HP in collaboration with ICT Connect last week launched the HP Experience store in Lagos, much to the delight of Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, EVC, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) who considered it a welcome development in the country.
This is the second of its kind in the world, following a successful launch of the first one in Johannesburg, South Africa, earlier in the year.
The store is owned and operated by ICT Connect and will sell HP’s entire portfolio of consumer products – from personal computing to imaging and printing products. More so, consumers will have an opportunity to view and experience the latest HP technology in the store.
“The store meets consumers’ demands for an engaging experience, quality products that perform, and solutions that meet their needs,” said Joshua Brenkel, VP & GM Personal Systems Group, Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa (Mema).
According to him, “we are very excited about the opening of the second world HP Experience store and confident that it will pave the way for consumers to further embrace the digital entertainment evolution.”
Brenkel said that they intend opening more of such stores across the country, and that what informed the choice of Nigeria is the fact that the telecom operators are deploying new technologies, which HP’s state-of-the-art products are designed to support.
He noted that HP Pavilion became a leader because of its design, and that has informed the company’s modification of the design of their new products, which he said has transformed into a fashion sensation.
These products, Brenkel said will come at a good price point even as he promised that visitors to the HP Experience stores would enjoy good customer service and would have a representative at hand to explain the functionalities of any offering of interest.
“HP’s commitment to the Nigerian market has been further strengthened by its co-investment in HP Experience,” commented Chioma Iwuchukwu-Nweke, GM, PSG West Africa. “The company was the first to invest in Nigeria in the advent of democracy in 1999 and since then, there has been a flow of IT investors into the country.”
Ugochukwu Asinugo, HP Experience store manager informed that the store is centred on experiences and solutions, not products; adding that they want to provide consumers with an opportunity to interact with the latest HP technology.
HP Experience consists of various digital lifestyle zones, including a “guru bar” where trained HP experts provide consumers with in-depth information, assistance and education as part of their shopping experience.
However, the company has unveiled a couple of high-end products to be showcased at the HP Experience store, which include the HP IQ800 TouchSmart PC, the HP TouchSmart tx2 Notebook PC, the HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition, a masterpiece that shows the convergence of fashion and technology; and the HP HDX18, built for digital entertainment enthusiasts.