EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
Middle East organisations of all sizes and industry verticals are prioritising using Big Data to transform customer experiences , which will become critical for driving their business . In the Middle East and North Africa ( MENA ), 88 % of IT decision-makers have changed their customer experiences due to the pandemic , with 84 % of brands creating a deeper connection with customers , according to a recent survey by YouGov .
One of the biggest challenges is that Big Data solutions should not be deployed in isolation , but rather part of a wider Digital Transformation for enterprises .
These results shows that organisations , their vendors and partners should prioritise using Big Data solutions to achieve business goals . In the meantime , the digital skills are required for not only IT people but also marketers .
Middle East organisations that integrate Big Data on to one single platform , such as the Sitecore Experience Database , can find numerous business benefits . These include optimised costs , new levels of citizen , customer and employee engagement and happiness , and enhanced digital revenue and business competitiveness .
Leading Middle East examples of Digital Transformation with Big Data include :
In the UAE , Mashreq Bank is using the Sitecore content management system to deliver content across all customer channels through an API , which is improving customer experiences with a modern , intuitive , and user-friendly website . but rather part of a wider Digital Transformation for enterprises . Already the region is a leader in adopting the technology infrastructure needed to leverage Big Data . According to the YouGov survey , 83 % of MENA brands have advanced their marketing stack more in 2020 than in 2019 and 84 % of brands experimented with new marketing approaches during the pandemic .
Moving forward , the Middle East is ideally positioned to optimise Big Data for personalised marketing . One of the biggest opportunities for enterprises is to simplify the connected commerce experience beyond web and mobile , such as with voice , kiosk AR and VR . Big Data enables organisations to gain the quality of predictive personalisation for e-commerce and TV shows by accurately understanding current and future customer needs . So , data utilisation will take on increased importance , for enterprises to improve ROI and achieve KPIs . p
In Saudi Arabia , Saudi Aramco ’ s Aramco LIFE mobile app experience and information marketplace , developed with AKQA , is empowering and engaging the people of Aramco , and transforming the company ’ s internal communications .
Despite the progression and increasing use cases in the region , one of the biggest challenges is that Big Data solutions should not be deployed in isolation ,
MOHAMMED ALKHOTANI ,
AREA VICE PRESIDENT – MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA , SITECORE
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