The Holy Month of Ramadan has begun and millions of people of across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) experience a change in routines and timings. This has a definite impact on shopping habits among customers. Just as shoppers start to prepare well in advance for the Holy Month, so do retailers. In an interview with Prashant Saran, Director of Operations, Amazon MENA, we delve into the strategies and initiatives that Amazon deploys to navigate the intricacies of Ramadan.
- How does Amazon adjust its fulfilment and delivery infrastructure to manage the increased demand during the Holy Month of Ramadan?
The Holy Month of Ramadan is a special time for our customers in the MENA region. For us at Amazon, this is the time of year when our customers rely on us even more to deliver with speed, convenience and reliability. Our research has shown that 1 in 3 customers in the UAE and KSA start their Ramadan shopping 30 days in advance. Hence our preparation must commence even earlier to ensure we are sufficiently prepared to continue delighting our customers.
A seamless customer experience is vital to achieve customer satisfaction, and we are continually investing in our people, processes, and technology to ensure we are fully equipped to meet the seasonal needs leading up to and throughout the Holy Month. Throughout the year, we leverage advanced logistics solutions and technology to streamline our operations, making sure that every package reaches its destination swiftly and accurately. This includes employing innovative technology across our last mile and establishing a network of delivery partners, allowing us to scale to reach the most remote locations even during busy shopping seasons. Today, our network in the region consists of more than 13 Fulfillment Centers, 720 external fulfillment nodes, and 65 owned and third-party delivery stations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. We continue to boost our capacity across both fulfilment and transportation, enabling us to deliver a seamless experience to customers during busy shopping moments like Ramadan.
- What role does technology play in elevating the customer experience during the Ramadan shopping period? Are there any new initiatives or improvements implemented this year to address the unique demands of the season?
Technology is the backbone of our operations, and our employees and backend technology work in harmony to meet the unique demands of the Holy Month of Ramadan. This year, we’ve further harnessed these capabilities to ensure that from the moment a package enters our Fulfillment Center to when it arrives at a customer’s doorstep, the journey is optimized for speed and reliability. We use AI and complex algorithms to speed up fulfillment and last-mile delivery, optimize our packaging to reduce waste, and develop innovative solutions, thus enhancing the customer experience.
Customers remain our top priority and we work backwards to deliver experiences that cater to their needs. Our global teams regularly test new operational technology, enabling Amazon to remain at the forefront of exceptional service delivery. It’s always Day 1 at Amazon as we remain dedicated to inventing on behalf of customers, to deliver millions of products across the region while ensuring a fast, safe, and convenient shopping experience.
- Same-day or one-day delivery is a big USP for retail brands to win loyal customers, especially during customer shopping moments like Ramadan. How do you make this happen?
Ramadan meals are cherished moments that bring families and communities together. In today’s busy world, the convenience of same-day and one-day shopping on Amazon is invaluable when planning for daily iftars or suhoors, and shopping for Eid visits with family and friends. Our Prime promise of one-day and same-day delivery is made possible thanks to Amazon’s operations network in the MENA region, which is powered by a combination of innovative technology, optimized transportation services, dedicated employees, and partners. We employ sophisticated algorithms to optimize the picking path for our employees, minimizing walking distances within the facility. After a package arrives at our delivery station, we use technology to sort packages by zones to maximize delivery efficiency, ensuring the delivery promise window for that package is met. Once the packages are loaded into vans, the final leg of the package journey continues seamlessly through our extensive delivery network. Continual enhancements in technology improve address quality and routing efficiency. All these factors work together to enable us to meet same-day and one-day delivery deadlines.
- How does Amazon’s last-mile infrastructure and Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program support small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the region during the Holy Month?
For brands in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the Holy Month of Ramadan is one of the most important periods in the retail calendar as families get together for special gatherings and gift giving. This presents a unique opportunity for SMBs and entrepreneurs to deepen their engagement with customers through culturally relevant products and services, and expand their presence in the market.
Over the past few years, many SMBs and entrepreneurs across MENA ventured into online retail through Amazon. This enables them to tap into the millions of customers who shop on Amazon. Leveraging our extensive expertise and robust infrastructure, SMBs can simplify inventory and supply chain management, ensuring reliable and seamless customers experiences amidst the heightened demand witnessed during a busy customer moment like Ramadan.
Through our Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program, SMBs can rely on Amazon to store, pick, pack, and ship customer orders, empowering them to offer fast delivery options such as one-day and same-day delivery. This competitive advantage that would be otherwise difficult to achieve without the scale and logistical capabilities of Amazon’s operations.
- How is Amazon supporting the community this Ramadan?
This Holy Month of Ramadan, Amazon is elevating its commitment to not only deliver exceptional customer experiences but also to extend meaningful community support. We are proud to continue our longstanding partnerships with the UAE Food Bank, Saudi Food Bank (Eta’am), and the Egyptian Food Bank, through the 2024 edition of our ‘Iftar on Wheels’ meal donation program. Now in its fourth year, this initiative leverages Amazon’s advanced logistics technology and scale to pack and distribute food hampers and fresh meals to even more beneficiaries in the most remote areas across the region during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Going beyond leveraging our delivery network to spread the joy of the season, this year’s edition of ‘Iftar on Wheels’ will strive to activate the largest number of volunteers as part of Amazon’s ongoing volunteering opportunities for employees – mobilizing hundreds of employees to pack and deliver 50,000 kilos of food to underprivileged families in local communities.