In an interview with Hetarth Patel, vice president for the Middle East and Africa, and managing director for the UAE at WebEngage, we delve into the intricacies of EngageMint Riyadh '23 and explore the principles of retention marketing that are shaping the landscape of customer engagement.

Patel shares insights into WebEngage's bullish stance on Saudi Arabia's business ecosystem, shedding light on the company's commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration.

As EngageMint Riyadh prepares for its second edition, Patel elaborates on the event's agenda and the relevance of retention-led growth for businesses across diverse sectors. Join us as we uncover the vision, strategies, and future endeavors of WebEngage in the dynamic Saudi market.

Q: What is on the agenda for EngageMint Riyadh ’23? What are the key themes that this event is built around?

A: EngageMint Riyadh ’23, scheduled for Oct. 25 at the Narcissus Hotel Riyadh, KSA, comprises an eventful agenda of panel discussions, networking, brainstorming, keynotes by leading companies, and more. The likes of Lean, GHC, Tim Hortons, and Avon will delve deeper into real-world case studies and practical playbooks related to insights-led marketing.

Q: What encouraged WebEngage to reprise the Riyadh edition just a year after its Saudi debut? Why is WebEngage bullish about Saudi’s business ecosystem?

A: We are a culture-driven organization that earnestly believes in engaging all stakeholders, upholding the spirit of community, and collaborating for the common good. That belief birthed EngageMint, which has since emerged as Asia’s largest retention and customer engagement conference. The initial decision to expand the event to Riyadh was inspired by Saudi’s digital-first approach, appetite for innovation, customer-centricity, and the ambitious Vision 2030.

Q: What are the principles of retention marketing? Please elaborate on its relevance for businesses across sectors.

A: Retention marketing draws upon empirical evidence that acquiring new customers is multiple times costlier than retaining existing ones. So, at a time when companies are geared toward profitability, retention marketing is gaining more prominence. It presents a financially viable pathway for growth-led companies that are unwilling to compromise on value creation and customer-centricity. Businesses in sectors as diverse as retail, public, F&B, travel, consumer electronics, and automotive are subscribing to that approach.

Q: Which industries/segments are participating in EngageMint and subscribing to retention-led growth? Among the attendees, who are relatively new to, but especially keen on, retention marketing and why?

A: Retailers were among the first to leverage WebEngage’s marketing technology (MarTech) in Saudi and participate in EngageMint in droves. Likewise, regardless of app-based, digital-first, and legacy models, companies in consumer-facing industries participate in the event. Following widespread digitalization, many such companies have adopted MarTech to bridge efficiency gaps. In recent months, we have witnessed an influx in queries from public sector companies and family offices with diversified holdings.

Q: What lies ahead for WebEngage in Saudi? Is expansion on the cards? What can local clients expect to achieve in the next growth cycle?

A: Saudi has quickly emerged as a market integral to our growth strategy in MENA and beyond. Successive EngageMint editions in Riyadh attest to the same. As we reinvigorate our growth engine globally, Saudi clients will reap the rewards of our continued innovation and expanding global workforce of over 450 professionals. Concurrently, and specifically in Saudi, we are making conscious efforts to align with the government’s Vision 2030, where digital transformation is an overarching theme. Empowering Saudi companies technologically is our way of contributing to that vision of creating an efficiency-driven, knowledge-based economy.