FCP Euro is Proud to Announce the Grand Opening of their Customer Experience Center
For Immediate Release - May 24, 2019 -- Milford, CT -- After the long-awaited construction completion, FCP Euro is proud to announce the grand opening of their Customer Experience Center.
Sunday, May 19th marked the grand opening of FCP Euro's Customer Experience Center. This new space serves many roles, but first and foremost, FCP Euro's new Customer Experience Center features a revised retail center for customers to get their parts. Now, customers can place their order online and select "in-store pickup" to get their parts at their convenience and minimize wait times in addition to placing orders over the counter. When using the "in-store pickup," orders are housed in a bespoke "pickup locker" that is designed and engineered in-house. The locker uses screens that instruct which lockers individual customer orders are located in. While in the new retail center, customers now can shop a featured selection of parts and a newly-added apparel line that's designed in-house as well.
Beyond the new retail space, customers will find the motorsports and content studio positioned right next to the pickup counter. With a growing fleet of race and project cars, a dedicated motorsports department was a necessary addition that's connected to the outside by a massive glass garage door, allowing visitors to join in during all event-related activities.
Bundled with the motorsports department is the content studio, where all of FCP Euro's digital content including, photography, video, and 3D diagrams, will be created. One of the challenges of the space was to create a studio that lives within a motorsports department while meeting building codes. One of the ingenious workarounds was the inclusion of a fireproof "Cyc" wall. While the "Cyc" wall functions as a studio backdrop, it is constructed of fireproof materials and houses a sprinkler system as well as the studio's electrical.
The last spaces in the new Customer Experience Center are the expanded distribution center and the mezzanine above. The distribution center expansion will support the increase of inventory, allowing FCP Euro to get product to their customer even faster. The mezzanine atop the distribution center overlooks the motorsport department and content studio and will allow FCP Euro to host large community events, open to local car club chapters and other entities.
FCP Euro Customer Experience Center - Retail Center
The expansion posed multiple challenges throughout both the design and building process. "The most difficult part of the build was striking a balance of functional space for our many growing departments while making sure it remained community-friendly. We want to bring our customers inside to see how we operate, and with the new Experience Center, they can witness how all of our content is created," explained Alex Frank, VP of eCommerce. "Whether that's for our YouTube channel with instructional and informational videos, or our social media and blog posts, customers are now able to experience it all. Depending on the day, you might even catch our VW GTI TCRs or project cars being worked on in the new motorsports department," he added.
FCP Euro Customer Experience Center - Motorsport Department
So far, everyone within the company has claimed a different spot in the facility as their favorite. Alex Frank added, "It's tough to pick just one, but I think my favorite part of the new Customer Experience Center is the upper mezzanine. The mezzanine allows us to host massive gatherings indoors all while looking down on a fully-functional motorsports and content space. Equipped with an A/V system and dedicated meeting areas, this space is truly multi-purpose and can adapt to the needs of a growing community and our growing company. Over the grand opening weekend, it held company meetings, a dinner ceremony, and during Cars and Coffee served as a theater where people could get away from the commotion while sitting and watching an episode of The Paddock."
FCP Euro Customer Experience Center - Mezzanine
FCP Euro Customer Experience Center - Distribution Center
FCP Euro Customer Experience Center - Content Studio
The FCP Euro experience center is open to the public Monday through Thursday from 9am-4pm, and on Friday from 9am-2pm, as well as on select weekends during Cars & Coffee. For those interested in reserving the space for local gatherings or any event-related activity, please inquire below.
For more information on the expansion build process, you can visit FCP Euro's YouTube channel, and for additional information and images of the grand opening and Cars & Coffee, you can find that here.
FCP Euro Media Contact: Evan Madore, Staff Writer - evan.madore@fcpeuro.com.
About FCP Euro
FCP Euro is an online retailer of Genuine, OE, and OEM auto parts for European cars, specializing in BMW, Volvo, Audi, VW, Mercedes, and Porsche parts. Since 2001, FCP Euro has raised the bar for service and quality in the automotive industry and has become recognized by enthusiasts as the premier source for OEM and Genuine car parts. With a Lifetime Replacement Guarantee on all parts, Hassle-Free Returns, and free shipping on orders over $49, FCP Euro has continuously challenged the boundaries and advanced the standards of quality, service, and technology in the automotive industry.
