Digital transformations are the new tools that businesses must embrace to maintain their competitive advantage amid the challenges posed by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), which has been driving demand for online services and e-commerce, an industry expert has said.
Mufti Usman, the digital marketing specialist of Doha-based virtual marketplace, Nedina.com, said businesses in Qatar are already utilising social media platforms, such as Whatsapp and Instagram “in novel ways to reach their customers.”
“The efforts of many businesses that had no previous exposure to digital commerce are worth recognising and applauding given how quickly they responded to the ongoing health crisis and adopted alternative digital means to deliver their products and services to their customers,” Usman said in a statement to Gulf Times.
Usman stressed that the Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for businesses to diversify their product and service delivery methods. This migration, he explained, “will come at a marginal cost” as customers are willing to buy products and services online.
“It is up to these businesses now to capitalise on these developments and avoid fizzling out as we slowly move out of the pandemic. A quick glance into online searches in Qatar related to e-commerce provides quick insight into the future of online shopping in the country.
“At the same time, businesses must adopt industry-standard safety and security protocols to ensure customers do not get scammed. Similarly, businesses must also develop new communication channels to listen and get customer feedback to further improve their services,” Usman further explained.
He emphasised that businesses must train staff properly in dealing with negative reviews or negative customer experience, and also prepare them to deescalate incidents “in a cordial and constructive manner, but, at the same time, discourage unacceptable customer behaviour.”
Similarly, Usman said businesses must focus their digital transformation goals towards sustainability and seek to cut emissions and wasting resources without compromising the quality of their products and services.
“Digital transformations are ushering the industry into a new era, which promises to revolutionise all realms of human activity,” Usman pointed out.
“The efforts of many businesses that had no previous exposure to digital commerce are worth recognising and applauding given how quickly they responded to the ongoing health crisis and adopted alternative digital means to deliver their products and services to their customers,” Usman said in a statement to Gulf Times.
Usman stressed that the Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for businesses to diversify their product and service delivery methods. This migration, he explained, “will come at a marginal cost” as customers are willing to buy products and services online.
“It is up to these businesses now to capitalise on these developments and avoid fizzling out as we slowly move out of the pandemic. A quick glance into online searches in Qatar related to e-commerce provides quick insight into the future of online shopping in the country.
“At the same time, businesses must adopt industry-standard safety and security protocols to ensure customers do not get scammed. Similarly, businesses must also develop new communication channels to listen and get customer feedback to further improve their services,” Usman further explained.
He emphasised that businesses must train staff properly in dealing with negative reviews or negative customer experience, and also prepare them to deescalate incidents “in a cordial and constructive manner, but, at the same time, discourage unacceptable customer behaviour.”
Similarly, Usman said businesses must focus their digital transformation goals towards sustainability and seek to cut emissions and wasting resources without compromising the quality of their products and services.
“Digital transformations are ushering the industry into a new era, which promises to revolutionise all realms of human activity,” Usman pointed out.
