As the first private telecom operator in Kuwait, Wataniya Telecom has magnificently grown since its initial establishment in 1999. Wataniya is proud of its diverse culture while strongly celebrating its Kuwaiti identity. We meet with one of Wataniya’s talented employees, Alia Al-Faris, VIP Director in the Sales Division, as she tells us more about what it takes to maintain an amazing loyal following of customers amongst a rapidly changing and challenging market. Considered as quite the adventurous type, Alia is never afraid of a challenge; she’s also extremely passionate about discovery and is a seasoned skydiver.

Tell us something about Wataniya that people might not know?

The culture of Wataniya! We are one family of brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers working under one roof called Wataniya Telecom. We care about colleagues like we care for our own families. We share their happiness and sadness, good times and bad times. We also are very understanding of each other’s different backgrounds as our colleagues come from different parts of the world with different backgrounds.

At Wataniya we look after our customer satisfaction. It is the number one reason why we want to care for each other as employees. We aim to achieve the highest levels of production and customer satisfaction. We believe that the more we give to each other as employees, the happier we are, and the happier our customers are.

Where does Wataniya stand now in the market?

Wataniya has come a long way since its establishment 14 years ago as the first private telecom operator in Kuwait. It now performs within a very competitive market. To keep the challenge going, we have gone through a complete modernization process in rebuilding our network; we are more confident than ever in proudly offering our customers amazing services and network coverage. Customers now will feel the huge improvement in voice call clarity and network connection as well as 4G/LTE Internet services, where we are now offering the most advanced network coverage.

Tell us about the network modernization process which Wataniya has recently announced. How would you describe the network coverage now?

Customers demand the best experiences from their mobile network, it means investing in our network for today and tomorrow, rolling out advances in mobile technology and bringing our customers greater value and choice of mobile services. This is why we have modernized our network to follow the highest and latest international standards and quality with an investment of $400 million.

Wataniya is characterized by honesty and transparency. To grow and to change is our aim to meet the needs of our customers and the community. Therefore we developed the performance of our network and invested for the future.

Recently, we have celebrated the huge success of our network modernization with our partners Huawei and Ericsson. We also wanted to have our customers engaged and therefore brought Google representatives to Kuwait for an innovative event.

We have launched a campaign lately to showcase the reliability of our network no matter where you are, whether in basements, high-rise buildings, or even under water. With the positive and constructive feedback of our customers through Customer Care, we can now confirm that we have the most advanced network. In addition, our amazing 4G/LTE network will soon be upgraded to 4G/LTE Advanced.

What are the different products or services that are offered by Wataniya?

We connect, care and challenge. We connect and care by always catering to our customers’ needs and requirements with great transparency. We believe the customer has the right to know all the details about the services given to them. Therefore, we insist to be transparent and clear at all times.

We make sure that our messages through our advertisements and offers are always honest and clear. Furthermore, the Wataniya App service allows customers to view their due bill amount and the next bill due date and it also shows the usage of credit and Internet usage.

Wataniya challenges competitors by providing its customers with so many options and benefits. The W’s packs are great options for premium customers offering them unique services of value. Another wonderful product is the 4G/LTE router offers, which, as soon as these routers entered the market, became sold out only three days after their launch.

On the other hand, there are brilliant ways customers can benefit from all minutes and internet volume used, which is to redeem the points collected through the “Nojoom” Loyalty program for vouchers and discounts from the most famous brands in Kuwait.

How does Wataniya value its VIP customers?

At Wataniya, we provide all customers with amazing experiences and brilliant services. However, we aim to develop and implement strategic market positioning and business development plans especially for VIP customers.

There is a special attention that we pay to our VIP customers because we care for them. We cater to their special requirements and we work hard to retain current VIP customers and bring new customers in. Therefore, we create special and exclusive products and services of class and we offer them elite services of value.

One great way of appreciating our high value customers is by the new “Nojoom” loyalty program Platinum tier. The Platinum tier brings many unique benefits and services of class to its high value premium members. Premium members of the Platinum tier will enjoy a multitude of exclusive services customized to suit their dynamic lifestyle along with a 24/7 personal assistance. It also offers them a complementary courier service, US & UK mailboxes for shipments of online purchases and access to international airport lounges as well as many other benefits.

Tell us about the best loyalty program of its kind in Kuwait, “Nojoom”.

“Nojoom” is the loyalty program that we are proud of, as it is the first of its kind in Kuwait. It represents our special way of thanking and appreciating our customers for their loyalty to Wataniya. “Nojoom” has been awarded The Best Loyalty Program in the Middle East by Customer 360 ME in the year 2012.

All our prepaid and postpaid customers can join “Nojoom” for free by sending an SMS with the letter R to 129. They will be assigned to Red, Silver, Gold, or Platinum tier depending on their mobile usage. Each tier provides experiences and benefits of value to customers. Members will be collecting points based on their assigned tier

After collecting points, they can redeem them for vouchers and discounts. We have affiliated with over 30 partners offering benefits from 124 of the most famous brands in Kuwait. Customers will get discounts, free vouchers, traveling tickets and more.

The Platinum tier of “Nojoom” is tailored especially for our premium customers offering them wonderful services not only in Kuwait, but also while traveling.

Tell us about Wataniya’s expanded network of branches.

To come closer to our customers, we have decided to expand our network of branches across Kuwait. It is an important step that we took to provide convenience of location and comfort to our customers. We now have 32 new branches as well as various authorized dealer stores serving all our customers across the country.

What is Wataniya’s outlook for 2014?

In a dynamic market like Kuwait, which has more than 125% mobile penetrations, the competition is strong. Therefore, Wataniya Telecom’s primary goal is to offer the best products and services to its customers. We will continue bringing exciting new concepts to the market and we promise to ensure the best customer experience ever.

For more information, log on to www.wataniya.com, or follow them on Facebook: Wataniya, Twitter and Instagram @WataniyaTelecom.