The brand aims to rejuvenate small domestic appliances business in KSA aligning to its MEA market growth strategy
Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa (PMMAF) has announced the appointment of Ahmed Abdulwahed Trading Co (AAW) as its new distributor for small domestic appliances in Saudi Arabia. Marking an important stage in Panasonic’s growth strategy, the partnership will help the Japanese manufacturer revitalize its small domestic appliances business in the Kingdom, while giving a major push to its goal of expanding its regional market share as it caters to evolving customer demands.
AAW is one of the biggest multi-brand distributors and retailers of smart lifestyle electronic products in KSA and the alliance is seen to strengthen Panasonic’s business in the Kingdom by creating a value-added supply chain for its customers, specifically in its small domestic appliances segment.
Equally important, this development also highlights Panasonic’s core mission of creating useful products and delivering innovative technologies designed to enrich the lives and wellbeing of its Saudi customers. In a similar manner, Panasonic hopes to contribute to the society through its environmentally friendly products and use of clean energy, this in keeping with its strong commitment to build a sustainable future.
Hiroyuki Shibutani, Managing Director, PMMAF, said: “We see great potential in this partnership with AAW as this aligns with our regional growth initiatives. Over the years, KSA has remained as one of our important markets so we continuously offer the widest product portfolio, in particular locally-fit solutions to help our Saudi customers live their best. With AAW’s in-depth understanding of the local market and strong presence across the Kingdom, it creates an ideal opportunity for us to deliver the best electronic appliances that will enrich the lives of the people. Our customers will benefit from increased product availability and top-notch customer service by combining our industry-leading solutions with AAW’s solid track record of operational excellence and sales network.”
Commenting on the partnership, Mohammed Abdulwahed – Director, Marketing and Sales AAW, stated: “At AAW, we are continuously evolving by offering new innovations that address our customers’ changing needs. Panasonic’s appliance portfolio will significantly strengthen our offerings, therefore, we are delighted to form this alliance with them. With Panasonic, we have found a robust and truly world-class brand that perfectly complements AAW’s growing portfolio and we believe that this agreement reached with them will enhance our position in the domestic market even more.”
Alongside Panasonic’s plan to make deeper inroads into the local small domestic appliances market, the company revealed it is also focusing on improving customer value to further strengthen its presence in KSA. Mr. Shibutani explained: “As we strive to reinforce our competitiveness and maintain our leadership position in Saudi, we continue to find ways to deliver new value to customers as we firmly believe that service is the key differentiator for any business. One proof of this is the launch of the SMART CARE App in the Kingdom earlier this year, which considerably enhances the quality of our conversation with our customers and allows us to be more connected.”
A digital platform developed by Panasonic for service and warranty support in Saudi Arabia, the SMART CARE App allows customers, dealers, and service centers to communicate all service-related matters and claim warranty seamlessly, and without the need for physical invoice copies and warranty cards.
The Panasonic – AAW partnership was formalized at an exclusive event in Riyadh hosted by the Japanese manufacturer. Joining Mr. Shibutani and Mr. Mohammed Abdulwahed were other senior executives from PMMAF and AAW. The event also featured presentations and a mini exhibit of the latest Panasonic products from different categories, including Personal Care (Beauty and Grooming), Cooking Appliances and Living Solutions.
