The head of axiom telecom has urged UAE businesses to embrace mobile technology.

Fahad Al Bannai, CEO of axiom, says the average UAE citizen owns three mobile devices and businesses that are not embracing the digital world are at risk of missing out.

Google’s latest Connected Consumer Survey shows mobile technology is having a profound influence on the consumer decision making process. And businesses who choose not to respond to this, and the country’s rapidly developing digital infrastructure, may find it difficult to both survive and thrive in today’s dynamic business landscape.

Al Bannai said: “As our lives become increasingly connected to the devices we use on a daily basis, there is a shift in the way we connect to data services and consequently engage with our surroundings.Today, UAE consumers live online. It’s the first place they turn to when seeking information or a service – and if your business is not there when they look, that is a lost opportunity. In today’s fast-paced and information-driven world, having a strong online presence is instrumental to the success of every business.”

According to the Google study, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of UAE residents use their smartphones to search for local businesses. In addition, 84 percent go online at least as often via a smartphone as a computer.

The UAE is now in third place when it comes to connected residents - higher than Norway, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UK, Switzerland and Denmark, thanks largely to the UAE government efforts to make the country highly advanced in adopting technology.

“People go online because they want to meet some of their basic universal needs, whether it is interpersonal connection, self-expression, exploration or for the sake of convenience. If brands and retailers manage are able to successfully tap into these personal motivators, they will have an incredible opportunity to reach consumers anytime, anywhere,” Al Bannai added.

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Read the September 2016 issue of Business Review Middle East magazine