Hetarth Patel interview - Eye of Riyadh (Seamless)

1. After your time at Seamless, what are the most exciting innovations you're seeing in how brands across sectors like e-commerce and retail are approaching customer retention?

At Seamless, it was clear that brands across sectors are recognizing that without a personalized approach, retention is an uphill battle in today’s competitive landscape. One of the most exciting shifts we’re seeing in e-commerce and retail is the way brands are harnessing real-time data to create personalized, interactive customer journeys. The focus has moved beyond just reaching out with a generic message - now it’s about engaging with a contextual touchpoint that anticipates customer needs, from predictive recommendations to tailored loyalty programs. This approach is especially resonant in Saudi Arabia, where the consumer expectation for value-driven experiences has become a norm, particularly among younger, digital-savvy buyers.

For instance, brands like FLYNAS and Virgin are refining retention by creating a unique customer journey rooted in preferences and behavioral insights, driving not only engagement but measurable ROI. Retention strategies now are driven by discriminative AI, which helps segment customers far beyond traditional demographics and preferences. 

2. With your leadership steering WebEngage’s impressive growth in the MEA region, what do you believe has been the key to adapting to the fast-evolving landscape of customer engagement?

In such a diverse region, a one-size-fits-all approach to engagement doesn’t work. We’ve focused on creating localized solutions that align with unique market dynamics, whether through refining user experiences or customizing our engagement tools. This flexibility is especially crucial in a region like Saudi Arabia, where consumer expectations and digital behaviors evolve rapidly.

A significant part of our strategy is delivering customer insights that drive real outcomes. By consolidating data from multiple touchpoints and analyzing it with AI, we enable brands to go beyond basic interactions and offer hyper-personalized, context-driven experiences. This focus on actionable insights has helped our clients see measurable improvements, from increased retention rates to enhanced customer lifetime value (CLTV). Our goal is not just to adapt to changes but to lead in creating engagement strategies that foster lasting connections and drive growth across every sector we serve.

3. As digital transformation accelerates in Saudi Arabia, particularly in sectors like banking and finance, how is WebEngage helping brands go beyond traditional engagement?

The transformation in banking and finance is impressive, with many brands moving beyond traditional engagement by adopting data-driven insights to deepen customer relationships. For financial institutions in Saudi Arabia, engagement has expanded from transaction-based interactions to providing a holistic experience where customers feel genuinely understood. Through our localized infrastructure and partnerships, we’re helping these organizations consolidate data across their customer touchpoints to create a unified customer profile that powers real-time, meaningful engagement.

One example is our work with companies in the banking sector that are using retention tools to analyze and predict customer behaviors - whether it’s anticipating when a customer may need a loan or identifying when they might churn. And we’re doing all of this with data security and sovereignty as the highest priorities; no data is leaving Saudi, and we’re proud of that even if that has come at the high cost of restructuring our entire architecture and data storage norms. 

4. At Seamless, there was a strong focus on retention as a foundation for e-commerce success. Could you share your perspective on why retention has become a critical metric?

Retention has become a central metric because it’s now clear that acquisition alone isn’t enough to sustain growth. The cost of acquiring new customers continues to rise, while retaining existing customers has proven to be significantly more cost-effective, especially in competitive markets like e-commerce. At WebEngage, we see retention as the bedrock of profitability - it increases CLTV and helps brands maximize the ROI on their marketing spend.

Retention is about forging long-term relationships, and in the e-commerce sector, it often means creating a seamless experience that keeps customers coming back. Brands with a high retention rate not only have higher profitability but also benefit from customer advocacy, where loyal customers become brand ambassadors. This shift toward retention-first thinking is part of what we had been emphasizing at Seamless, and we’ve seen how it empowers brands to create value beyond the transaction.

5. How does retention marketing play into educational platforms? What unique value does retention offer in this space compared to user acquisition?

In educational platforms, retention is critical because the value lies in long-term engagement, not just in the initial sign-up. Unlike traditional e-commerce or D2C, education platforms thrive when users engage consistently over time, whether it’s students returning for new courses or professionals using upskilling tools. 

Retention marketing here goes beyond standard CRM - it’s about creating a personalized learning path for each user. For example, using AI to understand individual learning preferences can help recommend relevant courses or content. This tailored experience is invaluable because it keeps learners motivated and connected to the platform. Educational platforms can cultivate a deeper relationship with their users by focusing on retention - there’s an opportunity to set the stage for long-term growth that isn’t solely dependent on constant acquisition efforts.

About WebEngage:

WebEngage helps consumer brands engage and retain their customers towards higher lifetime value and marketing ROI. The product stack includes a robust customer data and analytics platform - unifying data across silos, the best-in-class engagement layer with a multi-channel journey builder and a personalization engine that helps boost conversion for all channels including the web and mobile apps. 

Ranked #1 consistently across all review platforms on ease of use and comprehensiveness of the platform, WebEngage is used by 800+ brands across India, the Middle East Africa, Latin America and South East Asian markets. The roster across  E-Commerce & Travel,  Edtech, BFSI & Fintech industries includes brands like Sony World, Unilever, IKEA, MakeMyTrip, Jarir’s Imtiaz Al Arabia , DU Telecom, Zakat Tax & Customs Authority Saudi Arabia, Al Faisaliah Group, Airtel, Valu, Halan, Midas Furniture, Platinumlist, Nice, Wego, MZAD Qatar, Abdul Latif Jameel group, Jazeera Paints, Walmart, Myntra, Unacademy, Pepperfry, GoIbibo, Adani One, PFI Mega Life, PasarPolis, Groww, Acko, Blackberrys among others.

To learn more about the WebEngage, please click: https://webengage.com/

About Hetarth Patel

Vice President MEA, Americas & Asia Pacific at WebEngage, Hetarth has had more than 24 years of experience in the global Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry, leading strategy, organization building and global business expansion. A committed individual and creative thinker, Hetarth has played a pivotal role in the growth of various companies he’s been associated with. Prior to joining WebEngage, he was heading Strategy and Market Development for Customer Experience solutions at Oracle for its Eastern Central Europe Middle East and Africa operations. Additionally, he has spent over 10 years at Flytxt BV as Senior Vice President & Head of Worldwide Sales and built and expanded its business to over 50 countries. 

In his current role, Hetarth is responsible for cementing WebEngage’s position as a customer retention pioneer and spearheading its success in the MEA, Americas and APAC markets.