Saudi Vision 2030 aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy and build a knowledge-based society

Saudi Vision 2030 aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy and build a knowledge-based society. The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 focuses on enhancing economic diversification, and relies on the role of the private sector in pioneering the economic development process. It also contributes to redrawing the economic landscape of the Kingdom, with a focus on digital transformation and innovation. Marketing based on customer retention is expected to play a pivotal role in this transformation, especially as more companies move to digital transactions and seek to improve the value of the customer’s life cycle in light of the competitive economy in the region.
Non-oil sectors, such as financial technology, retail, and education, are growing rapidly, and their success depends on ensuring lasting customer loyalty and enhancing their interaction. We have seen this with some of our travel brands, and Saudi Arabia is currently home to some of the best travel and retail platforms in the region, such as Almatar, Goibibo, Wego, Musafir and Flynas, according to Hetarth Patel, Vice President, Middle East, Africa, Americas and Asia Pacific, WebEngage.
Much of this development is due to the Kingdom’s keenness to improve digital infrastructure, such as local data centers, which allows companies to securely store and analyze customer data, in addition to making it easier to understand and respond to customer needs. These advantages are of great importance for sectors that have recently entered the field of digital operations, as they help them customize their offers and build strong relationships with their audiences. It is obvious that companies that benefit from these analyzes will have a competitive advantage in aligning with the goals of Vision 2030, in conjunction with the development of the features of the digital landscape in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia currently holds a leading position in the field of digital standards and a role model in the digital development of companies in the region, allowing them to transform data into a more valuable and effective customer experience.

There is no doubt that the adoption of digital channels by the luxury goods industry sectors in the Kingdom, including watches, perfumes, and even luxury real estate, is amazing without a doubt. Brands have always relied on the physical experience within the store to demonstrate excellence and craftsmanship, so simulating this experience in the electronic format constitutes a major challenge. . The real test lies in maintaining the distinct personal touch when interacting with customers through digital platforms.
One of our biggest hurdles is transferring the friendliness and familiarity of luxury purchasing experiences to the digital space, where customers expect a personalized experience, and delivering this experience requires a deep understanding of their preferences and habits. Brands also need to use data strategically to deliver recommendations and content that touches every customer, making them feel valued without the need for personal outreach.
The opportunity lies in the continuous change witnessed in Saudi consumer behavior, especially younger and more digitally savvy buyers, who are looking for convenience while maintaining the quality of the experience. Luxury brands can enhance customer loyalty when they successfully combine digital and personal services. These brands have an opportunity to innovate a new way of interacting with the new generation to keep pace with changing standards in the market.
Saudi Arabia is characterized by a strong cultural focus on tradition and modernity, which is reflected in the way consumers interact with brands, as the Saudi consumer expects a high level of customization, in addition to his interest in cultural authenticity and its harmony with local traditions. Brands must demonstrate a true understanding of the aspects that resonate with Saudi customers, rather than simply translating content.
Although some markets are more receptive to global communication, Saudi consumers respond better to brands that make an effort to speak their language, whether in Arabic or figuratively by understanding their cultural background. Therefore, brands must go beyond translating content to providing experiences that are deeply aligned with local values.
Another important factor is trust, especially with regard to data privacy, as expectations for ensuring transparency and security are high. Building trust through strong data protection practices and a commitment to privacy is essential for companies looking to enter the market.
He said that his company achieved encouraging growth in Saudi Arabia, but it required making some adjustments to meet the needs of the market. Data privacy is one area we had to adapt to quickly, as we set up local data storage solutions, such as our partnership with Google Cloud, to ensure that customer data does not escape Saudi borders. We aim to build trust with customers in sectors such as banking and healthcare, as well as comply with legal regulations.
We have also modified and adapted our products to provide a higher degree of customization, as the Saudi consumer has become more sophisticated and expects brands to understand their needs and interact with them on a personal level. Our focus has been on improving our platform’s capabilities to provide analytics that help businesses create relevant campaigns at the right time.
The topic revolves around understanding the nuances of the market, and ensuring that our solutions add real value to Saudi companies seeking to keep pace with this rapid digital transformation. Artificial intelligence and automation have become the sole pillar of brands’ communication with customers, and I believe that their role will increase in importance over the next few years. The current trend goes beyond automating routine tasks to using artificial intelligence to extract deeper, proactive customer analytics. Artificial intelligence also helps brands understand their customers more accurately, allowing them to interact with them in a personalized way that almost seems completely realistic.
I believe that artificial intelligence-based forecasting tools will become stronger in anticipating customer needs over the next few years, reaching a point where they can help you predict customer churn before they even think about it. It is also about shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach, meeting customers’ needs before they ask for them.
Our core focus is automation, ensuring that these personalized interactions can happen at scale. It also allows businesses to deliver consistent experiences without the need for constant manual input, ensuring customers get the right message at the right time.
Our experience in Saudi Arabia confirmed the importance of following a local approach that includes understanding the precise needs of the market, cultural differences, and the regulatory landscape. These lessons are extremely important as we expand into new markets such as Southeast Asia, as we have realized that entering a new region goes beyond launching operations, and requires knowing customer interests precisely.
For example, the focus on data privacy and building local data solutions in Saudi Arabia has taught us the importance of prioritizing compliance and transparency, which is a way to gain trust and a pillar of long-term success, as well as a regulatory necessity. The efficacy of this methodology will emerge as we move to regions with similar interests, such as Southeast Asia. We also realized the necessity of building strong local partnerships in our experience within the Kingdom, especially in sectors such as luxury goods, real estate and finance, which adopt the digital transformation trend. We plan to apply the same strategy based on partnerships in new markets, while benefiting from the experience we gained in Saudi Arabia working with brands, such as Sony and Unilever.