The Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow 01, one of the latest additions to the ABBFIA Formula E Championship line-up, marks its Middle East debut racing into GITEX this week. The brand-new all-electric replica racing car will be on display for all to see at global technology company SAP’s customer experience showcase.

Middle East and North Africa organizations are heavily investing in customer experience, with the region’s customer experience market reaching a record-high of USD 800 million, according to Micro Market Monitor. By combining customer experience “x-data” with operational “o-data,” organizations can digitally transform into Intelligent Enterprises that can optimize customer experiences, costs, and business competitiveness.

GITEX visitors to SAP’s customer experience booth, “The City of Possibilities”, visitors can experience how digital transformation is enabling customer experience innovations across the economy, society, and environment. The showcase features innovative technologies that are or will be adopted by Expo 2020 Dubai and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, as part of the wider theme of “The Future of Business Has Feelings: Change a Feeling, Change a Business.”

“With the region’s record-high investment driving innovation in sports, mega-events, transport and logistics, and government transformation visions, customer and citizen experience is central to every Middle East industry vertical,” said Gergi Abboud, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SAP Middle East South. “Middle East government, public sector, and Smart Cities organizations are increasingly transforming citizen experiences to drive city-wide and nation-wide competitiveness, and enhance citizen happiness.”

As the Official Business Performance Partner of the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team, SAP will support the Team with various back-office solutions and exclusive innovation projects based on SAP technology, including S/4 HANA implementation, the development of SAP Sports One for racing and the opportunity to use Qualtrics for experience management solutions. The Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team will debut on the circuit in Season 6 of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship which begins with a season double-header at the SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix on Friday, 22 November and Saturday, 23 November.

Expo 2020 Dubai is co-innovating with the SAP Co-Innovation Lab in the UAE on the design for the People of Determination Platform (PODium) to optimize visitor experiences based on accessibility requirements, PODium uses the latest advancements in analytics, Internet of Things, and mobile tracking technologies.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is highlighting how the first phase of Smart Hajj has successfully leveraged smart cards to enhance travel, transportation, and crowd management for tens of thousands of pilgrims.

Industry experts agree that Middle East organizations that run their solutions on in-country cloud data centers to optimize costs, store data in-country, scale up as organizations grow their business.

“As one of the world’s leading technology events, GITEX is a vital platform to emphasize the role of cloud and customer experience in enabling digital business innovation,” added Gergi Abboud. “At GITEX, we are discussing with Middle East organizations about the Experience Economy, and how customer experience can enable listening, understanding, and acting on customer needs and driving business success.”

The SAP C/4HANA customer experience suite, boosted by Qualtrics CustomerXM, is also powering industry vertical demos including digital automotive, coffee supply chain, and healthcare; blockchain for universities and ports; employee experience management; and e-sports.

Aligned with GITEX Future Stars, the SAP Training and Development Institute (TDI) is supporting young talent and the workforce of the future. Since 2012, TDI has generated an in-country value of USD 172 million across the Middle East and North Africa. TDI has hosted more than 1,400 graduates from its Young Professional Program, with 99 percent finding employment as SAP Associate Consultants, and supported more than 1,040 Dual Study students. The Winnovate initiative has supported more than 3,470 innovators.

During GITEX, visit the SAP stand at the Dubai World Trade Centre – Hall 6, Stand B1 from 6-10 October 2019. At The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, SAP is hosting the co-located events SAP Customer Experience Live on Sunday, 6 October and SAP Ariba Live on Tuesday, 8 October. Register for an evening full of experiences: the SAP Sense Evening Experience will take place at the Coca Cola Arena on Tuesday, 8 October.

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