Business Talks: Dr. Mahmoud Kamel, Chairman and CEO of AIC

What is the current forecast of your company, in terms of growth levels and exploring new markets?
Indeed, "AIC" have concrete business plans to improve the existing digitalization and security industries through number of well-thought-out topics helping the country and local market to have better position in the future. "AIC" is already underway of building a factory for encrypted ID cards and plastic cards and automatic gates as well signing MOU with number of world leaders and international producers to manufacture turnstile and tripod automatic gates in addition to assembling ID card printers and automatic gates.

What are the most significant changes that you did after COVID 19 to face the challenges of digitalization in your company?
Comparing to the international market unemployment rates matching those of the decline and a new stages of challenges carried on by social distancing, business closures and supply interruptions, companies generally question: how will the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis change the world of business? Which new consumer behaviors will continue once the pandemic ends? What opportunities will emerge for business growth, and what does that mean for rotating existing businesses or introducing startups?

To help generate motivation, the following lists techniques the world might be different after COVID-19 and how businesses can use these visions to succeed post-pandemic. Decentralized production and supply chains, continuing remote employees work, contactless shopping, better dependence on ecommerce, fewer group entertainment, more emphasis on health and wellness, quality of life decisions, the digital classroom, cut-rate of travel and concentrate on financial forecasting.

Where do you see Egypt in the future era of digitalization?
In fact, no doubt that Egypt is moving well toward the success and changing with, across different aspects and become one of our realities. It’s the digital world the egyptian leader choose, where we can live. All the time ready for Egyptians to use in whatever ways they want. Technology is about to move much faster and converge with entertainment, until life is entertainment and entertainment is life. Egyptians will become used to their chosen digital realities being displayed and processed without effort. Several panels, several identities and many transformed video, audio and music feeds will simply appear, and people will appear in them.
Egyptian digital life they can walk through a beautiful new morning.

What role should technology play in the future workplace?
Technology forms the time to come, and it can help to make it harmonious with environment. It can help us to develop neat energy, transport opportunities with less radiations and low-energy houses to save assets. Technology is not only about technology itself and realizing new methods and procedures; we have to add the component of art which is about to make intelligent choices for the future of technology.

In your opinion, what are the benefits and disadvantages of digitalizing in the workplace?
Digitalization has many understandable advantages such as ease of access to information, straightforward and instant communication, and capability to share information, new jobs, and expanded commercial competition.  However, there are also consequences to this such as reliance on an untrustworthy source, the risk of being hacked, the weakening of social skills and the sense of community, and the misuse of information.

How will digitalization in the workplace affect our lives?
Determined in the lives protected by expanding security in the workplace, by decreasing the time of buying and reducing the costs for buyers, digitalization is no longer an hypothetical concept but part of our daily program, in the personal life, and particularly at work. Digitalization uses the IT infrastructure and the Internet as a technological support.

What can we, as the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce, do to turn possible disadvantages of digitalization in the workplace into advantages?
One of the necessary rules of business management is to deliver an exceptional customer experience.  The average Egyptian citizen spends about 9 hours a day in the digital space. Digging information, getting entertainment, and spending money are just a few of their activities. The obvious answer is German-Arab Chamber is to available to support in that space for the clients, facilitating their path to purchase with a seamless user experience of the digital platforms. Whether it’s through a better website, new app, or other digital offering, smart technology coupled with rapid customer adoption is the key to CX success.

In your opinion, what are current issues in connection with digitalizing the workplace?
We cannot disclaim the importance of communication. However, there are now some problems in communication in the workplace settings, especially in the digital work environment that we should be aware of and overcome. 

How can you change the negative effects of digitalization to a positive way?
Optimistic:  Organizations can save their time for daily discussion; they can make decisions immediately without the need for several meetings. They can contact each other every time and everywhere even they are on business trips. 

Pessimistic: Organizations probably misusing the social network which leads to the decrease in face-to-face conversation. It means that co-worker relation is not close. As social media platforms are continuously evolving and people can get access to news in an instant, people deliberately avoid in-person communication, which can lead to laziness, depression and other health problems.

What role do you see the government playing in facilitating the future of digitalization in the workplace?
Improve the networking infrastructure and provide online session for how to optimize your usage.