Cricket Wireless has hopped into the St. Louis market making clear it wants to be a productive member of many African-American neighborhoods.
Marketing Manager Chenell Seaton, who is responsible for nine corporate stores and 110 direct-point locations, is thrilled with the inclusion level of Cricket’s support staff throughout the region.
“We have a very diverse workforce,” said Seaton, a graduate of Hazelwood Central and Missouri School of Journalism.
“Our employees are quite awesome, and their enthusiasm is just amazing.”
Seaton explains that Cricket’s flat-rate service appeals “to many minority customers – and all customers.”
Cricket doesn’t require contracts or credit checks, which “offers opportunities for some people to have service that otherwise would not.”
She calls the service “affordable,” with plans ranging from $30 to $60 a month, including unlimited anytime minutes, unlimited U.S. long distance, unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited text to Mexico, unlimited mobile web, unlimited directory assistance and nationwide roaming minutes.
The wireless company also has several of his retail stores in North St. Louis and North County, including stores at Flower Valley Shopping Center, 119 Flower Valley Shopping Center in Florissant; The Shops at Roberts Village, 1330 Aubert Ave.; Dellwood Plaza, 10006 W. Florissant, Dellwood, Mo.; and Lotsie Depot, 10082 Page Ave. in Overland.
There are also stores at University City Square, 6908 Olive Street Rd. and in Fairview Heights, Ill.
Hubert McCloud is manager of the Roberts Village store, which leads the St. Louis area in activations for all store locations since it opened on June 9.
“It’s because we have a phenomenal product,” McCloud said.
“I call it ‘your house phone on your hip.’ There are never any overages. You buy the phone, and you talk.”
McCloud served as manager of a Rent-A-Center location in Roberts Village for more than four years when he got word that Cricket was coming to the region. He applied for a managerial position, he said, and “four or five interviews later, here I am.”
One of several African-American mangers in the region, McCloud also takes pride in Cricket’s commitment to inclusion.
“We have it (at this store) and many others too,” said the Gateway Tech and University of Missouri-St. Louis graduate.
Dan Fowler, area general manager, said Cricket’s philosophy is that “communicating freely with family and friends should not be considered a privilege.”
He said removal of credit checks and long-term contracts “make wireless communications a reality for a much wider population.”
Seaton returned to St. Louis for the Cricket managerial position after serving with Carol H. Williams Advertising in Chicago. Before moving to the Windy City, she was at Rodgers Townsend in St. Louis.
“St. Louis has been so receptive to us,” she said.
“We plan on being a part of the community,” she said – “you’ll see us everywhere.”
Seaton won’t be hard to miss – she drives a Hummer decorated in Cricket’s distinctive green.
“People just come up to me and ask me all about the service,” she said.
