WDM Magazine

Protect Cell, led by Rob Emery and Bryan Finnerty, rests assured knowing that they are not your traditional carrier plan with residual income. Why would a retailer want to wait around to be paid in 24 months when they can get paid right now? Their JD Power and Associates certified call center stands ready to seamlessly manage any request for a handset replacement from the first call to the in-house fulfillment of a customer’s replacement unit. Thousands of Protect Cell customers enjoy peace of mind knowing their handset is protected by an organization they can trust. Why wouldn’t you?

In the beginning, Protect Cell initially launched as an in-house handset protection service offered through a select number of retail locations in southeastern Michigan. After testing, proving and perfecting the fulfillment process, Protect Cell formally launched nationwide in April 2006 to meet the growing demand of both wireless dealers and their customers for handset protection alternatives to the wireless carrier’s limited warranties and insurance plans.

By offering an alternative to the carrier plans, Protect Cell’s authorized representatives, independent wireless retailers, are able to offer a protection plan that increases their revenue through a revenue sharing agreement while providing their customers with a robust protection experience. Customers are promised fast turnaround times; Protect Cell strives to handle requests within two calls and plans are not canceled in the event of multiple requests. Dealers enjoy selling a valuable service to their customers that requires no inventory and no investment, while reaping some of the highest commissions paid in the warranty and handset protection business - and at Protect Cell, commissions are paid upfront.
For customers, Protect Cell also provides a membership rewards program to all members loaded with money-saving offers. Through the Protect Cell Advantage Rewards program, members can enjoy online discounts up to 60% on more than 200,000 brand name items from a wide array of popular national retailers. In addition, they are able to earn points on each item they purchase. Reward points can be used to purchase additional merchandise and gift cards, donated to charity or transferred to a pre-paid load and spend MasterCard.

Protect Cell continues to forge strategic partnerships and alliances in order to offer even greater profit opportunities for wireless retailers. A few of their partnerships include:

• RetailiQ, the leading point-of-sale wireless presence. When a customer makes a purchase, 50% of dealers already have the software that prompts salespeople to offer Protect Cell protection in the checkout process.
• Protect Cell has partnered with Am Trust, an A-rated insurance company, licensed in all 50 states to provide a fully insured product.
• Marsh, the only call center in the industry with a JD Power and Associates certification to provide the best customer service in the industry. Marsh answers Protect Cell’s customers when they call for a replacement handset.
• Federal Express, World-class shipping giant partners with Protect Cell for next day delivery of replacement units.
• GadgetTrak Inc. provides innovative and patented theft recovery and loss prevention solutions for mobile devices. Not only can you protect your hardware or handset device, with GadgetTrak you can also protect, monitor and backup all data on your device now offered as an option in Protect Cell policies. Information protection and replacement is an excellent opportunity for the B2B channels. Protect Cell believes so strongly in this new level of protection, they are an invested partner and major stakeholder with GadgetTrak Inc.

Strategic partnerships with like-minded and equally dealer-centric companies are paramount for Protect Cell and the value they offer the wireless retailers. Protect Cell is integrated with one of the leading point-of-sale software providers to wireless retailers, iQmetrix. With Protect Cell’s primary software partner, the company offers a fully integrated solution to over 3,000 locations nationwide. Maurice Thibodeau, Customer Success Team Director at iQmetrix, adds, “Protect Cell has been a strong iQmetrix partner from day one. Protect Cell embodies everything you expect from a strong partner, they deliver product quality, dedicated customer experience, industry knowledge, and as a partner they are always highly engaged in our events and with our clients.”

There are three ways independent wireless retailers and dealers can offer the Protect Cell policies to their customers. As mentioned, Protect Cell is currently fully integrated inside point-of-sale software provider, iQmetrix, which is point-of-sale solution inside many retailers nationwide. Retailers not using iQmetrix for their point of sale software system can connect with Protect Cell by becoming an online customer, using a secure login and interfacing directly with Protect Cell to sell plans to customers in store from the Internet.

Last, the Protect Cell technical support team is prepared with an application plug-in for a desktop installed solution for retailers who want or need any interface customization.

Originally created by a wireless retailer for other wireless retailers to provide the best possible customer experience, the vision of Protect Cell is to become the leader in handset protection and wireless dealer resources related to handsets, other wireless offerings, and wireless customer benefit programs. “Evidence of our vision is already in action with programs and initiatives where we are addressing this fast-changing industry, while consistently providing an excellent customer experience as well as new sources of profit for independent wireless dealers,” says Bryan Finnerty, co-founder of Protect Cell, “The Protect Cell team keeps the goals of the dealers in mind, having been one. Commitment to the dealer’s success is the key to any Protect Cell success.”

According to John Salisbury, Vice President/Chief Operations Officer, GoWireless, Inc., “Why do we sell Protect Cell? No inventory - 100% bottom line profit - outstanding customer service. The answer is easy. Why wouldn’t we?”

You can visit Protect Cell at CTIA International Wireless 2010 in Las Vegas at their Booth # 5755 which is located directly next to the entrance to the keynote sessions. You can also find Protect Cell co-located inside their strategic partner iQmetrix Booth # 6304. For more information about Protect Cell visit http://www.protectcell.com or call 877-368-6365.

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