Kuwait's courier market volume is growing: Official

DHL Express Kuwait’s Country Manager Amr Tantawy during the interview. —Joseph Shagra

KUWAIT: DHL Express Kuwait, a leading express logistics provider, has broadened its market share in Kuwait with a customer-centric strategy and innovative services and solutions. Speaking to Kuwait Times in an interview, Kuwait Country Manager Amr Tantawy gave a snapshot of DHL Express' operations in Kuwait and explained how the courier firm has emerged as the 'provider of choice' for customers.

Tantawy joined DHL 20 years ago and has held various positions across the MENA region and South East Europe. He has been in Kuwait for three years as country manager. Some excerpts:

Kuwait Times: DHL is now about 48 years old. It is a huge company in the service-based industry in the region. What are its goals for the coming year? How will DHL grow/develop in the region? What are the key aspects of DHL's regional strategy for 2018?

Tantawy: DHL Kuwait is expanding its operational facility and infrastructure capabilities to accommodate current growth. Since the past 3-5 years, DHL MENA has a very big focus in this region and a lot of investments were made to expand the network of DHL in the Middle East, especially of gateways in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar and Egypt. Our strategy is that we want to maintain the quality of DHL services and expand our operations by serving new areas and introducing new products. We are looking to leverage the global B2C e-commerce market for cross-border shipments, which is expected to grow.

KT: What is your view of the Kuwait market? How has it grown/changed in the last few years and what do you envision for the coming year in terms of growth or changes?

Tantawy: Kuwait is considered as one of the top five countries for DHL in the Middle East & North Africa along with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco and Egypt. Since DHL Express Kuwait began operations in 1979, it has been the logistics leader in the country and has a dedicated flight network, which runs seven days a week between Kuwait and DHL's regional hub in Bahrain. We have more than 240 staff working for DHL in Kuwait.

DHL Express is the market leader with the highest market share. We have achieved this growth despite mounting competition. Kuwait's courier market volume is growing despite the changes that happened in the market. B2C is growing and changing Kuwait day by day. Online shopping has grown significantly in the last three years.

KT: What is the biggest challenge DHL faces in Kuwait and the region?

Tantawy: Timing is the biggest challenge. The Kuwaiti market is challenging because you always have to be on top in terms of services. You have to be right the first time when you provide services, where customer satisfaction is our top priority. Our plane arrives at 5 in the morning and we only have four hours for delivery, before 9 am. We always look to improve our services because the market is growing. And we want to grow along with the market.

KT: How do regulations, government bureaucracy and other factors affect DHL's business operations?

Tantawy: There is a big trust between the authorities and officials in Kuwait - they understand the type and the nature of DHL's work. We get a lot of support from officials to clear shipments. We are achieving 97.5 percent of shipment delivery to customers within the agreed time, which could not be achieved without the help of the custom authority's people. This approach helps us strengthen the customer's trust and form a strategic relationship. Our plan is to work closely on a daily basis with officials to speed up the process of shipments.

KT: The Gulf is one of the fastest rising markets in the e-commerce sector that is expected to amount to around $20 billion by 2020 - how will DHL Express take advantage of the growing e-commerce sector in the Gulf?

Tantawy: Ecommerce is booming not only in the GCC but worldwide. But at DHL Express MENA we constantly seizing the opportunities of Digitalization and finding new business models to ensure customer satisfaction. DHL does not only provide e-commerce customers with the last mile delivery, but we also integrate our services to their platform in order to ensure great customer experience. We have dedicated qualified teams to help our customers with the ecommerce integration systems. Many of our customers have already gone digital and started transitioning to their ecommerce platform and as a logistics partner we are always one step ahead ensuring that their services will not be impacted by this transition. We at DHL Express have been ready for the digitalization era, and will keep with our motto of Excellence Simply Delivered. In addition we a have launched a signature product called DHL Easy Shop catering to individuals who want to shop online. It gives you the option to shop from the US UK Germany & Hong Kong. You can buy from many stores, consolidate your purchases and bring them in together. The products will be delivered to your doorstep without any hassle.

When an online retailer doesn't ship to your country, simply use DHL Easy Shop. Register for free and instantly get your own unique international mailbox address to use with online retailers. You can then buy your favorite brands and get them delivered right to your doorstep, taking advantage of sales, promotions and currency exchange rates - customs fees are lower and you pay for only one shipment. As soon as you open your account, you'll be able to take advantage of the great deals offered by many online retailers and have access to exclusive products from around the world.

By Faten Omar