Need a new phone, but don't feel like leaving the house? Sprint has a solution.
The wireless carrier on Monday morning launched a new service dubbed Direct 2 You, which aims to bring an in-store experience to the comfort of your own home. In other words, Sprint is now making house calls to sell and set up phones.
A Sprint-trained expert will bring a mobile device to your home, set it up and transfer all your content — including contacts, photos, videos, and apps — from your old device to the new one. Even better — you won't have to pay extra for the perk.
For now, Sprint is launching the free service in the Kansas City metropolitan area, its hometown, for upgrade-eligible customers. On April 20, Direct 2 You will also be available in Chicago and Miami, with a national expansion to follow throughout the year. The company is ultimately planning to place about 5,000 Sprint Direct 2 You cars in major metropolitan areas by the end of the year to expand the service.
"With our new Sprint Direct 2 You fleet of cars, it's as if we are adding 5,000 additional stores," Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure said in a statement. "However, these mobile stores will be continuously on the move based on customer demand."
Here's how it works: Sprint will send all qualified customers an offer to upgrade their phone via text or email. From there, simply call the number in the message to schedule an appointment, and a Direct 2 You expert will show up at your home, work, or wherever else you like at the specified time.
The Sprint employee will set up and activate your new phone, transfer all your contacts and data, and personalize the device the way you want. You can also choose to turn over your old phone for recycling or reuse.
Sprint said it developed the service based on customer research. Some customers simply find it too inconvenient and time-consuming to visit a store, the company found. Others are reluctant to order online and receive a new device at home because they say it's challenging to start using it without any help.
"We take for granted that it is easy to switch between different types of phones, but it actually is very complex," Claure said. "By bringing the in-store experience directly to customers, we can make that change painless, worry-free and do it in the comfort of a location where the customer wants it."
The move comes after Sprint on Friday opened up shop in 1,435 RadioShack stores acquired as part of the electronic retailer's recent bankruptcy action, more than doubling its retail footprint. The stores will offer smartphones like the new Samsung Galaxy S6 as well as other devices and services from Sprint and its prepaid brands Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile, alongside RadioShack products.
For more on Sprint Direct 2 You, check out the video below.