LATEST NEWS Nissan Saudi Arabia Recognized as a Regional Success Story by Facebook

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (4th August 2021) – Being the first automotive company to launch a WhatsApp service using their bespoke AI chatbot Kaito, Nissan Saudi Arabia has now been recognized by Facebook as a regional automotive success story leveraging the WhatsApp platform. This remarkable achievement sets a precedent in the Middle East and was made possible by Nissan KSA providing always-on customer service.

Recognizing that the evolution of the customer journey needs to be driven by accessibility, Nissan Saudi Arabia has set itself apart by enabling two-way communication with customers via the most utilized social media platform in Saudi Arabia – WhatsApp. In the Kingdom where approximately 70 percent of the population is under 30 years old, Nissan KSA set out to engage a younger customer base that expects on-demand services as connected as they are. This resulted in improved customer engagement and higher satisfaction, contributing to increased sales leads, higher revenue, and lower call center volumes. 

Bader El Houssami, Managing Director of Nissan Saudi Arabia, addressed this momentous accomplishment, saying: “Nissan Saudi Arabia stands for innovation, and we seek to consistently integrate that into every aspect of our business, this is the Nissan Way. In a time where companies were struggling to adapt to the new normal after the pandemic, we at Nissan KSA were accelerating our digitization efforts to best serve our customers. We are proud to receive such recognition from Facebook, it speaks volumes for the pioneering nature of our team to be considered a leader in digital services not just locally, but in the region as a whole.”. 

Facebook has created and published a case study on the Facebook for Developers website detailing the success of Nissan KSA’s WhatsApp service and the metrics by which the success was measured. Given the popularity of WhatsApp in KSA, with a large majority of the population regularly using the app, the new service was an ideal and cost-effective service to build and launch. The popularity of WhatsApp helped generate over 5,000 leads: a 390% increase over the original chatbot. In just six months, Nissan’s increase in car sales directly related to the WhatsApp service resulted in 34 times the ROI (return on investment).

Commenting on the success story, Eleni Ketra, Head of Automotive and Mobility, Facebook MENA said: “Implementing a customer service and sales channel through WhatsApp Business API has helped Nissan KSA increase customer enthusiasm and drive new sales. The profound success of this digital service in such a short timeframe is commendable and showcases Nissan Saudi Arabia’s digital customer-centric outlook.”. 

The Nissan KSA WhatsApp service is available in both English and Arabic languages and is accessible for customers to use around the clock. The Nissan KSA WhatsApp account uses the Kaito AI chatbot to answer all customer questions, with several use cases which allow them to explore different car colours, download brochures, and submit their requests through the app. The account even provides suggested key phrases to make it easier for the customer to find exactly what they are looking for. The account can be reached on Nissan KSA’s 900 number +966 9200 09058, or by simply scanning the below QR code.