When a food delivery app confirms an order is ready in 12 minutes, a complex chain of software has already performed its tasks. It has checked stock, queued the kitchen, confirmed payment, assigned a driver, and plotted the fastest route, all in a matter of seconds. This illustrates a fundamental truth of modern business: whether selling food or forklifts, technology now defines the customer experience.
This does not require every company to operate like a Silicon Valley startup. It does, however, mean that technology has shifted from a back-office function to the core of business strategy, shaping a company’s product, pricing, and reputation.
Recent developments in the UAE underscore this trend. The nation’s president has met with OpenAI’s CEO to advance national AI leadership, Abu Dhabi’s G42 is developing a major AI data centre, and the UAE’s tech services market is projected to grow by $3.8 billion in 2025. These are not just technology headlines; they are indicators of future economic competitiveness.
The New Customer Standard
Across logistics, construction, hospitality, and healthcare, customers now benchmark service against the best applications on their phones. They expect immediate onboarding, real-time updates, and frictionless processes, similar to how a new agreement enhances traveller flow at Abu Dhabi’s airport. If a company’s process is slow or confusing, customers often leave without complaint. Behind the scenes, operations from forecasting to scheduling are
