When was the last time you went to a mall or visited a retail store and thought to yourself: "Wow those designers and retailers really get it"?
Or that they have thought well of the community as they constructed this space? When was the last time you felt that a salesman was extremely knowledgeable about his topic and also passionate about it?
Not long ago, going to the mall was something magical, at least for me. When I was growing up there wasn’t an abundance of them in the UAE, as there is now. I was drawn to explore the mall’s ins and outs, different offerings and enjoy a meal at the food outlets. A trip to the mall, was something I cherished and looked forward to, even if I did not end up purchasing anything.
Unfortunately, I don’t feel the same way about them now. In fact, I dread going to the mall. To me they are all identical, with the same stores and barely any real customer experience. Although most of my friends feel the same way, millions of people around the world still go to the mall.
E-shopping and the convenience of having my purchases delivered to my doorstep are reasons for that change of heart and many writers and business experts blame that as a reason for bricks-and-mortar retail declines. But I believe it has more to do with customer service engagement and how we as customers relate to retail outlets and the whole shopping experience, whether we feel connected to the space or not.
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Read more:
How to make the leap from employee to entrepreneur
Five steps to becoming rich before you turn 30
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United Nude, a Dutch architectural footwear designer, is one of my favourite brands and one reason is because it got it right in terms of store experience and customer engagement.
As you walk into the branch in Covent Garden, London, you will be transported into a different retail experience. It feels more like a gallery than a shoe boutique, from the lights to the ways shoes are presented, to the choice of sofas. It’s actually a bit dark and not washed out by bright fluorescent lighting, while different lighting is strategically placed to illuminate the shoes.
Each shoe is presented as a piece of art – and they are, for they are designed by renowned architects. The late Zaha Hadid was among the shoe designers on the list. So the store itself is an experience on its own, but it doesn’t stop at that. The salespeople are extremely knowledgeable in their field. On one occasion after picking up a pair that I liked to try, the young saleswoman walked me through every step of designing that piece of art, from the hours put in to the inspiration, and also threw in some interesting facts.
I anticipated staying 10 minutes at the most as I had other errands to run, but I ended up staying more than an hour. I was so intrigued by the way the saleswoman spoke passionately about the brand that I found myself suddenly more interested in the history of shoes. Did I end up buying the shoes? I got three pairs. Although United Nude sells its products through its online stores, I’d rather wait until I visit one of its London stores, and I find myself longing for that shopping experience.
Emirati Cafe District 10 in Abu Dhabi is also a great example. It’s a book club, a cultural hub and a speciality cafe house where literary nights are held in the presence of poets, writers and authors. It’s more like a modern-day French salon with an arabesque flair.
The point is that with the increase of online shopping, the only way to attract customers is to provide them with an experience they would not otherwise have if they were shopping from the comfort of their sofa. You want them to want to go to the mall, to visit your store, to make time for it.
More thought on the customer experience has to be injected into retail spaces. A mall can offer more than retail. It could have a public library, a co-working space, a community gallery, shops rented to start-ups at nominal fees to support the community, perhaps a community majlis, and a space for outdoor community events and gigs at low to no fees.
Perhaps then more of us would be excited to go to the mall again.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati entrepreneur, who manages her creative consultancy in Abu Dhabi.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
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RESULT
Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
Results
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Reem Baynounah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Afham, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ghallieah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Haqeeqy, Dane O’Neill, John Hyde.
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
