How CIOs can leverage transformation in the new normal

Petra Jenner, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Europe, Middle East, and Africa Emerging Markets, Salesforce.

Technology, in today’s digital age, plays a major role to innovate, enhance business, simplify processes, and create engagement with customers. Technology is enabling digital transformation across all sectors including government, financial services, manufacturing, retail, communications and media, healthcare and life sciences with higher economic growth, job creation, innovation, and new revenue streams.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, technology has played an essential role in connecting people and allowing businesses to grow without disruptions. As per Salesforce’s fourth edition State of Connected Customer Report, customers in the UAE estimate 67% of their interactions with businesses have taken place online this year, compared to 39% in 2019.

Customer demands and behavior must be the top priority for business heads and industry leaders, creating effective customer engagement and outcome. Digital transformation has been a preference for the majority in the region within many disciplines. In fact, 91% of UAE customers expect companies to accelerate digital initiatives, per the Salesforce’s fourth edition State of Connected Customer Report.

Covid-19 has also shaken up customers’ experience and circumstances at an unprecedented scale and speed. This year, industry leaders have a challenging period to envision a new future during a time where transformation is extremely important. It is important to be forward-thinking and how to optimise business models that are relevant now and will be over the next few years.

One of fundamental things for technology heads is to understand each organisation’s business requirements and ways in which transformation can help the organisation grow. For example, the last couple of months have changed the way we live, work, and even do business with a complete digital transformation – e-commerce is the primary way people shop, kitchens are the new call centers and Zooms are the new meeting rooms. 

Over the past year, Middle East organisations whose CIOs have led digital transformation have included the Riyadh-based Seera Group, which is using Salesforce Service Cloud to enhance travel booking experiences for travelers, Almosafer, the leading omni-channel brand in Saudi Arabia which has deployed a fully-integrated travel booking retail technology, and Chalhoub Group, the leading luxury retailer that has enhance customer e-commerce experiences.

As a start, it is important to look at digital transformation as a step-by-step process and the technology will enhance and add value the business. It is not about a complete change in the way an organisation does business, but rather it is about simplifying processes to make the business more efficient.

Aligning with leading technology vendors and knowledgeable and experienced channel partners would assist the organisation’s management team in developing business goals, identifying the right solutions, and continually re-evaluating KPIs. Thanks to the power of solutions such as Tableau, employees can quickly gain data analytics skills.


Petra Jenner, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Europe, Middle East, and Africa Emerging Markets, Salesforce.
Petra Jenner, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Europe, Middle East, and Africa Emerging Markets, Salesforce.

Key takeaways

  • Customer demands and behavior must be the top priority for business heads.
  • Covid-19 has shaken up customers’ experience at an unprecedented scale and speed.
  • It is important to look at digital transformation as a step-by-step process.
  • It is not about a complete change in the way an organisation does business.
  • It is about simplifying processes to make the business more efficient.