MAHMOUD AL SHEIKH

Profile: SACO is a pioneer in the hardware retail and wholesale business, the largest total-solution home improvement superstore in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1985, SACO has the buying power to import the best quality merchandise from all over the world. Currently, there are 34 SACO retail outlets in 18 cities throughout the Kingdom. https://www.saco.sa/en/overview

Key Responsibilities:
• Directing and managing the Marketing function and ensuring effective development of function employees.
• Participating and contributing to the definition / revision of strategic guidelines - PR activities targets/budgets, press release exposure, PR, etc. as well as policies, procedure and standards - Marketing research templates, timing and coordination across function.
• Prepare annual promotional calendar including an optimum mix of ATL and BTL programs.
• Supervising and ensuring consistency of Local marketing activities with SACO brand, mission and strategic objectives.
• Monitoring and controlling cost effectiveness of local Marketing activities particularly special projects - loyalty rate, retention cost, just ask success rate, etc. - and “non-operating” initiatives, identifying and recommending improvements.
• Identifying and proposing new initiatives to improve customer satisfaction and CRM.
• Identifying, signing agreements and managing local marketing suppliers -- PR agencies, advertising agencies, etc.
• Ensuring deployment of effective POS signage in coordination with Merchandise, OPS and marketing Corporate and country
• Participating in the Committee for Country Store Development and Cross Functional Meetings to contribute to and determine marketing requirements for each operating area.

TSC Profile: TSC Retail is a leading retailer in the Middle East operating 65 stores in multiple formats across Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon and Bahrain. TSC operates 7 stores in Oman in service store, wholesale store and warehouse store formats making it one of the Sultanate’s largest retailers. http://corporate.sultan-center.com/

Key Responsibilities:
• Develop strategic marketing initiatives based on analysis of business reviews, media analysis and profitability objective and prepare annual promotional colander including an optimum mix of ATL and BTL programs.
• Formulate and implement a strategic media management plan for selection of best options and media mix to maximize reach with best return on investments.
• Plan and supervise execution of quantitative and qualitative research programs to acquire inputs for customer profiling, trend analysis, customer satisfaction level reviews, evaluation of effectiveness of promotional activities and profitability assessment of markets.
• Utilize wide range of tools including focus groups, customer surveys, telephone feedback, mystery shopper programs, retail price audits and media and field monitoring to identify new business opportunities.
• Establish the organizational structure for the loyalty program and the call center and drive the loyalty program of TSC across Oman.
• Direct the loyalty program including programs for improving offers, signing contracts with and on-boarding new partners and revising strategy to improve effectiveness of communication.
• Establish and manage the in-house centralized call center for managing the TSC customer complaint management and suggestions program in Oman.
• Launch projects for attracting investors and acquiring new investors and business partners for leasing space within the premises of TSC stores.
• Analyze the loyalty system database and information to identify sales opportunities in Oman and share highlights on ideas and opportunities at weekly cross-functional meetings.
• Produce monthly management covering operations, variances, lists of toppers, highest selling items, availability of SKUs and customer information report.
• Review and evaluate current market trends and recommend best scenarios for promotional activities including fixed discounts, seasonal offers, employee special discounts, schemes with lower number of items with higher percentage of discounts and cancellation of bonus points.
• Monitor costs of marketing activities - kids’ activities, social media, PR and newspaper ads and printing and distribution costs of marketing material like flyers and implement action plans for achieving cost reductions.

Loyalty Program Manager
• Identified opportunities for reducing costs of communication materials and loyalty program consumables by sourcing new cost effective printing and production options and for improving media reach at optimum costs through new media channels.
• Analyzed voice of customer and customer feedback and acquired new partners offering a range of products and services which appeal to the TSC customers’ lifestyles.
• Utilized the loyalty program database and information to highlight sales opportunities in Oman and shared ideas and opportunities at weekly cross-functional meetings.
• Produced monthly management reports covering operations, variances, highest selling items, topper’s list, availability of items and customer information.
• Restructured the loyalty team, communicated changes to members, assigned responsibilities, implemented reporting tools like checklists, monitored performance and provided required training to improve efficiency and productivity.
• Ensured effective communication of benefits of the program to holders of TSC Rewards Cards through simple and informative designs and selection of optimum communication channels and tools including in-store and media activities.
• Identified and recommended best course of action for improving effectiveness of the loyalty program activities and promotions including fixed and seasonal discounts, employee special discounts, schemes with lower number of items with higher percentage of discount and cancellation of bonus points.
• Planned the annual calendar with quarterly schedules of events sponsored by current and future partners.
• Analyzed shopping trends and customer profiles of inactive members of the loyalty program to design programs for reactivation and/or rationalization of the loyalty program database.
• Developed action plans to regain lost customers through telemarketing campaigns offering incentives and analyzed results of surveys to identify causes for failures and successes.
• Supervised customer loyalty program representatives and call center agents ensure efficient time management and completion of day-to-day tasks with quality outputs.

Loyalty Program Development Supervisor
• Participated in and contribute to the preparation and launching phase of TSC Rewards, the company’s loyalty program.
• Dealt with distribution of in-store marketing materials and coordinated the implementation of the loyalty program at all TSC branches in Oman.
• Administered the loyalty program and assisted TSC Rewards card holders in resolving their complaints and contributed to the minimization of complaint rates.
• Provided technical support to staff on operational issues and responded to their queries on personnel policies, training and contract administration.
• Performed administrative tasks including processing of bills and invoices for payment, preparation of various financial documents for submission to the management and arranging meetings and appointments, preparing agendas and taking minutes.