في لقاء مع مصطفى آل عيد وحسام آل يحيا، نكتشف كيف تحول التحدي إلى فرصة من خلال اندماج "مائدة" و"شوكة" ليخلقا تطبيق "لوكيت"، ونطل على التأثيرات المترتبة على هذا الاندماج في سوق التوصيل في المملكة.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 Welcome. Today we meet two distinguished figures.
00:04 They launched delivery apps in the region and they were fierce competitors.
00:09 After a while, they decided to merge.
00:12 We ask them why the merger and how the merger took place.
00:15 We want to know what steps were taken in all this.
00:20 Welcome.
00:21 I think the most sector that has been highlighted is the application of student delivery.
00:27 Today we have a different story.
00:30 We are talking about the story of the merger that took place.
00:34 Today we have the executive director of Locate, Mustafa Al Eid.
00:40 Welcome.
00:42 Mustafa, you were the executive director of Maida.
00:47 We have with us the co-executive director, Hussam Al Yahya.
00:51 Welcome.
00:52 Hussam was also the executive director of the app Shauka.
00:57 Welcome.
00:58 Welcome.
00:59 We want to know, if we start, what is Locate?
01:01 Locate can be described as the fruit of the merger of two apps, the app Shauka and Maida.
01:08 The merger has a historical story.
01:13 It started about three or four years ago.
01:18 There was a sort of a conceptual agreement between the two apps to merge.
01:26 The Locate app is about the period that passed from the negotiations, discussions and meetings between the two apps.
01:37 Of course, the first meeting was about four years ago.
01:44 We met with the guys in Maida app and then we had different views.
01:50 Should we compete with each other or should we merge and join hands and start expanding?
02:00 There was a sort of a conceptual agreement at the beginning, and then we met a year later.
02:06 But, maybe, the coronavirus made the relationship stronger and things became faster.
02:15 During the coronavirus period, there were challenges and some problems that we needed to overcome with the two apps.
02:24 This made the relationship stronger and the decision was made to ensure that there is a balance and sharing.
02:39 We merged and started to have this new vision.
02:43 The result of this is the Locate app.
02:45 We are talking about two different apps, Shauka and Maida.
02:50 When did Shauka start?
02:52 Shauka started at the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017.
02:57 And Maida?
02:58 At the same time.
03:00 At the same time and in the same area.
03:02 I would like to add that at the beginning of the matter, in the application of Shauka and Maida,
03:09 we started at the same time and we were seeing some movements at the same time,
03:15 and we were competing as if we were in the same area.
03:22 We communicated during the coronavirus period, as my brother Hussam mentioned.
03:28 We proposed some ideas in the process of merging.
03:34 Before the merger, we were cooperating on the issue of the pandemic that came.
03:42 There were some organizations and visions that were not important at that time,
03:49 not only on the applications, but on all of them.
03:52 Most of the commercial and economic sectors in the country were affected by this issue.
04:01 We were in constant communication.
04:04 Then, the kind of harmony that existed started.
04:10 We proposed the issue of first-class participation.
04:15 The participation in something specific.
04:19 Because we are participating in the same area, in the same concept, in the same business.
04:25 So, instead of competition, it turned into the issue of unity, alliance and integration.
04:36 Several things were proposed at that time.
04:39 There was acceptance and hesitation at the same time.
04:44 From both sides, in all cases.
04:46 They did not blame me, whether the team on the side of a table or a fork.
04:54 It was a result of hard work and effort.
04:58 It is normal to be afraid or hesitate on this issue.
05:04 The idea of integration is a bold idea.
05:06 I think, and I am sure that the viewers agree with me,
05:12 that the application "Locate" is the first application that was integrated in startup companies.
05:21 True.
05:22 So, it is a bold and new idea at the level of startup companies.
05:28 Did you start a company, a table, and "Locate"?
05:35 Did you finance this company?
05:36 The courage was higher than you can imagine.
05:39 We have the courage in the business field we are working in now.
05:45 We were really brave.
05:47 Not only at the integration stage, but also in the financing issue.
05:52 The idea of financing was the last idea we thought about.
05:59 We were investing our time.
06:04 We were investing our time in the financing of a startup company.
06:10 We were investing our time in the financing of a startup company.
06:17 We were investing our time and effort.
06:23 And the effort of the existing youth.
06:26 God bless them. I would like to thank them.
06:28 I would like to thank this team,
06:32 whether it is the technical team or the operation team.
06:38 All the teams were very special.
06:41 This made us not have to deal with the financing issue.
06:47 I think this is the main reason.
06:51 I hope I answered you correctly.
06:54 We did not have to deal with the financing issue at all.
06:58 This is in Maida and in Shoka, I think the same thing.
07:01 Yes, the beautiful thing between Shoka and Maida is that they started at the same time.
07:08 With the same direction and mindset.
07:13 For Shoka, the financing was from the founders.
07:18 The amount we put at the beginning was from their own companies.
07:23 But the most important financing is the time, effort and concentration we put in the application.
07:31 We had previous experience in technical matters.
07:38 This contributed to the application or the project.
07:46 At least, we had help from external parties.
07:50 Whether it was financial help, consulting or experience.
07:55 Almost all the work was done by the founding team.
08:04 The investment was part of the financial part.
08:08 It was from the same partners.
08:11 It was the initial or institutional expenses.
08:14 But the most important financing is the time, effort, concentration, effort and sacrifices
08:24 that happened on a personal level.
08:26 This is what I feel is special about some of the other projects.
08:32 What about the new identity you have?
08:37 At the beginning, it was very difficult to choose a name.
08:52 Should we continue with Maida or Shoka?
08:59 Many people we consulted about this topic.
09:10 Most of them said they would keep one name.
09:16 But we had a view on changing the name.
09:23 We wanted to go beyond the food.
09:30 Let's be clear.
09:33 We applied Shoka.
09:35 Its indications are food.
09:39 It is also about food and restaurants.
09:47 It is about delivering food.
09:53 We thought about choosing a new name.
10:01 It is suitable for any e-commerce.
10:08 It is a way to add to the app and expand it.
10:13 We were able to choose a beautiful name.
10:19 This is one of the things that took us a long time to discuss.
10:25 We had to consult with people and give our opinions.
10:33 It was a long process.
10:39 Even the consultations were not clear.
10:48 It was more like a grey area.
10:52 We were not sure about the name.
10:55 We were not sure about the name.
10:59 We had a long discussion with our partners.
11:04 We even consulted with the employees.
11:10 It was like everyone has something inside.
11:22 This made us more attached to the name.
11:27 But in the end, the name is important.
11:32 But you make it.
11:34 But we make it.
11:36 The decision to change the name was the most important.
11:40 The name was in the minds of everyone in the area.
11:47 It was like a fork in the road.
11:51 But in the end, you can make the strategic decisions.
11:56 You can consult.
11:58 But the decision is strategic.
12:01 You are in the super app.
12:06 Let's go back to the history of companies and their integration.
12:11 Some companies succeeded, changed their identity and failed.
12:15 Some companies succeeded, changed their identity and succeeded more.
12:20 You can go to any place.
12:25 As long as it is safe.
12:28 I would like to mention the integration.
12:31 During the period we have been living,
12:36 we have been involved in the integration of banks.
12:41 We have not heard of the integration of companies.
12:48 But we noticed that we have been involved in it.
12:52 With it.
12:53 With the hub.
12:55 We have been involved in it.
12:58 Maybe this is one of the reasons that excited us.
13:03 Or opened our minds more about decision making.
13:07 By the way, most of these acquisitions were more than integrations.
13:11 Indeed.
13:12 Unlike what happened to us.
13:13 Yes, it happened.
13:14 For example, the banks that were acquired, most of them were acquisitions.
13:17 Even the startups, acquired companies for future plans.
13:25 Usually, when integration happens, it becomes a re-structuring for employees.
13:33 Maybe some employees are fired.
13:36 What exactly happened in Lockheed?
13:40 In this administrative aspect.
13:43 I was the executive manager, and I had a vision about the integration.
13:51 I had three important phases for me.
13:55 The first phase was the legal integration of the two companies.
14:03 And the financial integration.
14:05 And the administrative integration for the employees.
14:09 These three phases were done in one year.
14:13 In a short period of time.
14:15 Yes, in a short period of time.
14:17 There were challenges.
14:19 But the legal aspects were easy.
14:25 It was not difficult.
14:27 Maybe this is the easiest part.
14:29 The procedures were routine procedures.
14:32 And that was it.
14:33 The second phase was the financial integration.
14:38 It was not complicated.
14:41 There were some helpers.
14:45 Financial consulting companies and others.
14:49 They provided us with these services.
14:52 The most important phase was the team.
14:56 Between the team of Maida, Locate and Shauka.
15:02 Sorry.
15:04 So, the team was...
15:08 Two competing teams.
15:10 Exactly.
15:11 And each person was like an enemy.
15:17 They were fiercely competing.
15:21 Today, you have brought them together in one place.
15:24 And this is one of the most difficult things.
15:27 You create loyalty in one place.
15:30 In one direction.
15:32 In one way.
15:34 And you don't want to leave any of the young people
15:39 who contributed to the creation of this entity.
15:46 Whether in Shauka or Maida.
15:48 What helped us in the integration
15:55 or the integration of the administrative team
15:58 was the choice of the new name.
16:01 The new name was like a wash for their minds.
16:12 And a melting pot for their minds.
16:17 Like it's still connected to the old brands.
16:19 Yes, to the old brands.
16:21 So, we put the new name.
16:24 We started printing on T-shirts.
16:29 We unified the uniform, let's say,
16:32 with the presence of Shauka and Maida.
16:35 So, the team wore Locate plus Shauka and Maida.
16:40 Exactly.
16:41 Eventually, with time, this idea melted.
16:45 This crazy idea.
16:47 To wear the uniform.
16:50 To unify the uniform in a way that even the competitor wears it.
16:53 Exactly.
16:54 So, it contributed to the unconscious mind.
16:59 It contributes to the psychological matter.
17:02 In the long run, it will become a given.
17:08 And then it will be called one name.
17:13 And one goal.
17:14 And one goal.
17:15 Bravo.
17:16 You told me earlier that if you joined the company,
17:20 you wouldn't know who is Maida's employee and who is Shauka's.
17:23 Exactly.
17:24 And there are other things that contributed.
17:27 We started...
17:31 I entrusted some of the guys and some of the team members
17:37 to do a kind of joint activities.
17:44 Like going on trips, relaxing, sitting together.
17:50 Did it help?
17:51 Of course.
17:53 It created an atmosphere.
17:56 We did some entertainment.
17:59 They didn't think that the purpose of it was to unify the team.
18:10 But it was a harmonious process in the first year.
18:18 And it ended.
18:19 And thank God, we reached a point where you can't tell
18:24 who is Shauka's employee and who is Maida's employee.
18:29 Now, you see them as one.
18:31 At least one.
18:32 Bravo.
18:33 I live this administrative integration.
18:39 Hussam, it seems that many people want to talk.
18:43 We talked about the administrative and financial integration.
18:49 And now, the technical integration.
18:52 The technical integration is the most difficult challenge.
18:55 The administrative issues can be solved on paper, on stages.
19:01 There are certain procedures.
19:03 It won't affect the demand chain.
19:08 For example, you have a working system.
19:10 Or you have two systems.
19:12 Shauka and Maida are working separately.
19:14 They are completely different.
19:15 They are not similar at all.
19:20 At the same time, you are serving the customers around the clock.
19:27 You don't have time to stop and say,
19:29 "I will stop, I will integrate and come back."
19:33 All the work should be going well for the customers.
19:39 The work is going well at the same level and quality.
19:43 The challenge here is not to make the customer feel that something is happening.
19:48 So, the client didn't notice this integration?
19:50 No, because the technical integration happened at a stage
19:55 where it was the most planned.
19:58 As I mentioned, you have two completely different systems.
20:02 It starts partially on stages.
20:04 We spent a long time to finish this plan.
20:08 I am talking about months.
20:10 We used to work on two systems.
20:12 Then we separated them.
20:14 We integrated part of the operation.
20:19 Then we divided the two systems
20:22 so that we can integrate part by part.
20:25 Until we finished the complete integration.
20:28 Now, we are working on the location in one system.
20:31 It is a result of integrating the desktop and the laptop together.
20:36 It was a difficult challenge.
20:39 You don't want to stop.
20:42 You want to collect data from different systems.
20:45 The structure is completely different.
20:48 But, thank God, it was done.
20:51 Usually, these things happen in crashes and unaccounted things.
20:55 We used to walk or try an experimental environment.
20:59 We used to simulate the reality.
21:02 We used to do a test to see if everything was working.
21:06 Thank God, we fixed some things.
21:10 When we were sure that everything was working,
21:13 we went to the system.
21:15 It was live and working.
21:17 We continued integrating.
21:19 Thank God, the operation went smoothly.
21:22 There was no downtime for the client.
21:25 We had a big goal in the integration.
21:28 I would like to add something to this point.
21:31 As Hussam said, we had a big challenge in the technology.
21:37 We had a clear and big goal.
21:43 In the second year of integration,
21:50 we were focusing on how to integrate
21:55 without any kind of drop
21:59 or anything to make the customer feel.
22:05 You have three sides to work with.
22:07 Exactly.
22:08 We have a restaurant or a store.
22:12 A store, a customer, an end user, and a club.
22:20 We have three sides.
22:22 These three sides were the most difficult things
22:27 we could imagine in the operation.
22:32 We tried as much as we could
22:35 to reach a point where the customer
22:39 does not feel the integration process.
22:45 We started with the integration of the clubs.
22:50 This was the first step.
22:52 The first step was to integrate the clubs
22:55 in one application to receive orders
22:58 from Shoka or Maida.
23:00 Then we worked on the integration of restaurants
23:05 and customers gradually.
23:09 We started by integrating the clubs,
23:12 then the restaurants in one database,
23:15 and finally the end user.
23:18 We had a big challenge.
23:21 For example, when a customer goes to the same store
23:25 and goes to the end user,
23:27 sometimes he is a professional.
23:29 He takes an order from Maida,
23:31 and he receives an order from Maida,
23:33 or he receives an order from Shoka.
23:35 There was a challenge.
23:37 We worked on it quickly and professionally.
23:41 The guys in the technical department
23:44 led by Hussam,
23:47 who was the ship's captain.
23:51 I was more involved in the management
23:55 than in the technical department.
23:58 The challenge was amazing.
24:03 So, you worked on the integration smoothly.
24:06 What about Shoka and Maida's applications?
24:08 Do they still exist?
24:11 They still exist.
24:14 The good thing is that we found a strong loyalty
24:20 from Shoka and Maida's customers to the application.
24:25 We are now in the stage of motivating customers
24:29 to download the Locate application.
24:32 We are working on ads,
24:36 promotions, promotions,
24:41 and we want to motivate users
24:45 to switch from Shoka and Maida to Locate.
24:47 It is really an excitement.
24:50 We tell the customer to download Locate.
24:55 It is really like that.
24:57 We are not cheating.
25:00 The situation is better than before.
25:05 We motivate the customer to download Locate
25:10 to benefit from the features.
25:13 There are more offers.
25:15 There are more features.
25:17 The user experience is different.
25:20 The performance is better.
25:23 Shoka and Maida's applications are not updated.
25:29 We cannot say that they are not updated.
25:32 But they are more developed and more beautiful in Locate.
25:39 We want to bring them together in one place.
25:45 We want them to benefit.
25:48 We don't want to do a double job.
25:50 We develop in a place we can call Locate.
25:54 Then we do updates in Maida.
26:00 Then we go to Shoka.
26:03 It is useless.
26:05 In the end, you want to offer something special to people
26:09 and serve people.
26:11 We want to serve them in a better way.
26:17 We always have an ambition.
26:21 This is the reason why we develop.
26:24 This is one of the reasons why we merged.
26:27 To make it clear to the viewers,
26:31 the way you merged the technology
26:34 and motivated the customers to download Locate
26:39 was more focused on Locate.
26:43 But Shoka and Maida stopped the offers.
26:47 We focused more on Locate.
26:50 Even if a customer opens Shoka and Maida,
26:54 he will see the offer in Locate, download it and start using it.
26:58 In Shoka, I can see the offer in Locate.
27:02 You know there is an offer in Locate, so we direct you to Locate.
27:06 The goal of this is to focus on Locate.
27:10 The first reason is to focus on the application.
27:15 We put all the adjustments and improvements in one place.
27:20 When there are three places, it is difficult to distribute.
27:24 The second reason is that Locate is the brand name.
27:28 We want to expand and launch in new areas.
27:32 When we cover the eastern areas,
27:36 the application we use will be Locate.
27:40 Okay.
27:42 If you want to conclude,
27:48 if the integration was not completed,
27:52 Shoka and Maida would have remained.
27:56 Would we have reached where we are today?
28:00 Of course, if the integration was not completed,
28:04 God knows what would happen.
28:08 There is a competition,
28:12 whether in the area between Shoka and Maida.
28:16 There is a competition.
28:20 Therefore, there is a loss of effort.
28:24 A loss of many things.
28:28 And repetition.
28:30 You are competing and repeating.
28:32 Okay.
28:34 Today, there is a reduction.
28:38 You have an operation cost.
28:40 One.
28:42 Whether at Shoka or Maida.
28:44 It is the same operation cost.
28:48 This is an operation cost and this is an operation cost.
28:52 This is a loss.
28:54 Just by integration,
28:56 instead of winning 100, you win 200.
29:00 In the end, this union
29:02 formed a kind of recognition of this loss.
29:08 The second issue is that
29:12 there is one focus,
29:14 which is expansion.
29:16 Instead of having competition
29:20 at the regional level,
29:24 and let's use the expression,
29:26 each one is after the other.
29:28 Our focus is elsewhere.
29:32 The situation is like
29:36 it is a certain matter in the region,
29:38 so there is no fear
29:40 in terms of competition.
29:42 Thank God.
29:44 This is one of the most exciting things
29:52 about integration.
29:56 Hussam, you have an operation cost,
30:00 and you have competition,
30:02 and I will compete,
30:04 and you will compete.
30:06 Why?
30:08 We will not get results.
30:10 Let's integrate,
30:12 unite and go out.
30:14 This is the first word
30:16 I gave to Hussam
30:18 in the first meeting I had with him.
30:20 It was a meeting
30:22 before integration,
30:24 before the pandemic.
30:26 He is a fan of coffee.
30:28 Yes, that's right.
30:30 Hussam, integration is done.
30:32 You worked in the company
30:34 and now you have a new brand.
30:36 Did you hesitate
30:38 for a while?
30:40 I don't think
30:42 that I hesitated for a while.
30:44 I was afraid
30:46 about whether
30:48 the decision was right
30:50 or not,
30:52 or whether it was better
30:54 not to integrate
30:56 or whether integration
30:58 was better.
31:00 I hesitated for a while.
31:02 Maybe Mustafa was the one
31:04 who initiated the integration
31:06 first or more.
31:08 But maybe I was the one
31:10 who was a little bit
31:12 more intense in the last period.
31:14 Maybe I was very excited
31:16 about integration.
31:18 You mean you were not in the mood.
31:20 Yes, I started to be convinced.
31:22 I started to see the pros and cons.
31:24 I tried to calculate
31:26 what would happen if we integrated.
31:28 What would happen if we didn't integrate.
31:30 I put some cases
31:32 or scenarios.
31:34 How would the situation
31:36 be if we were in a positive situation
31:38 and how would it be if we were in a negative situation.
31:40 It took some time
31:42 to think about it.
31:44 I remember that
31:46 I talked to Mustafa.
31:48 It was a quick conversation.
31:50 When he answered, I told him to integrate.
31:52 He said, "Ok, what's the matter?"
31:54 We talked.
31:56 It was not a long conversation
31:58 because there were already discussions.
32:00 We were almost at the end of the discussion.
32:02 We were a little bit agreed on it.
32:04 I remember some things
32:06 that I thought had some differences.
32:08 I sat between myself and
32:10 the companies in Shoka.
32:12 I told Mustafa,
32:14 "We want to integrate."
32:16 We had a point 1, 2, 3.
32:18 I suggested the following suggestion
32:20 so that there would not be
32:22 any
32:24 obstacles or challenges
32:26 in the integration.
32:28 We were not agreed on it.
32:30 We came to the reality
32:32 after two years of integration.
32:34 I remember that day
32:36 when we were sitting
32:38 and we saw reports
32:40 that before and during the integration
32:42 and after the integration.
32:44 The effort that we had put
32:46 to see what would happen during the integration.
32:48 The effort that we had put
32:50 for example,
32:52 when the level was certain,
32:54 thank God,
32:56 it was higher.
32:58 Logically, you would think
33:00 that the numbers
33:02 would be put in a certain range.
33:04 For example, this range
33:06 and this number and this number.
33:08 It was beyond our expectations.
33:10 There were
33:12 specific goals during the integration.
33:14 We were talking
33:16 about specific numbers.
33:18 There were previous data.
33:20 There was one goal
33:22 during the integration
33:24 and especially after the
33:26 technical integration.
33:28 I used to see that the most important
33:30 point was to maintain the situation.
33:32 Not by increasing
33:34 or decreasing.
33:36 This was one of the goals.
33:38 One of the important things
33:40 that I mentioned in more than one meeting
33:42 with the team,
33:44 I said that the most important point
33:46 during the integration and after
33:48 the technical integration
33:50 is to maintain the stable situation
33:52 in terms of willpower,
33:54 in terms of sales,
33:56 in terms of the number of orders.
33:58 We don't want any drop to happen.
34:00 But after the integration,
34:02 we were afraid
34:04 that there would be a drop.
34:06 This is something
34:08 that can happen at any time.
34:10 But this is something
34:12 that is a blessing.
34:14 - A new name.
34:16 - Many things.
34:18 Even before the name was
34:20 released.
34:22 The technical integration
34:24 was a big obstacle.
34:26 This was something
34:28 beyond our expectations.
34:30 It was a blessing from God.
34:32 We completely lost our expectations
34:34 in terms of integration.
34:36 It was a phase.
34:38 Whether it would happen or not.
34:40 There was a big challenge
34:42 in terms of the
34:44 integration of the
34:46 team.
34:48 It was a big challenge
34:50 in addition to this.
34:52 The issue was
34:54 that if the situation
34:56 was stable,
34:58 the issue of
35:00 raising sales,
35:02 working on that,
35:04 and lowering costs,
35:06 this phase would come later.
35:08 The increase in the number of orders
35:10 would come later.
35:12 After the situation is stable.
35:14 But we took
35:16 quick steps
35:18 and achieved
35:20 amazing numbers.
35:22 We were even amazed.
35:24 I remember that
35:26 we used to record the expectations
35:28 that were with the team.
35:30 - What expectations?
35:32 - The numbers.
35:34 - Orders.
35:36 - Sales.
35:38 - How many were expected.
35:40 It was a shock.
35:42 A shock for everyone.
35:44 We were not able to
35:46 get the exact numbers.
35:48 But we lost
35:50 all expectations.
35:52 Thank God.
35:54 - I think
35:56 the application
35:58 for ordering orders
36:00 still has
36:02 a reputation
36:04 and a huge market.
36:06 Especially if
36:08 customers like me
36:10 are from people
36:12 who don't know how to read the menu.
36:14 I only know the names of animals.
36:16 Sheep, chicken,
36:18 fish, and that's it.
36:20 It's an inspiring story.
36:22 The story of integration.
36:24 Thank you, Mustafa Al-Ayy.
36:26 - Thank you.
36:28 - Thank you, Hussam Al-Yahya.
36:30 Thank you for your hospitality.
36:32 God bless you.
36:34 Thank you, viewers.
36:36 See you in the next episode.