The overwhelming majority (92 per cent) of UAE consumers expect commercial brands to understand and cater to their individual needs, according to a report by digital workflow company ServiceNow.
The study that surveyed 13,000 adults across the Emea region revealed the critical success factors for the nation’s brands.
The findings come at a time when brand loyalty hit an all-time low — 91 per cent of consumers surveyed in the UAE (15 percentage points higher than the Emea average) claim to be less loyal to brands now than two years ago. Almost one in four consumers attribute this to disappointing experiences.
Country manager of the GCC, at ServiceNow, Ali Kaddoura, said: “Some of the findings are not surprising.
“But what really stands out is that more consumers than ever expect their brands to really know them and cater to their personal preferences.”
When asked about specific expectations, researchers found 79 per cent of the UAE sample population valued brands that are attuned to shoppers’ purchasing habits. Eighty-six per cent said companies should remember their preferred communication channel. An absolute majority called for personalised discounts, with 86 per cent urging brands to display tailored recommendations during an engagement session.
“Given the tech-savvy propensity of the UAE consumer base, we found it interesting that consumers here had a technology-based incentive to be loyal to a brand,” added Mr Kaddoura, citing a finding that 86 per cent (which is 15 per cent above the Emea average) considered it essential that brands provide a customer experience underpinned by the latest technology.
Meanwhile, 85 per cent recognised they would likely be more loyal to a brand that invested in tech to provide enhanced customer experience.
“Whether we zero in on consumers’ direct calls for better tech or their implied calls for it through their urgings for more personalised experiences, it is clear that UAE organisations need better tech,” said Mr Kaddoura.
“Brands must invest in a unified foundational technology platform for all enterprise digital workflows, allowing them to maximise the value of their existing technology investments and connect siloed systems, departments and processes.”
Mr Kaddoura advised UAE brands to take the cue from two top-ranked sectors for customer experience — healthcare and government:
“Consider the UAE government’s implementation of the trusted identity system, UAE Pass or its response to the Covid crisis, starting with the management of lockdowns and culminating in the app-driven rollout of vaccines — all driven by technology. And let’s not forget the country’s healthcare system and how it used tech to rally under Covid-related pressures, the advent of telemedicine being just one example. Other industries can look to these shining examples of how to leverage tech to deliver exceptional customer experiences.”
Highlighting the importance of ESG, around 91 per cent of UAE survey participants the company’s treatment of employees mattered to them, and three-quarters said they would be less likely to engage with a company if they knew its workers were unhappy.
Area VP for the Mea at ServiceNow, Mark Ackerman, said: “We often talk about the link between employee and customer experience, but this latest study really drives the point home.
“It is really heartening to see that we humans, in some way, are coming to realise that we are all consumers, but we are also all employees. We cannot just provide exceptional experiences to consumers; we must also make sure our internal ‘consumers’ are happy — whether that is through better salary and benefits, or through better technology and resources, or through better development opportunities. Nowadays, if you ignore any of this, your brand loyalty will suffer. The data tells us so.”
