Picture this: Salma, a busy professional in Dubai, sets out to open a new savings account through her bank’s mobile app. She spends nearly an hour battling unclear instructions, calling customer service, and retracing her steps. Although she ultimately succeeds, the bank perceives yet another completed digital application as proof of success—without realizing how many hoops Salma jumped through.
Stories like Salma’s are more common than you might think. In the UAE’s fast-paced digital market, high adoption rates can mask deeper flaws, as motivated users push through friction because they urgently need the service. Behind impressive traffic stats, many organizations fail to recognize that confused customers often turn to offline help—adding complexity and eroding long-term loyalty.
UAE consumers, whether local citizens or expats, often face mission-critical tasks online (e.g., paying government fees, applying for loans). Because they need the service, they persist—even if the digital experience is chaotic. This can lead to:
• Undetected Frustration: Users may complete tasks begrudgingly, harboring negative perceptions.
• Reliance on Offline Support: Phone calls, branch visits, and repeated attempts signal a deeper usability problem.
• Missed Feedback: Without tracking these offline fallback methods, product teams remain blind to genuine customer pain.
The UAE’s diverse population spans multiple languages, cultural norms, and varying levels of digital literacy. When online interfaces don’t offer user-friendly navigation, multi-language support, or simple instructions, friction occurs:
• Increased Support Costs: Confused customers require extra help, burdening call centers or store staff.
• Weaker Brand Image: Repeated difficulties leave people sharing negative reviews or switching providers.
• Accessibility Gaps: Missing features (e.g., screen-reader compatibility, color-contrast options) shut out users with disabilities.
From government portals to eCommerce apps, the UAE’s digital scene can feel disjointed, forcing users to memorize multiple passwords and re-enter personal information. This fragmentation:
• Causes User Fatigue: Excessive logins and repeated data entry push less tech-savvy users away.
• Loses Personalization: Data silos prevent unified experiences across related services or apps.
• Redundant Processes: Without shared APIs or synergy, users repeatedly fill out the same forms or verifications.
A systematic approach to spotting and fixing friction goes beyond raw metrics, looking at the full user journey—online and offline. By delving into design quality, accessibility standards, and operational alignment across services, you can:
• Reveal True User Sentiment: Identifying root causes of frustration rather than mistaking determined user behavior for satisfaction.
• Refine Digital Channels: Iteratively improving navigation and functionality ensures that high usage reflects genuine ease, not forced persistence.
• Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration: Aligning design, product, marketing, and support teams fosters a user-centric culture.
• Stay Aligned with Evolving UAE Standards: As the region’s digital ecosystem grows, continuous improvements help you keep up with new integrations and best practices.
Fun Fact: Smartphone penetration in the UAE exceeds 90%, yet even tech-savvy populations face stumbling blocks when an app fails to provide clear instructions or consistent user flows.
In a region where glamorous marketing campaigns and high download counts might conceal underlying usability problems, recognizing and eliminating these hidden pitfalls is vital for sustainable success. By acknowledging how motivated users endure friction, prioritizing inclusive design, and streamlining a fragmented ecosystem, companies can transform short-term adoption into genuine, long-lasting loyalty.
At Sygneo, we’ve seen firsthand how uncovering friction points can dramatically improve customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Through data analysis, user journey mapping, and inclusive design principles, we help organizations turn user persistence into real user satisfaction—boosting loyalty and building lasting trust in the UAE’s dynamic digital market.
Our solutions—spanning CX audits, product design sprints, and inclusive design—equip you to streamline operations, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and seize new market opportunities. Guided by data-driven insights and a passion for real impact, Sygneo partners with you to shape your organization’s future.
Head of Digital
Innovation Lead
Product Manager
