EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
THIERRY NICAULT , EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT ,
MIDDLE EAST , AFRICA AND CENTRAL EUROPE , SALESFORCE
During this pandemic , the technology industry
has a unique part to play in keeping people connected , helping organisations adapt to change and embrace Digital Transformation and in innovating for the good of society .
Amid the pandemic , AI technology is helping to transform how we live , do business and tackle the virus head-on . AI is helping companies to stay connected with customers during the public health crisis and ensuring safety .
The COVID-19 pandemic is a turning point in how people in the Middle East work and is changing how employees , customers and communities view the role of business .
As the need for AI-powered contact centre messaging has risen , for instance , AI agents are helping businesses to solve customer problems while facilitating ‘ social distancing ’ among their workforce .
CEOs need to drive Digital Transformation to enhance customer and employee engagement , facilitate alternate working arrangements and create new revenue streams .
Supporting organisations to reopen safely and manage the logistics of retuning to work , Salesforce has launched new Work . com solutions to make data-driven decision-making quickly .
These solutions include the Command Centre for a 360-degree view , contact tracing , emergency response management , employee wellness , shift management , myTrailhead for Employees to upskill and volunteer and grants management . Analytics and especially the growing use of embedding Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) into business applications , can help organisations to make decisions in real-time , saving them time and money and driving new digital revenue .
Analytics and especially the growing use of embedding Artificial
Intelligence ( AI ) into business applications , can help organisations to make decisions in real-time , saving them time and money and driving new digital revenue .
Every MEA industry vertical is using analytics technology , especially in financial services , manufacturing , retail , communications and media , healthcare and life sciences . Salesforce is one of the leading analytics vendor , with IDC finding that Salesforce and its ecosystem of partners will create US $ 2.6 billion in new business revenues and 11,180 new jobs in the UAE to 2024 .
When Middle East CIOs are deploying analytics in their organisations , they should not be doing these projects as a one-off project but rather integrated into a wider Digital Transformation roadmap .
While CEOs are highly knowledgeable about the potential for analytics , they should also work with vendors and channel partners to understand how analytics can meet business goals , identify the right software solutions and develop the KPIs that can be reviewed consistently .
Re-skilling and up-skilling workers for new and different roles during and post-pandemic is a priority for many MEA organisations and employees . In MEA , marketers will continue to lead customer experience initiatives across their companies .
Customer experience will be a priority for all firms moving forward , as our State of the Connected Customer report shows that 84 % of customers say customer experience is as important as products and services .
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