In what insiders quietly describe as a “reverse pivot”, the telco has begun reopening its physical stores, after years of pushing customers to do everything online.
The move is a clear departure from the company’s previous digital-first strategy, which aggressively pushed Filipinos to use the Globe app and other web-based platforms for mobile and broadband needs.
Why the change in course? The answer is simple: a stubborn chunk of the population still insists on face-to-face transactions. And Globe, under Cruz’s watch, has finally decided to accommodate them.
So far, eight stores have been opened or reopened in high-foot traffic areas, mostly shopping malls. But don’t expect a return to the old sprawling customer lounges. Globe is taking a leaner approach this time. Most upcoming branches will be smaller-format outlets. Think kiosks, not flagship stores.
Still, the goal is ambitious: Improve the walk-in experience and cut the customer wait time dramatically.
Globe sources say that at the peak of the digital migration push, some clients who insisted on doing face-to-face transactions to wait two hours or more (because there were fewer stores to service them). Even the average waiting time hovered at a painful 40 minutes.
That’s now down to 14 minutes, thanks to updated systems and streamlined operations. Cruz wants that even lower, ideally under 10 minutes per client. That may sound overly optimistic, but store managers say that reduced foot traffic, paired with more surgical customer service, makes the target feasible.
The move is part of a broader effort by Globe to re-humanize customer service after years of automation and app-based engagement.
It’s also an acknowledgment that not all users are ready or willing to go fully digital... no matter how many push notifications they receive.
Senior Reporter
