Philip Morris Armenia management team provides customer service in brand new IQOS flagship store

Three months ago the Armenian affiliate of Philip Morris International officially launched the sales of its revolutionary IQOS tobacco heating system. Armenia became the 39th market in the world where legal age smokers can make their step towards the smoke-free future. Following the launch of IQOS sales, on June10th the first IQOS flagship store opened its doors in Dalma Garden mall, Yerevan.

The Yerevan IQOS boutique, which will be open seven days a week, will offer a bespoke in-store experience for customers. The boutique is devided in 4 zones. The Educational zone presents the story of synergy achieved by bringing technology together with real tobacco. In Guided trial zone, legal age smokers can be guidied through the new ritual of experiencing real tobacco in new way. In Core product zone current users will enjoy complete IQOS experience and get 360 customer service. And the Customization zone will be able to personalize their own devices with trendy and colorful accessories.

Designed by MACH ARCHITEKTUR GMBH, the Yerevan store is minimalistic with natural wooden elements in interior. Intelligent design details including back lighting create cozy space within the store for a sleek and modern finish.

The total hype in IQOS store from the very moment of its opening was pointing out the fact IQOS is popular among legal age smokers in Armenia.

In order to be closer to IQOS users Philip Morris Armenia management team has decided to provide customer service together with sales experts on the store official opening day. The initiative was interesting and the occasion was convenient. Our journalist had an interview with Philip Morris Armenia management and discovered many fresh and interesting details about the company transformation, heat-not-burn tobacco market in Armenia and the R&D facility Philip Morris intends to establish in the country.

Answering to our request to describe the tobacco giant Philip Morris in 21th century, the General Manager of Philip Morris Armenia Natalia Mayorova said:

Philip Morris today is in the middle of unprecedented transformation. We are transforming ourselves and currently acting as pioneers of transforming the tobacco industry globally. We believe that the future of Philip Morris is no longer aligned with production of cigarettes because we are moving towards the technological products free of cigarette smoke.

What is the main reason of opening IQOS flagship store here in Yerevan?

The boutique opening is a significant milestone in IQOS’s retail expansion in our country. And this will be the first time when Yerevan will have a dedicated smoke-free store which is a reflection of consumer demand. We do our best to fit the expectations of IQOS users and provide them high-quality product with 360 service. Our sales statistics prove that more and more legal age smokers in Armenia are looking for alternatives to traditional cigarettes. We are excited to see that every day around 100 legal age smokers make their step towards the smoke-free future with IQOS.

In our flagship store the smokers can get complete information about IQOS, see how the device works and make their decision to replace cigarettes with this smoke-free heat-not-burn product. We are happy that the opening of flagship store here in Armenia will let us offer the revolutionary alternative to the increasing number of legal age smokers looking for it.

What is the difference between IQOS and cigarettes?

IQOS usage is for sure a better alternative than cigarette smoking. IQOS heats specially designed tobacco units just enough to generate vapor without burning them. As result, IQOS generates on average 90% lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes. Our legal age users will also appreciate that with IQOS they can enjoy tobacco without smoke or ash and with less smell compared to an ordinary cigarette on their hands, hair and clothes.

Where the idea of providing customer service to IQOS users on the flagship store official opening day came from?

Today Philip Morris is more than just a tobacco company. Moving from production of cigarettes to offering smokers a better alternative and providing them complete service requires customer centricity. The customer feedback and IQOS users opinion are crucial for us. So, I assume, the direct interaction with customers is a great opportunity to be closer, to get the feedback and receive the valuable insights from first hands. Besides, this is an option for customers as well to ask all of their questions about company transformation and Philip Morris goal of creating the smoke-free future to the management team.

Is there any difference between Armenian IQOS users and users around the world?

Philip Morris puts big efforts to make our services user-friendly and simple. I am sure that the feedback that we receive from our customers across the world, helps us a lot. I have to say that Armenian users are unique even in feedback giving. I am asking to the common user how to improve the quality of our services, and here he is going deep into the problem, offering me three possible solutions with business plan ready to deploy. Indeed, our users in Armenia are our best experts, consultants and auditors!

Our Journalist had an interesting conversation with Margarita Zakus, Philip Morris Armenia Manager Marketing & RRP Deployment.

Answering to our question who is at the end of the day targeting Philip Morris by developing and promoting its revolutionary production and is it an option to present the tobacco products to non-smokers in a new way, Margarita said:

Smoking causes diseases and this is a fact. The best option for those who are concerned about the health effects of smoking remains not to start or to quit smoking. At the same time, Leading health expert organizations and public authorities, including the World Health Organization, estimate that there will be over a billion smokers in the next decade despite ongoing efforts to encourage non-smokers not to start smoking and existing smokers to quit.

So we see our goal in developing and providing legal age smokers better alternatives to smoking. IQOS and other Philip Morris innovative smoke-free products are here to replace cigarettes. These products are ONLY for legal age smokers who will otherwise continue smoking.

After the official launch of IQOS sales in Armenia users encountered problems of temporary absence of product in points of sales. What should they expect in future?

IQOS is officially available in Armenia from March 2018. I have to say that the actual sales statistics exceeded the most optimistic of our forecasts. The demand for our smoke-free production has exceeded its supply for several times. As result, we had there were queues in some points of sales and we faced the precedents for the temporary absence of product. Currently the problem is solved, and we express our endless gratitude to our users for their patience and trust. Besides, we do our best to increase the number of points of sales where IQOS is officially presented in Yerevan and other cities of Armenia in order to insure our product availability. And before that we believe that our users will feel good at the newly opened IQOS store.

What you are saying is that the product is now available in all points of sales which you announce. But HEETS are still sold with quotation. Why?

Unfortunately, our products are popular not only among our users, but also resellers who sell the product on the secondary market or export to other markets. This method is used to minimize the risk of temporary absence of HEETS in the Armenian market.

At the end of the interview Vahe Danielyan, Philip Morris Armenia Manager CA, Scientific Engagement&Innovations, joined us. The conversation about smoke-free products smoothly switched to the Philip Morris R&D footprint. We were surprised that Armenia is an interesting market for Philip Morris in terms of R&D expansion.

Last year Philip Morris signed memorandus of understanding with Armenian government, Yerevan State University and Armenian Polytechnic university. Philip Morris expressed its readiness and interest in fostering highly skilled human capital development in Armenia in the field of research and development including including the establishment of research laboratories here in the country. In addition to this, PMA is interested in discussing the possibility of fostering and developing educational and research initiatives in areas of interest to the company.

Currently fundamental and applied research projects in chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, engeneering, thermodynamics and other fields are being conducted in Philip Morris R&D facilities located in Switzerland and Singapore. We are proud that Armenia is one of the countries where Philip Morris will expand its R&D footprint. I am highly motivated with the fact that Armenian students and scientists will be given an opportunity to collaborate with more than 430 world-class scientists engaged in Philip Morris scientific projects deployment.

What is the current status of establishing Philip Morris R&D facility here in Armenia?

Philip Morris R&D facility in Armenia will be located in premices of Armenian Polytechnic university. The reconstruction work is already started. Besiges, we are planning to closely cooperate with Armenian scientific institutes and laboratories which will with no doubt contribute to the activation of R&D sector in the country. Philip Morris will also invest in education. Soon we will announce the launch of Data science master program in Yerevan State University developed together with Philip Morris. We also plan to support talented post-graduate students and research groups involved in fundamental and applied research in several of areas. And all this is the beginning. Follow the news and activities.