EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

Throughout the pandemic , consumers across the UAE have relied on digital services to navigate through the most difficult period of their lifetimes .

They ’ re relying on a far wider range of digital services , from messaging tools , video calls and social media to connect with friends and family , to content streaming , online gaming and podcasts to keep entertained .

Applications truly have become a lifeline to normality – 95 % of UAE consumers report that digital services have become a critical part of how they go about their lives and 98 % ( 14 % higher than the global average ) report that digital services have helped them get through the pandemic in a positive way .

For the past 18 months , consumers in the Emirates have suddenly had exposure to the very best digital experiences from a wide range of brands and in these cases , it has translated into strong brand loyalty .

A total of 85 % of UAE consumers report that they are grateful to brands that have made the effort to deliver brilliant digital experiences to support and enhance their lives during this challenging time and 82 % ( 15 % higher than the global average ) say they feel more loyal to brands that went above and beyond with the quality of their digital services during the pandemic .

Across every sector , people are now looking for the ‘ total application experience ’ – highperforming , reliable , digital service , which is simple , secure , helpful and fun to use . They expect applications to be personalised to their preferences and needs and to add real value to their lives .

But when the app doesn ’ t meet expectations or when things do go wrong , consumers aren ’ t interested in or worried about the root cause of issues . Instead , they immediately point the finger of blame at the application .

In fact , in line with global averages , in the UAE 69 % of consumers believe it ’ s the responsibility of the brand to ensure that the digital service or application works perfectly .

In some cases , this might be justified , where consumers experience slow page loading , poor response times , downtime or security failures .

But even when the problem is due to external factors outside of the application itself , such as poor Internet connectivity , mobile network issues or slow payment gateways , consumers still blame the application and the brand behind it .

The takeaway for brands is clear . In a world where consumers are expecting more from their digital experiences than ever before , the question of ‘ Who takes the rap for the app ?’ puts the blame firmly at the feet of the application owner – and the brand behind the application – whatever the cause .

With 82 % of UAE consumers stating that even as life returns to normal , they know they will continue to rely on the digital services they utilised during the pandemic , this is a pivotal moment for online brands and application owners . There are no second chances . Unless brands are consistently delivering the ‘ total application experience ’, they risk seeing almost three quarters of their customers walk away , possibly forever . x www . intelligentcxo . com

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