du and Huawei Unveil SME Digital Transformation Playbook to Accelerate UAE Business Growth

DUBAI — du, operating under Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has partnered with Huawei UAE to release a comprehensive SME digital transformation playbook titled "From Set Up to Set for Growth." The initiative aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) maximize the value of existing technology, simplify digital adoption, and unlock sustainable business growth across the United Arab Emirates.

The guide is backed by one of the region's most extensive digital transformation studies, featuring face-to-face interviews with 648 SMEs conducted across all seven emirates and five major industry sectors. The research revealed a significant gap between technology adoption and digital maturity: while 81% of surveyed businesses utilize desktop or laptop computers, 77% rely on point-of-sale systems, and 63% deploy productivity tools, only 8% have achieved an advanced stage of digital maturity. Primary transformation hurdles cited include setup costs (47%), internal skills gaps (45%), ongoing subscription expenses (37%), and system integration challenges (31%).

Rather than advocating for additional software purchases, the playbook focuses on helping enterprises extract maximum utility from current infrastructure. The roadmap provides actionable guidance across five core pillars: enhancing customer engagement, boosting operational productivity, improving cash flow management, building organizational resilience, and implementing low-risk artificial intelligence applications.

"Digital transformation is not about adopting more technology; it is about making existing technology work harder for businesses," Karim Benkirane, Chief Commercial Officer at du, said in a statement. "Through our partnership with Huawei UAE, we have developed a playbook that helps identify where digital improvements can deliver the greatest impact, providing SMEs and startups with an outcome-driven roadmap they can act on immediately."

"As an ICT solution provider, Huawei supplies high-quality products and solutions that enable du to develop locally tailored SME offerings," Felix Liu, Managing Director of Huawei Gulf Carrier Business, said in a statement. "With a full portfolio of infrastructure—including 5G, optical networks, IP networks, storage, IdeaHub, and cloud—Huawei helps du build a one-stop digital solution for SMEs."

With research indicating that only 15% of UAE SMEs currently use AI or advanced analytics platforms, the playbook outlines practical first steps for AI adoption, emphasizing high-return, time-saving tasks such as automated drafting, information summarization, and customer interaction support.