Mobile apps are now a ‘must’ to remain relevant to customers, according to 84% of UAE businesses, half believe COVID accelerated importance of mobile and contactless experiences.
Mobile is vital
84% of UAE businesses say that mobile apps are now a ‘must’ to stay relevant to their customers as COVID accelerates the importance of mobile and contactless payments. This is according to findings from “State of Mobile App Strategies in the Middle East”, a survey conducted by 451 Research and commissioned by AppsFlyer. The survey covered evolving consumer behaviours and how UAE businesses are correspondingly advancing their mobile application and marketing strategies.
Based on a survey of 250 marketers from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, AppsFlyer’s report underlined the growing role of mobile apps as a primary interface between consumers and businesses. Nine out of ten (91%) of UAE organisations now offer their customers mobile apps, with the report highlighting that ‘customer acquisition’ and ‘customer retention and loyalty’ are the top two reasons behind the focus on mobile applications.
Surging demand
The UAE now ranking 8th on the global list of cashless economies, and the region as a whole making great strides, businesses that have embraced mobile are realising significant financial benefits. AppsFlyer’s report showed that 40% of UAE respondents believe there has been at least a 26% increase in mobile-driven revenues for their organisation in the last 12 months, with just over one in six (17%) reporting this figure to be more than 50%.
“For companies, some of the most sought-after real-estate in the region is on customers’ smartphone screens. This of course makes it a hotly contested arena. Just having an app is no longer sufficient, as for a business to have any hope of growing their mobile market share with loyal, long-term customers, they need to capture consumers’ attention. Mobile marketing is key to this objective, offering consumers the personalised experiences they love, while enabling businesses to differentiate themselves from the pack,” said Samer Saad, Regional Manager, Middle East,AppsFlyer.
UAE businesses recognise this need as nearly all (96%) intend to increase their spending on mobile marketing, as a result of growing customer demand for customer experiences. A quarter of organisations (25%) will make significant investments, which could translate to a significant advantage in growing their mobile app user base and revenues.
The full report is available as a free download here.
