got to make their experience easy, convenient, and one that adds value to their business. And I think we’ve done just that. I think we can we can really support them. Like I said, whether it’s around how they need to market their business and their offerings to their customers, how they need to get products from one destination to the other. You know, we even often offer things like recycling, where we reward customers actually to recycle products in our stores. So we really are that place. A small business or a worker or a learner can come to for a variety of needs and most importantly, the in-person side of retail. You know, you can’t get that in-person side with a.com purchase, though we all know that’s very convenient for us. There are certain things you really need to talk to an expert about, and we’ve put a lot into investing in our experts able to support businesses through these types of services we’re offering.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:00] Because you’re trying to elevate the the experience, right? Like, like you said, you can go online for lots of things, but if you have a question or even there’s issues that you don’t know, what you don’t know, it might be good to talk to a human being in person and kind of map something out. So you’re really elevating the training in order to help that small business person really get the desired outcome that they want rather than just a product that they might think they need 100%.

Aaron Rogers: [00:08:30] We are all about the solutions, and the solutions come through the people, the service and the products that we offer, and we really feel like that’s very, very important to help these these customers as they navigate the complex world that’s forever changing. Right.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:45] And but this is it’s kind of, though, a hybrid, right? Like, so you can go online to order something and pick it up at the Staples or you can go into the staples and have a conversation and then the solution delivered or is it kind of one or the other?

Aaron Rogers: [00:08:58] We have a whole host of options for our customers. So it’s really about the ways in which they want to shop certain. We love to have conversations with our customers and we’d love to see them in the store, but we can we can offer them what they need, whether it’s buying online and having delivered to their home, picking it up same day in our stores or actually coming into the store and enjoying that in-person experience.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:21] Now, are you are you seeing this a trend in the retail industry where you’re going to have to retailers are going to have to elevate that in-person experience in order to kind of grow in the future world, because it just that’s what the consumer is demanding nowadays. They it’s not always the the very lowest price. It’s really the experience that they’re after and making sure that they’re going to get the outcome they desire.

Aaron Rogers: [00:09:46] Yeah, I would say, you know, we all need a reason to interrupt our busy lives to go anywhere. Right. You know, our lives have not gotten less complicated. They’ve gotten more complicated over the years, I would say. And I think, you know, as folks and consumers, small businesses, whoever you are, make decision to go to a retailer, that retailer needs to offer something of real value. And that in-person experience, the the ability to get in and get out with exactly what you need um, timely is critically important now more than ever.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:21] And and what do you need more of? How can we help you?

Aaron Rogers: [00:10:26] I mean, for us, it’s really about the awareness, I think. You know, one of the things that this this reimagining of our stores in Atlanta is all about is really elevating our awareness of the things that we can do. You know, there are some things that we’ve done in our stores for years that folks just don’t know, that we could actually add a ton of value to their day. So I think the biggest thing I would say is, you know, as as customers are experiencing our marketing, as we go out into market and communicate the new services we are offering, the new products we are offering. Come on in and give us a give us a try. I think they’re going to be pleasantly surprised with both the people interactions in our stores as well as the new expanded offerings around services and products.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:07] Yeah, I know. I had a friend of mine go in recently for the TSA precheck and they said it was super easy and smooth. And I remember when I got TSA PreCheck many years ago, it was a night I had a nightmare. I had to go to the airport. It was a whole to do and their experience was just the opposite.

Aaron Rogers: [00:11:27] Yeah, we had the same experience as you when I got my TSA precheck a number of years back. The nice thing now with Staples offering TSA precheck in our stores and we’re in hundreds of stores across the country right now, not just Atlanta. You don’t have to drive the airport anymore. And Staples is in many local communities all throughout the United States. So it certainly is a much more convenient experience. Everything’s done online. You book your appointment online. Come on in for it, and you’re in and out in 15 minutes.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:57] Well, if somebody wants to learn more and experience this new Staples, what’s the best way to do that? Just the website. Geolocate yourself and pop in.

Aaron Rogers: [00:12:08] I would say two ways. You can either go to Staples.com, you can click on in there, go to my store or select services and see all the different services we have to offer. Or if you’re in the neighborhood, stop on in. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with what they see.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:23] Well, Aaron, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing important work and we appreciate you.

Aaron Rogers: [00:12:29] I appreciate the opportunity, Lee and I’m really excited about our reimagined launch in Atlanta. We think we have something really great to offer to the community.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:37] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you next time on Atlanta Business Radio.