Five Questions With: Christine Berberich

CHRISTINE BERBERICH / COURTESY VERIZON WIRELESS
CHRISTINE BERBERICH / COURTESY VERIZON WIRELESS

Christine Berberich, president of Verizon Wireless New England tells Providence Business News about the latest service enhancements in Rhode Island. She also talks about the company’s new “destination store” opening soon in Boston. Berberich is responsible for the company’s sales and operations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, and has been involved in the telecommunications industry for more than 20 years.

PBN: How long have you been president of Verizon Wireless in New England? What interested you in this type of industry?
BERBERICH:
I was named president of the New England Region for Verizon Wireless in 2010, and I’m responsible for sales and operations across the six New England states. At the start of my career in the 1990s, I was primarily attracted to the wireless industry for two reasons – the first being the technology itself because of the revolutionary convenience that mobile two-way communication afforded. It was a tremendous lifestyle change – very liberating to not have to wait near the home or office telephone for an important call, or not have to seek out a corner payphone to make a call when out and about. The second reason was the promise of future innovation that wireless technology held. When I first started it was all about making voice calls, and today, our network and consumer demand have evolved into wirelessly connecting customers with all of the people, information and accessories that make up their lives.

PBN: Can you talk about things that have changed since you first joined the company?
BERBERICH:
I’ve been with Verizon Wireless for more than 20 years, and it’s been incredible to be a part of such sweeping changes in technology. In a relatively short time we’ve innovated from simply supporting ‘car phones on highways’ to now helping to enable the ‘Internet of Things’ in some of the most remote areas of the country. Our rollout of advanced network technologies like 4G LTE and XLTE has supported and accelerated the development of mobile apps and connected ‘smart accessories.’ Today, everything from thermostats to HD cameras can be connected and controlled remotely. The way in which products and solutions come to market has also changed. For example, Western Hills Middle School in Cranston was just named ‘Best in Region’ in our annual “Verizon Innovative App Challenge.” We asked student teams to create mobile app concepts that address a problem in their school or local community, and year after year the resulting submissions just amaze me. The App Challenge is a great example of how Verizon is focusing on innovation.

PBN: What are some of the latest service enhancements being offered in RI?
BERBERICH:
Over the past year, we’ve made several enhancements to our network in Rhode Island. In fact, our investment in our wireless network throughout New England has reached nearly $4 billion since 2000, and totaled $378 million in 2014 alone. Most recently, we’ve made enhancements to our 4G LTE service in Cranston, Lincoln, Newport, North Providence, Smithfield and Wakefield.

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PBN: Tell me about the new “destination store” and how it will be different from other Verizon Wireless stores – are there plans for more?
BERBERICH:
We chose Boston’s historic Boylston Street for our next ‘Destination Store,’ and when it opens in mid-March, it will be the first Verizon Destination Store on the East Coast – and one of only four across the country. The store will help customers discover how wireless technology can support their active lifestyle. The 8,000 square foot showroom will feature lifestyle zones to display ways technology can be incorporated into the home, office or on-the-go. The store will also house a dedicated ‘Wireless Workshop’ training space where Verizon education specialists will lead free informational classes to help guests maximize the capabilities of their accessories and devices. The store will also feature a DJ Booth, multiple charging stations, a ‘selfie photo booth’ for capturing, editing and posting photos, and other customizable displays that will change periodically.

PBN: The wireless industry is so competitive – how does Verizon differentiate itself from the competition?
BERBERICH:
We operate in an extremely competitive environment. It’s one where customers experience our service dozens, if not hundreds, of times each day. We differentiate ourselves by continuing to focus on consistently delivering the best customer service and network experiences possible. Employee development and training, investing in our retail and network operations – those are the things that have worked for us and earned us the highest customer loyalty in the industry. We also share a unique ‘culture of continuous improvement’ at the company that drives us to improve each day on behalf of the customers we proudly serve.

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