Spotlight On: Shawn Alexander, Retail Vice President, Atlantic South Market, Verizon Consumer Group
June 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Verizon Consumer Group’s Retail Vice President of the Atlantic South Market, Shawn Alexander, highlighted the company’s integration of AI tools like “View Together” to enhance customer experience. She also discussed tailored services, such as 5G Home Internet and plans for Tampa Bay’s growing Latino community. Alexander reaffirmed Verizon’s commitment to the region through network expansion and community-focused initiatives.
What are some lessons learned from the 2024 hurricane season, and how are you building resilience?
At Verizon, we power and empower how people live, work, and play by connecting them to what matters most; operating with excellence and building trust in how we show up. I’m incredibly proud of our response to the hurricanes. Our top priority is safety, ensuring our teams have time to prepare and are protected while remaining available to our customers. Balancing employee safety with customer needs is critical, especially during events where communication is vital. We faced two major hurricanes back-to-back, yet most of our stores reopened within 24 hours, and nearly all were operational within three days. Despite personal challenges, our team showed remarkable resilience, quickly returning to support their communities. We also provided targeted support, including a $25,000 donation to Feeding America Tampa Bay, and ensured our teams had resources like fuel and housing to stay safe and assist others.
What trends are you seeing in Tampa Bay regarding telecommunications and retail, as well as evolving customer expectations?
Tampa Bay is a significant market for us, with a strong distribution network of over 69 locations, including both retail and partner stores. We ensure that our stores are accessible — most customers in Tampa can reach a Verizon store in less than 30 minutes. One of our key focuses is making sure our stores and employees reflect the communities they serve. As customer demographics evolve, we adapt by hiring team members who understand and belong to those communities. We encourage our employees to act as CEOs of their own ZIP codes, taking ownership of their markets and ensuring they meet local needs. Additionally, we prioritize partnerships with local businesses to support entrepreneurs with easy access to our services. This localized approach helps us stay connected to Tampa Bay’s unique characteristics while serving customers effectively.
How do you ensure your brick-and-mortar locations remain relevant as e-commerce and digital experiences grow in popularity?
We’re embedding digital and AI tools into every aspect of our stores to enhance the customer journey. For example, the My Verizon app is deeply integrated into the in-store experience, allowing customers to self-serve or engage with us digitally before visiting a store. We also offer video assist, where customers can connect with our team via video calls, explore store offerings virtually, and pick up their purchases when ready. In our stores, we’re introducing digital displays and interactive point-of-sale tools. For instance, our Point of Sale system uses AI to recommend the best options for customers based on their preferences and history with Verizon. This reduces the cognitive load for both employees and customers, streamlining the experience.
One feature I’m particularly excited about is “View Together.” This tool allows customers to see a clear summary of their transactions on their phone or store displays in real time. It ensures transparency and builds trust by showing exactly what’s being discussed during the visit. While digital tools enhance convenience, customers often value personalized assistance.
How are you adapting to meet the evolving needs of your clients?
One of the key areas of demand we’ve seen is for mobile and home internet services, particularly our 5G-powered Verizon Home Internet. Customers in Tampa appreciate its affordability and reliability, especially during storms, when fiber lines that rely on electricity may be down, while Verizon’s 5G systems remain connected. After recent hurricanes, we noticed an increase in interest as people recognized the value of staying connected even in challenging circumstances. We’re also tailoring our offerings to the needs of the community. For example, more than 20% of Tampa’s population is Latino, so we’ve introduced plans like the Unlimited Ultimate Plan. It allows travel to over 200 countries with international data included, as well as Global Choice features, such as 60 minutes of calls to Cuba. These offerings reflect our commitment to serving the diverse needs of the communities we’re part of.
How are you attracting and retaining skilled talent for your retail stores?
At Verizon, we focus heavily on career development and creating a culture where employees feel supported and valued. We offer national and local programs to help team members grow their careers within the company. In markets like Tampa, employees have opportunities to move between roles and locations while building their skills. Every new employee meets with me during onboarding events. There, I emphasize how much their contributions matter. Our culture and development programs are consistently cited as key reasons people join and stay with Verizon. The connection between our leadership and employees, including direct engagement from myself and other senior leaders, fosters a sense of belonging and support.
Can you share more about Verizon’s efforts to support small businesses and community initiatives in the region?
We’re proud of initiatives like the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools, which help bridge the digital divide by providing Tampa Bay students with access to essential technologies, giving them a meaningful advantage for the future. We also have the Small Business Digital Ready program, which has onboarded over 3,000 small businesses in Tampa. Supporting small businesses is vital to economic growth, and we strive to serve them both as enterprises and as individual consumers.
What are Verizon’s top priorities for the Tampa Bay area over the next two to three years?
Our main priority is to continue developing the balance between human and digital relationships, ensuring customers receive not only top-tier services but also the speed and convenience they value. We focus on delivering a great experience as defined by our customers, not just by us. We’ve heavily invested in our brand and stores — they’ve never looked better. In Florida and the Tampa Bay area specifically, network expansion remains a top focus as we match the needs of the growing population. With so many people relocating here, particularly from the Northeast, we’re constantly evaluating how our services and distribution can best support this expanding community.
Verizon is consistently engaged in events and partnerships throughout Tampa Bay. Earlier this year we co-sponsored Viva Tampa Bay, a major community event. We are also proud to give back to the community through our collaboration as the official 5G partner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This partnership highlights our ongoing commitment to the region, and we have exciting plans with the Bucs that will further strengthen our connection to Tampa Bay in the future. Over the next few years, we’ll continue showcasing why Verizon is the best choice for Tampa Bay by investing in the network, the community, and our people.
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