Digital Transformation in Hajj and Umrah: How Do We Measure Its Impact on the Pilgrim Experience?
Digital transformation improves the Hajj and Umrah experience when pilgrims can find the right information, understand what to do next and access services with less effort. Measuring that impact means following the journey from digital channels to the places where pilgrims receive services in person.
The Pilgrim Experience Program describes how Nusuk Masar connects contracting, operational and field activities, and visa processing to support preparations before pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrim Experience Program (https://pep.gov.sa/ar/news/950)
For service providers, the next step is to measure how these changes affect the journey. Can pilgrims follow the instructions? Do the details they receive online match what happens on arrival? How easily can they get help if something goes wrong?
What completion data tells us about the journey
Operational data can show that a booking was completed or a request was processed. Pilgrim feedback adds context by showing what it took to reach that point.
A pilgrim might complete an Umrah booking and still need to contact the provider twice to find the meeting point. Another might receive a confirmation on time and still be unsure what to do next. Both journeys would appear as completed bookings in a report.
Read completion data alongside pilgrim feedback to see where people needed help and which steps could be made easier.
Three priorities for measuring the pilgrim experience
1. Give pilgrims clear information when they need it
Pilgrims need different information at each stage, from booking requirements and preparation instructions to meeting points, transport schedules and support contacts. Review whether the information is easy to find and understand across languages, levels of digital familiarity and accessibility needs.
Start with recurring questions and ask a short, specific question after a relevant step, such as “How clear were the instructions for getting to the meeting point?” Use the answers to decide which information to simplify, translate or send earlier.
2. Check that digital instructions match what happens on the ground
A digital booking shapes what pilgrims expect when they arrive, board transport or check into their accommodation. If the confirmation gives one pickup point and staff direct pilgrims to another, the handover between teams becomes part of the problem.
Mapping the pilgrim journey helps teams document these handovers, compare instructions across channels and assign responsibility for resolving inconsistencies. Sadaa’s customer journey design and analysis services (https://sadaa.com/en/services/customer-experience)
3. Measure how easily pilgrims can get help
When a pilgrim needs support, they should know whom to contact, what information to provide and how to follow up. Measure how easy it was to ask for help, how often people had to make contact again about the same issue and how satisfied they were with the resolution.
Open-ended feedback can help teams distinguish between unclear instructions, a slow response and an issue with service delivery. Each points to a different action.
Which metrics should you use?
Choose a measure based on what you need to understand at each stage.
- Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how easy it was to complete a task, such as booking, finding information or requesting help.
- Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) measures satisfaction with a specific interaction, such as arrival support, transport or the resolution of a request.
- Open-ended feedback explains why pilgrims gave a particular rating and helps identify recurring issues.
- Operational data adds context through measures such as waiting times, repeat contacts and completion rates.
Focus on a few points in the journey and keep the questions specific. Where possible, include feedback from people who struggled or stopped partway through an online process, so the findings reflect more than completed journeys.
Turn findings into service improvements
Give each finding an owner and a next step. If pilgrims repeatedly report unclear arrival instructions, review the wording, where it appears and when it is sent. Then ask the same question after the change to see whether the instructions became easier to follow.
Comparing results across periods, channels and pilgrim groups can help teams set priorities. Account for differences in sample size and service conditions when interpreting those comparisons.
How Sadaa supports the Hajj and Umrah sector
Sadaa helps service providers and supervising organisations understand the pilgrim journey, design listening and measurement programmes, and use the findings to prioritise improvements. Sadaa’s work in the Hajj and Umrah sector (https://sadaa.com/en/sectors/hajj-and-umrah-customer-experience)
Teams can use Rihla to map journey stages, connect touchpoints to relevant measures, create surveys, collect and analyse feedback, and track results. The choice of channels depends on where and when pilgrims can share feedback about the service they used. Explore the Rihla platform (https://sadaa.com/en/products/rihla)
Frequently asked questions
What is the Hajj and Umrah pilgrim experience?
It is what pilgrims encounter from planning and booking through arrival, transport, service delivery and departure. It includes digital interactions, physical locations and conversations with service providers.
How can digital transformation improve Hajj and Umrah services?
It can make information easier to find, simplify booking and request tracking, and help providers coordinate services. Its impact can be assessed by checking whether pilgrims can complete these steps easily and whether digital instructions match the service they receive.
How do you measure pilgrim satisfaction with digital services?
Ask short questions after specific interactions. Measure satisfaction, ease of completion or clarity of instructions, depending on the task. Read responses alongside operational data to understand where people experienced difficulty.
What can booking and completion rates tell you?
They show how often people used a service or completed a process. Pair them with satisfaction and effort measures to understand how easily pilgrims reached that outcome and where they needed support.
Is one survey at the end of the journey enough?
An end-of-journey survey captures the overall impression. Short questions at selected stages help teams identify when a problem occurred and what needs to change.
Who can benefit from measuring the pilgrim experience?
Supervising authorities, Hajj and Umrah service providers, transport and hospitality operators, and digital platforms can use the findings to improve the parts of the journey they manage.