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Majority of Mena brands changed customer experiences due to the pandemic

Around 88 per cent of IT decision-makers in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region have fundamentally changed their customer experiences in response to the pandemic, research by Sitecore has found.

The research, conducted by YouGov Mena, surveyed more than 650 IT decision-makers across 12 countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Levant, and Egypt. Furthermore, with the rise in e-commerce, 91 per cent of customers in the Mena region have become digital converts since the pandemic and want to keep buying everything online.

Overall, the YouGov survey shows that 83 per cent of Mena organisations advanced their marketing technology stack more in 2020 than in the three previous years. Among the top three technologies seeing the strongest take up to improve the customer shopping experience are apps or websites at 63 per cent, remembering customers’ shopping history at 39 per cent, and giving preferential offers or invitations at 35 per cent.

“Middle East organisations have driven a reinvention of their marketing stack over the past year, and understand the importance of using real-time technologies to personalize customer experiences,” said Mohammed Alkhotani, area vice president – Middle East and Africa, Sitecore. “With Middle East customers shifting to e-commerce and hybrid retail models, brands that personalise digital marketing campaigns can drive new levels of business competitiveness.”

Supporting the Middle East’s customer experience and e-commerce markets, Sitecore will holds its first standalone participation at Gitex under the theme of delivering memorable experiences.

During Gitex, Sitecore will also distribute the 2021 Sitecore Experience Award to the Dubai-headquartered developer Kerzner International. Kerzner International was the category winner for the 'Most Intelligent Content Optimization' in the EMEA region. Honorable mentions from the Middle East also included Dubai Free Zones for 'Most Intelligent Content Optimization', Emirates Airline for 'Best Innovation with Emerging Technologies', and Saudi Aramco for 'Best Digital Experience Transformation'.

“Middle East brands, such as Kerzner International, Dubai Free Zones, Emirates Airline, and Saudi Aramco, have accelerated their digital transformation since the pandemic, fueling a turning point in customer experiences, and aligning in-store and digital retail experiences,” said Alkhotani. “Sitecore’s first standalone participation at Gitex presents a vital platform to drive new business, share Middle East innovations with a global audience, get closer to our customers and partners, and exchange best practices with industry thought leaders.”

Sitecore will emphasize the rollout of its $1.2 billion global investment plan and the recent acquisitions of Boxever and Four51 and Moosend. Sitecore will also highlight the integration of the Sitecore Experience Platform and Sitecore AI solutions with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotic process automation (RPA) across websites, apps, and social media.

rohma@khaleejtimes.com