Regional operators have discovered that traditional network key performance indicators (KPIs) do not always reflect what the customer is actually experiencing and thus his/her accurate satisfaction. In fact, an operator can boast the top KPIs in a given market and still lose market share to a competitor with a lower KPI score but a more compelling end-user experience. For operators in the Middle East, a strong Customer Experience Management (CEM) solution is clearly a mandatory direction, but what does that actually look like?

Xia Chaojie, VP Delivery & Service, Middle East, Huawei

Continue reading →

As a brand architect and occasional ‘brand evangelist’ I am often surprised by the fast adoption of brands by Middle Eastern consumers. We love brands here and are keen to adopt them and make our mark with them because they are powerful ‘quick signifiers’ of social status.

Liam Farrell is founding partner and executive creative director of Unisono

Continue reading →

Video is a technology revolution, and is changing the way people interact and communicate. It is becoming a supplement by further enhancing other technologies like audio, email, social media and instant messaging.

There have been video applications in use by consumers for many years, and often they are freeware applications. These can be limited in terms of their security, quality and reliability as they are web-based. In addition, these types of applications do not have a lot of the features that are required by businesses.

Sukhvinder Guraya is regional sales director, GCC (excluding Saudi Arabia & Iraq), Polycom

Continue reading →

The liberalisation of many economies has resulted in numerous growth areas; and none of them has been more impressive than in the telecom sector, particularly the mobile business. However, the industry is witnessing challenges that can potentially slow the pace of further growth: eroded ARPU and increasing churn rates. Telecom operators are currently striving to work out differentiated offerings in an attempt to reduce their own subscriber defection and acquire new users from rivals

Mohamed Jamoussi is a senior technical consultant with Saudi Telecom (STC). The views expressed in this article are his own

Continue reading →

Undoubtedly, GCC telecom operators are faced with tremendous challenges in 2013. A.T. Kearney expects GCC operators to refine their pricing, retention, and customer experience approach; make digital diversification a top-priority; re-assess and actively manage their portfolio of operators; and, lastly, transform their operating models to the changed industry dynamics

Rob van Dale, principal at A.T. Kearney Middle East, has 10 years international consulting experience and is a member of A.T. Kearney’s Communications, Media, and Technology Practice in the Middle East

Continue reading →