Digicel recently opened its largest dealer store in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, covering 2,300 square feet. Digicel Haiti has 301 dealer stores serving 1.4 million customers. - Contributed

Digicel Group said Monday its regional network of stores and dealerships had grown to 1,343, the newest of which would have been established in three nascent markets - Haiti, El Salvador and Guyana.

In Haiti, Digicel now has 301 dealer stores serving 1.4 million mobile subscribers, a year into its startup, but its largest network by far is in El Salvador where the telecom has 466 dealer stores, according to information given to Wednesday Business.

The company says it provides larger stores in that market as well as El Salvador "to service key locations in major cities".

Haiti has a population of 8.5 million to 8.7 million, according to different estimates, while El Salvador has a 6.9 million population.

Digicel did not fully disclose its criteria for deciding on the number of dealers/stores per market, but says it chiefly considers proximity to customers. The company operates few stores itself, pre-ferrring to contract companies to sell its products.

In Jamaica, for example, where it has almost 200 dealers, Digicel itself has leased 16 premises from where it operates its "flagship stores".

"We have 193 outlets in Jamaica. All are owned and run by dealer parties," said Maureen Rabbitt, head of Digicel Group communications.

Driving business

"Digicel has followed this model from the onset as we believe it's important that our dealers own their own stores and are entrepreneurial, as this helps drive business."

The group's entire network covers operations in Bermuda, the Caribbean and Central America. Guyana and Suriname, whose roll-out of operations happens later this year, also give the company a presence at the tip of South America.

Digicel Group now lays claim to near 7,000 jobs, saying it employs 3,400 across its 22 markets while another 3,500 work with dealers contracted to the telecom. Its customer base has grown to 4.7 million, with Jamaica still its largest market at 1.7 million subscribers, followed by Haiti; together they represent 66 per cent of Digicel's market.

Growth potential

As for growth potential, Haiti would hold more promise with a population that is more than triple Jamaica's 2.7 million. The latter country is said to already have about 90-95 per cent cellphone penetration, while Haiti's market is just opening up.

"In its sixth year of operation, Digicel continues to experience rapid growth and bolster regional economies by bringing hundreds of new jobs to local markets through its dealer stores," said a company release.

"We prefer that the stores are owned by our dealer parties," Rabbitt added, "because when you own your own business and profit from your own business it is in your best interest to drive the business."

lavern.clarke@gleanerjm.com