Have you heard a story about MYReanult, the app that was designed to balance customer needs, market conditions, and digital solutions? Axis Partners reveals how one website transformed into a highly engaging app to deliver a meaningful purpose and enhance brand loyalty.

At Axis Partners, we are always happy to share real-world examples of innovation delivered for customer satisfaction. This time, we introduce MYRenault and provide all the details about its course towards success. Divided into two parts, our report on the app provides practical examples of effective digital solution employment in today’s highly competitive market.

The surprising data behind phone apps

Apple launched the iOS App Store in 2008 with 500 apps. Today, 1.85 million different apps are available for users to download. Android users have even a wider choice, with 2.56 million available apps through the Google Play Store.

App downloads have rapidly increased over recent years, according to stats published by Sensor Tower. The total number of apps downloaded globally each quarter has doubled in the five years since 2015, reflecting both enhanced Smartphone penetration and the increasingly prominent role of apps in our lives. According to statistics reported by Sensor Tower, H1 2020 saw 7.1.5 billion apps downloaded.

Consider then the usage of these apps. The average Smartphone user has 80 apps on his phone but operates an average of 20 apps per month. More than 62% of apps don’t get used each month. What does this mean? It’s simple. People are downloading apps and not using them. Around 25% of them are operated only once after being downloaded and then never again. This is a cruel reality.

How can one app stand out from others in this fierce competition for user’s attention?

Axis Partners tells the story of MYRenault, the proprietary app launched by Renault Middle East for their customers. This particular app caught out interest because of its high engagement rates. How does one app manage to have 92% targeted customers registered and over 70% of engagement rate in some countries?

We had to ask ourselves – what is the secret to their success? Soon enough, we set on a mission to unravel the reasons for the high popularity of MYRenault. We sought help from Seham El Behissy, who is General Manager of Digital & Connected Cars at Renault Middle East.

Seham’s 16 years of proven leadership, strategic thinking and corporate success experience has been focused on the intersection of Brand, Customer, and Digital to drive end-to-end experience transformation and delivery. She has been responsible for the DCX Customer Experience project since 2015.

Seham is currently leading the Launch of connected car services in the Region and innovating Big Data and process modelling to create new capabilities & services. This time, she takes us through the MYRenault journey – from its inception and evolution to the current position and plans for the future.

MYRenault transformation journey: from low-engaging website to captivating app

My Renault was originally a website launched in Europe and rolled out to other countries. The initial response in the GCC was not very promising. The website failed to connect with the customers as intended, and there was a lack of engagement.

Because the customer database lacked variety and was unable to inform customers about the website, the changes turn out to be of great importance. The year was 2013, and at that time, the one-size-doesn’t-fit-all started to show its signs. It was imperative to adapt the digital service to the region demands in order to gain engagement.

Of course, Renault ran customer surveys to figure out what went wrong. The results showed that the company was low on the ranking table for brands, and customers were dissatisfied with after-sales service. The availability and cost of spare parts was a common complaint.

Renault decided to turn this challenge into an ambitious objective, aiming to drastically improve customer satisfaction and loyalty through better services and meaningful engagement. In 2015, and as part of the regional action plan to enhance brand loyalty, Renault ME turned to upgrade critical touchpoints with customers.

We wanted to rethink customer relationships and customer loyalty and lean towards a digitized program to stay connected with our customers, anytime and anywhere. This is how MYRenault was born, says Seham El Behissy.

What is MYRenault now?

MYRenault App is available to Renault customers in the Middle East (Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan). It offers customers direct access to their local dealers.

MyRenault travels with you in your pocket. Wherever you are, at any moment, the benefits and services designed for you and your Renault are a click away, adds Seham.

Renault is the only automotive brand offering such app and services in the region. At Axis Partners, we believe any idea must pass the test of desirability, feasibility, and viability before being approved for implementation. We studied the MYRenault initiative and found that it ticked all the boxes required to make it a success.

At a time when the whole world is heavily relying on digital solutions and apps for daily functioning, making a stand out from others seems like a challenging task. Yet, with a strong strategy and innovative changes, MYRenault quickly evolved into one of the top popular apps in its region.

In the next publication, Axis Partners further elaborate on the app’s performance. We give our opinion on how MYRenault became so successful and highlight its step-by-step evolution. Stay tuned to read the whole story.