Saudi Arabia’s Second Mobile Service Provider Drives Growth by Providing a Better Customer Experience
The Challenge
In 2004, the Government of Saudi Arabia awarded Etihad Etisalat a license to be the second mobile GSM, 3G and 3.5G service provider in the kingdom; Mobily is the official brand name of Etihad Etisalat.
Mobily recognizes many opportunities for growth through offering innovative services and products specifically designed for the Saudi market, in addition to introducing technologies and solutions that would give the market more dynamism and vitality. The challenge was to develop an innovative brand image that would separate them from their primary competition in the kingdom.
In January 2005, Mobily turned to PROAV, a division of United Yousef Naghi, a Scala® Certified Partner, to develop an innovative digital information solution, based on Scala’s Digital Signage Platform, for Mobily Mobile Outlets. The network would serve as a technology solution to enhance the brand image of the company and provide customers with information on products and services available in Mobily Mobile Outlets.
The Solution
Over the past three years, PROAV have worked as a business partner with Mobily helping them deploy in 35 Flagship Outlets, 45 Fully Branded Outlets, 182 Mini Fully Branded Outlets, and 3 Mobily Megastores. Currently, Mobily has deployed over 360 Scala Players throughout their mobile outlet network. Over the entire network Mobily delivers their product/service messages to:
- 19 Full Graphics LED Screens
- 1000 Plasma/LCD screens ranging from 42” to 71”
- 100 Interactive kiosks
- 1 Video Wall
- 17m X 2m
- 4 Video Walls
- 4m X 3m
- Rear projection system display holographs on main window of Mobily Megastores in Riyadh and Khobar
Each Mobily Megastore employs between 40 and 50 Scala Players throughout the store.
Content for the Mobily digital information network is created and managed by United Yousef Naghi from their three Network Operations Centers (NOC) in Jeddah & Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Content is distributed over an IP infrastructure to all of Mobily’s Mobile Outlets.
To reduce the perception of long waiting times while a sales associate becomes available, Mobily’s digital information network is integrated into the Q-Matic customer queuing system, displayed on a customized LED screen to match Mobily guidelines and sound system. As customers arrive, they interact with a kiosk or counter attendant. Customers can then wait in a central area or browse until called. When a counter becomes available, the counter attendant calls the next customer using an on-screen application, voice announcement and text LED’s. The next individual waiting receives both visual and audio notifications directing the customer to that counter.
The Benefit
In the beginning of 2008, Mobily rebranded their stores to maximize its services. Mobily found that education is a critical factor for selling Mobily’s new technology platforms. To mitigate the huge customer volume the Mobily stores often encounter, the new concept was conceived to provide an area dedicated to casual, independent exploration while waiting for a consultant. This new concept is called the Knowledge Zone (K-Zone) consisting of 3 areas in a store to enhance the customer experience: Live, Play and Work.
While waiting for a consultant, customers are encouraged to wonder freely throughout the K-Zone and interact with the cutting-edge displays designed to illuminate and educate. Included in the Live, Play ad Work areas are: a Welcome Desk integrated with the Q-Matic customer management system; a self service area powered by interactive kiosks; a gaming zone for gamers; an Internet zone that provides access to the Internet; and a technical support area to assist customers with technical issues.
Mobily’s overall goals to providing a better customer experience and improving the brand image of their stores has been realized. The popularity of the brand has grown in the marketplace and Mobily’s customers have grown to more than 10 million, exceeding all records in the Middle East and North Africa.
Rami Badran the Director of PROAV, said that by employing strong post-sales support, building the partner relationship with the client and guiding the project with ownership spirit will ensure success. PROAV have invested heavily to support Mobily as a business partner. We have currently 3 NOC’s, 1 help desk, 13 service centers over the kingdom and more than 20 vehicles to operate and maintain more than 265 Mobily outlets and management offices.