Customer service teams across various sectors and organization sizes in the UAE are changing how they operate as rising customer expectations and growing service demand push AI from pilot projects into everyday use, according to Salesforce’s 7th State of Service report.
Responses from service professionals across the country highlight organizations’ investments in updating platforms and addressing data issues, which should reassure the workforce about ongoing support and modernization.
Service Transformation Picks Up Pace
When asked about priorities, UAE service leaders point first to improving service technology. Better data quality and a more substantial overall customer experience follow closely behind. These priorities reflect day-to-day pressures on service teams, including rising operating costs, ongoing hiring challenges, and the difficulty of keeping up with customer expectations that continue to move faster.
AI is increasingly being used to absorb routine work and support agents during live interactions. This has allowed teams to spend more time on complex cases and situations that require judgment rather than automation.
Expectations Continue to Rise
Customer expectations in the UAE are rising across sectors. Most service professionals say customers now expect a more personal level of engagement than they did even a few years ago. Many organizations also anticipate an increase in service cases over the next 12 months.
AI is already playing a role in managing this demand. Approximately one-third of customer inquiries are currently resolved using AI. Service leaders expect that share to grow significantly, reaching roughly half of all inquiries within the next two years as AI becomes more embedded in daily service operations.
More Natural, More Accessible Interactions
AI use in the UAE is moving beyond basic chat-based support. Many service teams are now working with multimodal systems that can handle voice, text, and other formats within the same interaction. Among organizations using voice AI, handovers to human agents are generally smooth, reducing friction for customers who need additional support.
There is also a growing view that AI-led conversations can improve accessibility, making it easier to support customers with different communication needs or preferences.
A clear focus on data integration and modernization demonstrates a commitment to sustainable growth and inspires confidence in the future of service transformation.
Once fully implemented, service leaders expect AI to deliver tangible results. These include higher customer satisfaction, stronger upsell performance, and lower service-related costs.
The impact is also being felt at an individual level. Service professionals who are comfortable working with AI report higher productivity and stronger career prospects, underscoring how quickly digital capabilities are becoming a core requirement in service roles.
“Across the UAE, we’re seeing organizations move beyond experimentation and into practical deployment of AI within service teams,” said Mohammad Al Khotani, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Salesforce Middle East. “The focus is not on replacing people, but on helping them manage growing demand while delivering the level of service customers now expect. AI is becoming part of how service work gets done, not a separate initiative.”
