Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 70 | Page 10

NEWS

Mobile key to bringing customers back into stores post COVID-19 in UAE

global survey conducted by Foresight

A Factory , released in partnership with Snap , has found that ‘ connected shopping ’ – where consumers combine a digital experience with being in a physical store – is key to bringing people back to the store , as shoppers say they want to enjoy the benefits of online shopping , in-store .

The findings show that despite many of the challenges facing retail stores across the world , the Internet can be a powerful tool in driving people back into shops by giving them , in particular young people – a more engaging and efficient ‘ connected ’ experience . Increasingly customers are expecting the benefits of both online and real life across the entire shopping journey – embedding in-store convenience , while also providing enhanced product testing and engagement online .
The report finds that 58 % of consumers in the UAE and 54 % of Millennials and 58 % of Gen Z always use their phone while shopping in stores , while six in 10 UAE shoppers would specifically visit a store if it had interactive services that allowed them to try on items virtually . Around 40 %
of shoppers say that not being able to see , touch and try out items are the most significant factors that put them off online shopping , highlighting the growing appetite for online product testing and try on .

Al Ain Finance selects HID Global to offer secure and seamless experience to customers

HID Global , a global provider in trusted identity solutions , has announced that UAE-based Al Ain Finance has selected its cloud-based HID Authentication Service and HID Approve mobile-based authentication application to offer its customers a secure and seamless online banking experience .

Al Ain Finance built its UAE operation from the ground up on a foundation of cloud-native banking software that optimised both its agility and resilience , especially during the global pandemic . As customers increasingly gravitated to digital channels , it became essential to secure customer access and all transactions using multi-factor authentication .
As the company took its next step with the addition of digital front-office omnichannel banking , it turned to HID Global for the vital consumer authentication portion of the solution . Pre-integrated with Al Ain Finance ’ s existing banking software , HID Global ’ s consumer authentication offering was easy to deploy under a tight deadline .
“ We can now offer a growing set of banking services through efficient and seamless digital channels with the highest levels of identity assurance ,” said Ajith Nayak , Operations Manager , Al Ain Finance . “ The HID interface makes enrolment and use easy , secure and effective across many different types of devices , and because the solution was already integrated with our existing banking software , no customised development was required .”
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