Service providers in GCC countries are adopting the latest digital solutions to understand customer needs and provide them with the best experience.
Saudi Arabia, in particular, is a very competitive market with rising demand for good services, where both the private and public sectors are investing increasingly in technology.
“Even the most traditional businesses understand that they must adopt a tech-first mentality if they want to survive,” stated VP and Managing Director at Unifonic, Ibrahim A. Almohaimede.
Thrive for technology
When a consumer places an order, has questions or even has a complaint, their entire experience is influenced by technology. It improves the customer service experience by assisting clients at every stage of their interactions with the company.
There is virtually no limit to how far companies can take customer service in the age of technology. As a result, more and more Saudi businesses are adopting engagement technologies to boost customer experience, increasing the return on investments and enhancing productivity.
In an interview with TRENDS, Almohaimede added: “Superior customer engagement and customer service depends heavily on digital technologies and the streamlining of communication channels to eliminate any unwanted friction points in the customer journey. And organizations that are successful in achieving that stay relevant and serve their customers better”.
Almohaimede mentioned that because of the ambitious Vision 2030 and the underlying initiatives, Saudi Arabia is ahead of the curve in providing value to its customers and the businesses that service them. Most companies in the kingdom have a consumer base made up of the country’s young and active population. This group has higher expectations than ever regarding customer service and engagement.
Challenges
On the other hand, customers’ expectations are rising as technology advances, which is considered one of the most significant challenges in customer service.
The speed and adaptability with which Saudi businesses can reduce the experience gap—the space between their promised and genuine client service—is a significant obstacle.
To reimagine the consumer experience, the company would need to adopt a more experimental mindset and adopt cutting-edge technologies. After all, competition in the market will only increase, and consumers’ expectations will rise, according to Almohaimede.
He also suggested that “companies need to adopt new ways of thinking when it comes to their customer experience journeys and adapt new technologies that will allow them to introduce new ways to engage better with their clients at different stages. Today’s technologies are evolving as quickly as customer expectations”.
“No” for bad experiences
Each year, bad customer service costs businesses US$ 75 billion. But conversely, regular buyers invest 67 percent more than first-time buyers.
Global reports show that more than 50 percent of consumers have abandoned a brand after just one negative interaction. For this reason, responding quickly when a consumer contacts you with a query shows that you care about them and their concerns and leaves a positive impression. In addition, a digital writing assistant and other tools can aid customer service representatives in striking the appropriate tone and formality to address customer problems and encourage repeat business.
Unifonic is one of the customer engagement platforms that continue to invest in customer concentration products to deliver the best possible customer engagement and customer experience for GCC customers.