Jumbo Electronics: Enriching the Customer Experience

The Middle East and Africa are among the fastest growing mobile markets in the world, and according to Global Media Intelligence Report by eMarketer, mobile phone penetration in the UAE is forecast to reach 82.1 per cent in 2017. Meanwhile, International Data Corporation (IDC) recently reported that laptops contribute to approximately
62 per cent of the total PC market in the Middle East. 
Nadeem Khanzadah, Head, OmniChannel Retail, Jumbo Electronics Co. Ltd LLC told Khaleej Times: "We believe that OmniChannel sales will become the norm in the retail sector in the future. Customer engagement is shifting from desktop to mobile and it is becoming increasingly important for brands and companies to engage with their customers effectively across every available online and offline touch points. 
"At Jumbo, we believe that adopting a customer-centric approach and improving after-sales is crucial for success. As OmniChannel operations reveal that the purchase journey is getting more complex, the need to have hyper customised communication and user experience based on individual user behaviour is imperative. The effect of online impacting stores is clearly growing, with consumer engaging at multiple points with Jumbo."
Today, it is becoming increasingly important for organisations to create a distinctive and consistent brand experience across all touch points of the consumer journey. Modern day consumers are very informed and are also able to share positive or negative experiences in real-time. Brands and retailers need to ensure they are available across OmniChannel touch points, accessible round the clock, and need to realise that customers don't just look at price and specifications when making a purchase. On the contrary, they judge the entire experience, including responsiveness, value-added services and post-sales support.
Customer data and using it effectively is increasingly gaining importance, highlighted Khanzadah. Offline and online marketing and merchandising efforts can be tracked against the Life Time Value of the customer through the revenue it generates and the number of time an individual influences others. The use of mobile devices to discover and engage with products or brands is rising, and as a result, mobile-based content development will play a critical role in brand awareness and bring an edge over pricing decisions.
According to Khanzadah, the hottest trends that have emerged in the UAE consumer electronics sector this year are the edge-to-edge 4K displays on smartphone screens, super lightweight ultra-books with full HD displays, and ultra-thin screen in 55" and above televisions.
Furthermore, fitness wearables and Virtual Reality (VR) devices are an extremely promising category that is gaining significant momentum and traction over the past year. However, VR wear is not just limited to gaming, and a technology of this nature has several other uses such as experiential marketing and training. VR has the potential to transform not only the gaming industry but the broader technology sector and other verticals as well. 
"VR products are also starting to show a lot of promise that resulted a spike in sales at Gitex Shopper, and we also expect to
see this happening in the coming months," he added.
The replacement cycle for electronics in the Middle East region is shorter than the global average, which provides a positive outlook for the technology sector in the region. This has also led to global brands launching new products in the market at a much faster rate to cater to tech-savvy consumers with a high spending power. 
Khanzadah said: "We are expecting continued momentum in the consumer electronics sector in the UAE, especially in comparison to last year. Jumbo has experienced a promising start to the year and expects continued growth over the span of the year."
In line with their strategy to create lifetime value for consumers, Jumbo goes beyond just the sale of the product. The company's strategy includes showcasing the latest and widest line-up of available electronics products in the market, along with a range of competitive offers and promotions, as well as extended lifetime warranties that cover physical damage of products.
Jumbo is one of the UAE's oldest homegrown brands and is almost as old as this country. Going forward, Jumbo aims to continue its efforts to diversify, as well as provide consumers with new technology experiences, latest product launches, and innovative gadget solutions for homes
and offices. 
Since its inception, the Jumbo Group has evolved to focus not only on vanilla distribution and OmniChannel, but also on providing end-to-end channel value-added solutions.
These solutions include, but are not limited to, device lifecycle management, backend management through reporting and analytics, 3PL logistics, after-sales service, marketing services and last-mile-sales staffing services (including promoters, merchandisers and training). 
"The UAE remains our base and continues to be an extremely important market for us," said Khanzadah. "Currently, we believe that the most exciting opportunities for Jumbo as a brand lie in the UAE, given the path-breaking vision of the UAE government, and the recent initiatives that have been put into place. Dubai's increased focus on tourism for Expo 2020 aims at over 20 million visitors per year, giving rise to mass business prospects. Jumbo's vision for growth is in alignment with the inspiring vision of the UAE's leaders and, as a brand, we are firmly dedicated to growing our business in the UAE, where our roots are."
Jumbo Unwired Crew
The company recently launched their newest service 'Jumbo Unwired Crew', an exceptional gadget solution that helps consumers transfer data, connect various gadgets, and create backups. The service also recommends upgrades at the convenience of a customer's home, office, and at Jumbo stores. "We believe services like these add value to our shoppers, beyond just product purchase," said Khanzadah.
At Jumbo, we believe that adopting a customer-centric approach and improving after-sales is crucial for success. As OmniChannel operations reveal that the purchase journey is getting more complex, the need to have hyper customised communication and user experience based on individual user behaviour is imperative. The effect of online impacting stores is clearly growing, with consumers engaging at multiple points with Jumbo.
- deepa@khaleejtimes.com