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ABA Group organizes CRM introductory session

In line with its continued efforts to match global industry standards and make the business process smart and efficient, Ali Bin Ali Group organized the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) introductory session for selected employees on April 25 and 26.

A CRM system is a business tool that allows an entity to manage information pertaining to all customers, partners and prospects in one place.

The two-day session at Crowne Plaza Doha was conducted by the Oracle team, which would be implementing the system for the Group. More than 50 people attended the session each day, including ABA Group COOs, General Managers, and selected marketing & sales executives from all divisions of ABA Group.

The first day of the session focused on the topic, ‘Sales Force Automation and Omni-Channel Customer Service’, with solutions for sales and customer service being discussed. There was also a segment where strategic recommendations and the next steps were deliberated upon. The day’s proceedings concluded with dinner for all the participants.

The topic for the second day was ‘Marketing Orchestration and Social Media Platforms Management’, and the discussions revolved mostly around techniques of modern marketing. The Oracle team elaborately explained how using the CRM platform would make marketing more personalized and customer-specific.

Speaking about the event, Ms. Suha G. Shatila – General Manager – ABA Group Marketing, said: “We are very glad to have launched the CRM project with the Luxury Division of Ali Bin Ali Group, to be followed by the remaining divisions of the Company. I am very sure that once implemented, the CRM will elevate the sales & services potential of the Group manifold.”

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ABA Group’s Dohatna Innovative Distribution launches Samsung’s new flagship model, Galaxy S8

Bringing another much-anticipated product to the Qatari market, Ali Bin Ali Group’s Dohatna Innovative Distribution launched the Samsung’s latest smartphone S8 and S8+ in Qatar on April 18.

The exclusive launch event at Four Seasons Hotel was attended by around 150 VVIPs and media persons from all over Qatar.

Mr. Adel Ali Bin Ali, ABA Group Chairman & President along with Mr. Ismail Yoon – President, Samsung Gulf Electronics cut the ribbon and let the helium balloons lift the cloth up into the air to reveal the new series.

The product experience zone was then revealed to the guests, who were also provided with product briefings and demonstrations.

Also present at the event were Mr. Tarek Sabbagh, Head of the IT & Mobile (IM) division at Samsung Gulf Electronics; and Mr. Mohammed Imran – General Manager, Dohatna Innovative Distribution.

Speaking at the official unboxing of the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, Mr. Adel Ali Bin Ali said: “It is our pleasure to be associated with Samsung Gulf Electronics and work together with them to introduce latest innovations to the people in Qatar. The Samsung S8 and S8+ are not just devices, they are an experience and I am sure will be loved by the people.”

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ were unveiled with bezel-less design, infinity display, Bixby – the ‘new way to interact with your phone’, premium camera, powerful performance, robust entertainment and the global standard in mobile security.

The latest technology from Samsung pushes the boundaries of traditional smartphones with the seamless screen hardware design and various new service offerings.   

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Team Pepsi wins 14th ABA Cricket Tournament

An exciting show of skills was on display on the pitch as Ali Bin Ali Group held the 14th ABA Cricket Tournament in Qatar recently. The event, through which ABA Group upheld its continued commitment to sports, was won by the ABA Beverages team – Pepsi.

Besides being one of the biggest conglomerate is Qatar, ABA Group provides every possible chance to its employees to grow and realize their potential.

This year, the ABA Cricket Tournament was held at the Careem Cricket Ground from April 13 to 15. A total of 16 teams participated in the keenly contested tournament and the matches were played with great enthusiasm and team spirit.

The ABA Beverages team – Pepsi – emerged victorious by defeating the defending champions, the combined team of International Agencies (IA) and Prime Consumer Products (PCP).

Mr. Mohammed Imran, General Manager for Dohatna, was the chief guest at the tournamnet. Speaking about the event, Mr. Imran said: “It is always a pleasure to watch such exciting tournaments. We are impressed with the kind of response this event generates and happy that our company encourages such sporting activities.”

The excitement generated by the cricket tournament was felt by the fans and spectators who attended the event. The teams ensured that the fun atmosphere was matched by some quality cricket on the field, much to the delight of the game’s followers in Qatar. 

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ABA Group opens world’s largest Monoprix store in Doha

Taking the concept of hypermarkets in Doha to a new level, Ali Bin Ali Group has opened the world’s largest Monoprix outlet at Doha Festival City.

The renowned French retail chain’s store, which boasts of more than 35,000 high-quality goods spread across its 7,000 sqm location, opened its doors to the public on Friday, April 14. 

Revolutionizing the way people shop, Monoprix – ABA’s Supermarket Division – has introduced a concept that creates a variety of dedicated in-store experiences for its clientele. From restaurants, candy stores and clothes to exclusive electronics, kitchen gadgets and organic food items, Monoprix is here to modify your retail experience. 

The new Monoprix outlet, the chain’s second in Qatar, is unique in more ways than one. It has an extensive range of locally known brands, including the widest variety of fresh items from local farmers.

Bringing its own French heritage to Qatar, the store also features an authentic French bakery, MCrust, and the impressive ‘La Cave à Fromage’, which is stocked with a wide selection of the finest international cheeses. 

The huge crowd that gathered to celebrate the opening was pleasantly surprised by the wide range of dining options offered by the store. Apart from the already- popular Monoprix Fish M Fish, SaladM and MCrust, the new store also has MGrill, MPizzeria and Crepe M Waffles. Prepared with fresh ingredients and cooked right in front of the guests, these restaurants have undoubtedly struck the right chord.

Speaking at the soft opening of the French hypermarket at Doha Festival City, Mr. Sebastien Farhat, Monoprix’s Regional General Manager, said: “We are delighted to announce that our newest and largest outlet is now open. We want the people of Qatar to experience the extraordinary world of Monoprix and enjoy every bit of it. This is not just a supermarket, it is a world of its own where you can shop, eat and relax.”

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ABA Group’s ERP Project ‘FORWARD’ makes yet another leap and is moving into phase 2

The ABA Group’s ERP project “Forward” has just reached a new milestone. Following a successful “Go Live” of our Human Capital Management (HCM) track, Forward is now confidently striding on to its second phase to include the Finance, Supply Chain and Manufacturing Divisions.

Symbolizing this progress and equipping the Group to take on the next step, a Super User Orientation program – titled “Moving Forward” – was held on 6th April 2017 at Crowne Plaza Doha’s Business Park.

The orientation, which was conducted in a workshop style, was attended by Super Users, Functional Track Leads and ABA SMEs who were led through the a process of awareness and capacity building on the way FORWARD will be implemented and integrated with the existing system.

Speaking at the workshop Mr. Albert Bamboukian, Project Director offered his thoughts in an encouraging speech saying, “We are all citizens of the ABA family and this exact sense of belonging is what will help us ‘Move Forward’. There is no opportunity for us to stop now. Given the challenges, competition & the fast changing environment in the market, we need to keep ourselves a step ahead. We need to be effective and efficient. Our work has to get us the results that matter. ‘Let’s make it happen’ should be our motto. I am confident that we will work as a team to achieve more, for the Ali Bin Ali Group and for everyone.”

Also present at the workshop were Mr Marc Karam (General Manager, Pepsi), Mr Ganesh PK (Group general manager – Finance), Mr Viji Kurian (General Manager – International Agencies), and Mr. Philip Cherian (Finance Planning & Reporting manager).

They also added their sentiments focusing on change being important for growth and how future-focused the FORWARD project is. They reassured those gathered that while the journey would include many challenges, the end result would be rewarding for all.

Mr. Nabil Mourad (COO FMCG) addressed the participants via a video recorded message. He emphasized the importance of FORWARD to ABA Group’s future growth, and confirmed FMCG Division’s commitment to the success of Forward implementation.

Adding an element of fun to the event, a team-building activity took place where, participants were challenged to solve three sets of puzzle that revealed the key messages for the Finance and SCM tracks.

The workshop also included a joint presentation made by Youssef Farajallah Mahmoud (ABA Group PMO manager) and Amer Dakhqan (Intrasoft Project manager), during which they briefed Super Users on the status of the FORWARD project, the achievements and goals. They also discussed the challenges ahead and the role of the Super Users in addressing them.

The event was concluded with a thank you note from Mr Bamboukian and the promise that everyone will work together to make the project a success, taking the Ali Bin Ali Group to new heights.