A recent report from global accounting and consultancy firm KPMG has found that customers in the UAE are increasingly critical when choosing which brands they consume.

The report found that customers are increasingly allured by more personalised and socially responsible customer experiences, putting pressure on brands to catch up.

The UAE Customer Experience Excellence 2024 report, which interviewed 1,612 customers across the country, found that national airlines, Etihad and Emirates, led the way as the brands with the highest customer satisfaction followed by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB).

“Our CEE report reinforces the fact that the new-age customer has little tolerance for substandard experiences. They are keenly aware of service, support, and how organisations demonstrate their purpose, relevance, and long-term impact on the environment and society,” Goncalo Traquina, Partner and Head of Customer Advisory at KPMG Lower Gulf, said.

“UAE customers, in particular, want more personalised experiences, value for their dirham, and seamless, omnichannel processes,” Traquina said.

The report found that government investments, namely, the completion of the Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport was a major contributor to improved customer satisfaction with Etihad Airways.

Moreover, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s investments in better in-flight service, extended routes, food quality as well as ICT infrastructure was found to have had a tangible impact on passengers.

Meanwhile, Emirates Airline continued its dominance from last year as the brand with the best customer experience, with the airline’s “Skywards” programme and multilingual check-in options creating a more personalised experience for passengers.

Moreover, the airline’s in-flight amenities, and investment in biometric and AI technology to ease the airport experience were seen as major differentiators in the experience offered by the airline.

“Our belief is that customers will return to a supplier that seeks to do the best it can for them, that genuinely cares about their experience, and sees them as individuals with their own ideas of what life is about,” Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said in the report.

“New technology has the potential to radically improve the airport experience. In fact, it will mean that from arrival at the airport to departure they just keep walking – biometrics validate their security clearance; subatomic particle analysis will validate that their luggage poses no danger,” Clark added.

The report also highlighted Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank for its high level of personalisation and “excellent” customer service.

According to the bank’s metrics, staff managed to resolve 93 percent of customer issues within a three-day window.

The ADCB application, which was recently updated with biometric security features and proactive security protocols, was also highly valued by customers.

While those three brands were lauded as the role model brands, several brands were recognised by customers for making strides towards a better customer experience. This included Air Arabia, HSBC Bank and Deliveroo.

The survey, which is part of a larger global evaluation by KPMG, observed a general decline in customer satisfaction.

The UAE was not immune to this trend, observing an overall decline in satisfaction compared to previous years.

This trend was ascribed to hastily applied digital transformation that saw “customers forced into soulless customer service pipelines that lacked empathy and human touch.”

KPMG predicted AI and more effective application of technology would likely remedy this in years to come.

“Using AI to analyse customer data and deliver tailored experiences that align with individual preferences and behaviours enhances the quality of customer interactions, improves CX metrics, and adds significant business value – as demonstrated by leading brands in this study,” Traquina said.

Aletihad