Mobile Spam in Saudi Arabia
Dublin, Ireland - 26th September 2007 - Steps were taken last week in
The warning was issued after many customers complained about receiving Ramadan-related mobile marketing messages.
AdaptiveMobile is a global leader in mobile usage protection and mobile security software and recently signed a deal with STC in Saudi Arabia
Graeme Baker, General Manager,Middle East and Gulf, AdaptiveMobile comments: “Consumers are now using phones which can deal with mobile data more effectively. Consequently, operators are offering their customers revenue-generating data services which the customer becomes familiar with receiving.
The mobile has been identified as a lucrative channel for marketers to reach individuals, mainly due to the mobile phone being such a personal device. However, marketers must establish a level of trust with these consumers and demonstrate that they respect the one-to-one relationship that they have been given access to, by the customer.”
He continues: “When marketers use this channel inappropriately, such as with the Ramadan-related messages, and consumers receive messages that they have not signed up for, the trust is broken. This costs the network money, and more importantly damages the relationship that the customer has with the network. Customers can start to question why am I not being protected from these messages? Why is my network not equipped to filter them out? The ultimate fallout is the customer leaving for a competitor service.
We welcome the CITC’s steps to put pressure on Saudi businesses not to fall foul of this practice; however, we believe the responsibility lies with the mobile operators to protect their customers as they have the capability to see the overall picture when it comes to data traffic; marketing messages arrive on consumers’ phones in many guises - SMS, MMS or even over the mobile internet.”
Graeme Baker, General Manager,
The mobile has been identified as a lucrative channel for marketers to reach individuals, mainly due to the mobile phone being such a personal device. However, marketers must establish a level of trust with these consumers and demonstrate that they respect the one-to-one relationship that they have been given access to, by the customer.”
He continues: “When marketers use this channel inappropriately, such as with the Ramadan-related messages, and consumers receive messages that they have not signed up for, the trust is broken. This costs the network money, and more importantly damages the relationship that the customer has with the network. Customers can start to question why am I not being protected from these messages? Why is my network not equipped to filter them out? The ultimate fallout is the customer leaving for a competitor service.
We welcome the CITC’s steps to put pressure on Saudi businesses not to fall foul of this practice; however, we believe the responsibility lies with the mobile operators to protect their customers as they have the capability to see the overall picture when it comes to data traffic; marketing messages arrive on consumers’ phones in many guises - SMS, MMS or even over the mobile internet.”
