Western Digital opens RMA hub in Riyadh

Western Digital has mirrored an earlier move by arch rival Seagate to open a collection centre in Riyadh as the battle to provide customers with the best after-sales service in the hard drive sector intensifies.

The vendor’s new facility — its first in the Saudi capital — will process return material authorisation (RMA) disk drives and provide authorised distributors and resellers with access to a local hub for the management of defective products.

Western Digital insists the move will enhance the post-sales service that partners provide by allowing them to process returned drives at a faster rate and in a more economical way.

“The opening of the centre in Riyadh demonstrates Western Digital’s commitment to provide best-in-class support to partners and resellers across the MEA region and Saudi Arabia in particular, recognising its position as a key regional market,” stated Khwaja Saifuddin, sales director for the Middle East and Africa at Western Digital.

“To date, our plan is on track, with the roll-out of regional service centres designed to give our customers peace of mind, knowing that they have easy access to local technical support,” added Saifuddin.

Last year, Seagate opened a similar collection point in Riyadh as part of efforts to strengthen its RMA processes in Saudi Arabia.