Take a look inside the shiny new Comcast call center in Newark

In 2018, Comcast transformed its Delaware walk-in customer service centers from bleak strip mall locations with rows of plastic chairs and employees behind plexiglass to Apple Store-inspired showrooms, where customers can wait on sofas while trying out their new products.

This week, Comcast took another step in creating a company culture aiming to make life less stressful for both customers and employees: a brand new call center serving Greater Philadelphia, located in the Christiana Corporate Center in Newark.

The new call center’s ribbon cutting. (Gif by Holly Quinn)

Announced in 2018, the new center has been fully renovated into a modern, employee-focused workplace, with ergonomic, height-adjustable workstations; multi-function collaboration and meeting spaces that accommodate anywhere from two to 200 people; and a state-of-the-art workout facility. A Starbucks greets employees and guests on the third floor, where a full cafeteria also serves Wawa coffee and meals made on site, including a salad bar.

Off the front lobby there is a retail-style space displaying Comcast’s newest products. Only it’s not a store — it’s there so employees can stop in and demo the products, giving them some hands-on experience with the products customers may call about.

In the game room, a row of classic arcade video games line a wall near screens hooked up to Playstations. There is foosball, air hockey, pool and a golf-putting green.

Outside, there is a relaxation area, complete with a fire pit overlooking a wooded pond. A whimsical white bridge leads employees down a path to the parking area.

Here’s what U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester had to say about the new facility:

They layout and design choices are reminiscent of Capital One’s renovated downtown Wilmington building or CSC’s Silicon Valley-inspired campus. Colors are bright, spaces are open. Screens are everywhere. Even the rows of workstations designed for hundreds of phone representatives have an open feel.

Like many new or renovated spaces, sustainability was a priority in the design: The LED lighting is equipped with daylight harvesting technology; there is recycled glass in the flooring; the roof is thermoplastic. Several hydroponic “living green wall” installations dampen noise and filter the air.

“Bringing our workforce together in an environment designed to help our employees feel their best and do their best work, will benefit them and the thousands of customers they support every day,” said Jim Samaha, senior VP of Comcast’s Freedom Region. “This facility is an investment in the tools, technology and people who help us deliver a truly outstanding customer experience.”

This latest commitment reinforces Comcast’s investment in Delaware, where the company employs more than 1,100 employees in 22 facilities.

Below take a photo tour of the building; all photos by Holly Quinn.