Summary
What happens when you take a pharmacy leader with an OBE and put him in charge of reimagining telco retail? Pure innovation.
Asif Aziz, Retail Director at EE, brings a refreshingly human-centred approach to technology retail. Drawing from his early days as a market trader and his 27-year career at Boots, Aziz shares his philosophy that “care and commerciality are two sides of the same coin” – deliver exceptional customer experiences, and business success naturally follows.
The conversation takes us inside EE’s groundbreaking Studio store at Westfield White City – a 4,000 square foot space that’s anything but a traditional phone shop. This award-winning retail concept features room sets demonstrating connected home technology, gaming zones where friends can play together, and tech advice bars offering free consultations with no pressure to purchase. Most fascinating is how Aziz’s team continuously evolves the space based on real customer feedback, replacing concepts that don’t resonate with more practical experiences.
Beyond showcasing products, EE is tackling meaningful societal challenges through initiatives like their “Safer Sims” program, which helps parents navigate children’s technology use with age-appropriate plans and expert guidance. This reflects Aziz’s belief that technology companies have a responsibility to help customers through increasingly complex digital landscapes – a perspective gained during his experience leading Boots’ COVID testing response when he witnessed first-hand how tech barriers prevented people from accessing essential services.
The results speak volumes: 47 experience stores nationwide with double-digit increases in foot traffic wherever these new format stores open. In an era when many question the relevance of physical retail, Aziz demonstrates that stores thrive when reimagined as destinations for education, exploration, and genuine human connection.
Ready to experience retail’s future? Visit an EE experience store and discover how technology shopping can actually be enjoyable, meaningful, and surprisingly human.