Fahad’s Al Hadhrami Blog

Understanding customer needs is important while developing a successful product. Some Product Managers do meet customers directly, some do meet with their Sales Executive and gather information and some do research in what competitors do offer. Sitting at your office in four walls without understanding customer needs will not let you design a successful product. You might provide features in a product that is not what the customer is looking for. Furthermore, information will provide you ideas that will enhance your product. Customers, Databases, Account Managers might provide you information you have never thought of. Perhaps your customers had meet with your competitors and they will tell you about their features and provide you comments that will make your product better. Perhaps the information in the database will provide you how much your customer is willing to pay and where mostly they spend their money? Developing new products, setting price and providing differe...

Some companies do follow the strategy of working with single supplier. Others use the strategy of working with more then one supplier which we might call it Multi Supplier. For instance, many companies in Oman are working in a method that they release a Quotation with a minimum of three applying for the Quotation and they select the best one based on the cost and advantages. Some companies highlight that this is a time consuming. Others would prefer working with single supplier and provide him the opportunity to understand their business better and the culture of the company. Although they are advantages working with one supplier, they are disadvantages which I would like to highlight in this article. From strategic point of view, Never put all your eggs in one basket. Do not try working with only one supplier. 1) This is too risky as your business will be limited in only one channel. 2) Missing opportunity of learning and knowledge: by working with one retailer you ...

Once I went to a bank in Oman to complete one of my banking transaction. Once my turn came I went to the customer service employee. The employee said to me “Assalamu Alaikum” which means hello in English. The employee did not smile neither he was looking at my face. After 10 seconds his telephone was ringing and started talking for 2 minutes. Then he was talking to me without smiling neither looking at my eyes. I was disappointed because he did not deliver to me something very easy and does not cost much of the cash of the company. He had provided to me the feeling I am not important and I have other things to do.    After completing my transaction I found it in some of the companies including the insurance, banking, electricity bill payment companies, etc… Customer Service Managers shall teach and educate to their stuff the importance of the smile. Make a training for 15 to 20 minutes and speak to them about the smile. Motivate your employees about the smile. I...

Social media is an important subject in marketing today. Everyone talks about it. Government entities, big organizations, SMEs and people who want to promote themselves want to utilize it. The biggest business publishing magazines are talking about it is as Harvard Business Review writes about Social Media and marketing portals do write about it. I want to share my experience about social media in the Gulf. Hi Fm Muscat is using it in a very nice way which is called “On Demand” where listeners can post what they do want to listen. I really like it. 5,161 are liking this page. Hi FM Muscat use their radio channel and inform people to use Facebook to publish the song they like it. In Oman the Ministry of Tourism is using the social media too. They are posting from time to time information about places to visit, events and tips for tourists in the country. Ministry of Tourism in Oman use it to Market themselves.  They do not use words only. They do use pictures and movies. Through...

Many entrepreneurs want to start a business in Oman.  Don’t know where to go? Don’t know where to get resources? You are in the right place. I am going to provide you some government organizations and that provides funds to entrepreneurs. Not only that as they do provide business advise. Knowledge Oasis Oman This is for entrepreneurs want to start a business in the field of Information Technology and Telecommunication Industry. They provide you many discountable facilities. They do have the Knowledge Mine program. http://www.kom.om/ GroFin Oman This is for established companies and needs more fund. They study your business and provide you more fund. It is really professional as they are providing the service in different places. www.grofin.com/AboutGroFinGroup/Offices/Oman.aspx The Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development This is for you if you want to export and extend your market more than Oman. It is a government entity. I was established in...