8 MEA MARKETS / 2020MEA Business Awards , continue to achieve so highly in the market. Creating a brand that not only has this reputation, but has people who believe in it so strongly, is not easy. For the last two years, the leadership team has spent a great deal of time and effort ensuring that there is a positive culture in the group that radiates through every aspect of the business. This decision has proven to be very wise during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it allowed the team to maintain strong business continuity during these difficult times. It is pure teamwork that has led the business to where it is now, and also that will ensure that the Pegasus Group as a whole flourishes in years to come. The last two years have seen the firm grow closer and more effective as a team. This is due, in no small part, to the decision to ensure that employees are able to strike a careful balance between their work and their private lives. Working in unity is a strength in the retail game, with each employee playing their part in ensuring a smooth sales strategy is executed. Many team members have their own personal goals to guide them forward, carefully designed to encourage a positive outlook even in the hardest of situations. A happy employee is one who will work incredibly hard for the benefit of the business, and that’s precisely why the team at the Pegasus Group have worked to ensure that their staff are as positive as possible. Higher employee wellbeing is associated with higher productivity and firm performance. People respect this approach and will go above and beyond to ensure that the company thrives. Of course, finding the right people to take on roles at the Pegasus Group is not always easy. It requires a great deal of care and attention. When taking on new people, the team look at those who have honesty, ambition and a strong work ethic. This is because they fervently believe that employing hardworking honest workers will help keep company morale high. In this challenging retail sector, it’s not just enough to be an excellent salesperson. Team members must be able to go above and beyond to achieve client goals and customer satisfaction. Those who can prove that they have dedication through the production of commendable work are more than welcome to join the team. Naturally, the role of staff is vital to the thriving nature of the Pegasus Group, but key to its continued success are the high standards that the leadership team set for themselves. They know better than most that speed must be the first priority to keep customers, and a speedy reaction requires a decisive approach. The Pegasus Group is dependant on the progress of the global economy and acting decisively has been a key part of the company’s success. When it comes to running the firm, the leadership team have placed priorities on closely monitoring macroeconomic indicators and changes in consumer behavior. The team have prepared various contingency plans for emergency situations. Often, the team have been forced to practise rigor in the management of their finances, becoming prudent in cost reductions. The emergence of COVID-19 has put many of these plans into action. It has impacted the whole retail industry. Many markets have witnessed this decline, and had to face up to the challenges of keeping the connection with the customer. The move to adapt and address the challenges brought about by the pandemic served as an eye-opener for the company. Despite the pandemic, interest in cars did not wane yet the way that the team have had to interact with customers has needed to become more innovative in approach. Key was ensuring that the emotional connection between client and business remained as strong as it had before the crisis. This meant that the team had to reinforce its capacity to work digitally, utilizing the latest technology to interact with customers. The result was a stunning recreation of the showroom experience, taking advantage of virtual platforms to bring it to life. Customers had the opportunity to get a closer look at the offered models while safely in the comfort of their own homes. The start of the process saw virtual sales confrontations undertaken on online platforms, but as a deal grew closer, the team knew that there was value in going the extra mile and allowing the client to see the car in person. This meant organizing delivery on request, including test driving the vehicle. Naturally, the COVID-19 virus has made this a trickier situation, but careful sanitization has been a protocol throughout the business and this part of the firm is no exception. While it has been a difficult situation for these leading specialists in luxury car provision, the auto sector have worked incredibly hard throughout to ensure that they can not only survive but flourish. Many businesses have emerged stronger from the crisis than when they entered. As restrictions continue to lift, it’s easy to see the start of the market’s recovery within the UAE. As confidence grows, it seems likely that the business will see the automotive segment return to its previous levels of growth. The consequences of the virus have been seen around the world, and as the Pegasus Group operates internationally, it has had to adapt to the changing conditions of local markets. China was the only economy to see positive GDP growth in 2020, with previously burgeoning markets in the Middle East seeing sharp declines. In the UAE, for example, this was due not only to the impact of COVID-19, but much lower than expected oil revenue during 2020. The effects of this have yet to be truly determined, but will no doubt become clearer in the coming months and years. Within the Middle East, the team at the Pegasus Group have had to react to the way in which various governments have chosen to tackle the challenges presented. Various governments have started to roll out key initiatives like UAE Vision 2021, Saudi Vision 2030 and Kuwait Vision 2035 in order to support businesses and economic growth for the coming years. Taking stock in a crisis is not a bad idea, and should bring new ideas and investment to the regions. At the heart of these decisions is a modernizing eye, with a desire to develop and build new smart cities, to invest in infrastructure and energy efficicency, and, of course, to be a global hub of business that is fit for today’s entrepreneurs. These decisions will bring more business to the region, and more customers who can afford the impressive service that the team at the Pegasus Group provide. At present, the UAE and the KSA are leading the effort to attract inbound investment into the region which makes them the ideal bases of operation for the work that the Pegasus Group does. The future is bright for the Pegasus Group. Having weathered the storm of COVID-19, it seems likely that the team will be back on track, able to deliver the customer service that they have spent years perfectly. Finding ways of incorporating the new technological developments they have been forced to adopt is almost certainly going to form part of the superb service that is on offer in the future. Also set to have an impact is the launch of the Aston Martin DBX. This new car is an exciting new addition to this stalwart brand, marking the firm’s first SUV in over a century of production. Finding ways of exploiting this in 2021 is a key aim for the Pegasus Group team. Needless to say, they will continue to work on delivering an exceptional customer experience that is not only unique, but unforgettable. Their success does them credit, and is sure to bear more fruit in the months and years to come. Company: Pegasus Automotive Group UAE Contact: Zaid El-Abed Email:
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