# My First Great Impressions Of Government Services In Dubai: Real stories



## Stephen Sweid (May 25, 2013)

During my short stay in Dubai (UAE) I encountered an array of government services, and came across some sophisticated citizen’s support, which in my opinion surpass the quality level of public services in the UK or other advanced countries. 

I have been staying in Dubai for over eight months. My children live and work in Dubai. I am a senior business researcher and consultant by profession and therefore I am very inquisitive by nature. I am one of the few people in Dubai who perform regularly long exploratory walks outdoors including walks in the sand. The weather was great this year so far, unusually mild with many rainy days even. Altogether it was an ideal setting for discoveries. 

I am presenting various real stories of my encounters with Dubai government services. All the stories being told have taken place in 2013 in Dubai.

*Municipality of Dubai and Jafza (DMCC, JLT) / Complaint About Noise Pollution:* I live in JLT (Jumeira Lakes Towers) in Dubai. This is a very quiet residential and commercial area including tens of high rise towers overlooking numerous lakes. Suddenly one day early this year I awoke to the big noise of some machine. After a few days of bearing the noise I decided to go out and pinpoint the source of the noise pollution. It turned out to be a power generator being used for the renovation of a ground floor shop in the tower opposite to mine. Upon enquiry with the workshop supervisor I understood that the tower management is not providing an electrical power-line to the workshop, and therefore they had to use the noisy power generator, even Fridays. 

After raising the issue with the management of my tower I was told I should complain with the Municipality of Dubai. I tracked the website of the municipality and telephone and internet complaint procedure, and made a telephone as well as an email complaint. I did not go to the municipality. I received after a very short while a complaint number and telephone contact number and the message was sent as SMS to my mobile. I then spoke on the phone after quoting my complaint number, and the other end was taking notes of the details of my complaint again. I then received an SMS stating that my complaint case was closed! I expected some action must have been taken. I contacted the municipality by phone and was told that for such matters in JLT it is not the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dubai but of Jafza.

I contacted Jafza by phone and I was given an email number and contact. So I sent my complaint by email. I received a prompt response from Jafza (DMCC, based in Almas Tower) stating they will send inspectors to the workshop. Then within a week I received a statement saying inspectors spoke to the workshop and to the management of the tower, and indicated they will try and convince the management of the tower to extend a power line to the workshop, and they asked the workshop to reduce the noise and to be restricted to a few hours in the day and only working days, this until a DEWA line is obtained by the workshop. The noise was slightly reduced, but a few months have gone by since my initial complaint and the workshop was still using the noisy power generator! I complained again a couple of times at DMCC by telephone and email but did not receive any feedback. Then I complained again one day with the security personnel when the workshop was using the noisy generator after midnight! Eventually, the noisy generator was replaced with a larger but very quiet one. 

_In brief, I was surprised at the effectiveness of response to complaints made by telephone or by email, without having to go personally to the department, and at the initial effort focused by the authorities on solving the problem. _

*Consumer Rights in Dubai (Ahlan Dubai Service, DED), And Dubai Central Laboratory (Dubai Municipality) / Testing a Shirt Fabric*: On another occasion I bought a cotton shirt from a known European brand at Ibn Battuta Mall. Upon wearing, the shirt did not feel 100% cotton as stated, as it was not cool and it felt more like high ratio of synthetics and electrostatics. I contacted the European supplier by email and informed them about my doubts, but I did not receive any explanation. I had doubts whether I shall find a consumer protection department in Dubai, but I was surprised I found one called Ahlan Dubai service, part of DED. I sent a complaint by email and after filling in a form from the website, I received promptly an email reply with my complaint number, stating that my complaint will be attended to within two days. In my complaint I mentioned that I would be happy to supply a small piece of the material to test whether the shirt is 100% cotton as claimed by the supplier. Someone from the consumer rights department called immediately after, wanting to clarify what I actually wanted! I told the person I just want to test the material and see whether it is 100% cotton, as claimed on the shirt. The person suggested that I return the shirt, but I mentioned that I have some strong doubts and would like to test the material even if it cost me a little. Then I received again a phone-call inquiring what I actually want from the complaint! I mentioned again that I would like to test a piece of the fabric of the shirt, and I was told they do not have a test laboratory for such purposes, and my case was closed.

I looked on the internet for a test laboratory in Dubai, and indeed I found one as part of the Dubai municipality. I found out that the central lab has also test facilities for textile, and they had a consumer section, and I contacted them by email with my request. I then received a phone call from the lab and explained what I exactly want. I found out where the lab was located and made an appointment to come next day. 

I was very impressed by the setting and the organization of the central lab. I asked for the contact person at the reception, and very quickly a young female Emirati woman as test expert appeared, and I gave her the small piece of material to be tested (Which I cut out from the shirt). She disappeared for 15 minutes and came back and told me this is 100% cotton! My face showed some doubts and the civil servant suggested I come and see how the test results was established, and showed me how the material was tested. WOW. What a super and prompt service and what a super know-how. The expert explained to me that this is a cotton fabric made to show little greasing and hence feels different. She explained that after a few wash cycles the effect will be reduced gradually. Again WOW. I left feeling dazzled. Am I in the USA? Almost the same day I received a belated email feedback from the European supplier of the shirt stating that the shirt is indeed 100% cotton but is of the finish “Easy Care” and therefore feels different! I still do not know what this means in terms of 100% cotton specs!


*Management of Dubai Mall / Posting a Suggestion:* I was travelling by metro to the Dubai Mall, which is one of the biggest in the world. After arriving to the station you need to cross on foot this newly completed and very long suspended pedestrians’ tunnel to get to the Mall. Although there are many long electric pedestrian conveyor facilities (travelators), they are relatively slow compared to other similar facilities in the Dubai metro. I thought it would be useful to speed up the conveyor to shorten the 10 minutes duration of journey to the Mall, this without compromise to safety. When I reached the Mall, I went to the reception desk and asked whether they have some forms for suggestions. I was given one by the person at the desk and I filled a few lines with my suggestion, and gave it back to the person. I also included my mobile number as requested. 

A couple of days later I received a phone-call from the management of the Dubai Mall, and the Mrs. At the other end gave her name and thanked me for the suggestion. She indicated that my suggestion was sent to the management of the mall and their feedback is that the speed of the conveyors was set by the designers and cannot be increased easily. Nevertheless the management has taken note of my suggestion and is stipulating to increase this speed through different means in the future. And she thanked me again for the suggestion! _I felt this was a triple WOW. Do you get such a prompt and friendly and pro-active response in the UK or USA for that matter? I don’t think so, as I have travelled extensively to many places in the world. They did not only take note of the suggestion but they also called to acknowledge! I was taken for a while after the phone call! I was wondering what a quantum leap Dubai must have gone through to arrive to this synergetic stage of interaction with the consumer and citizen._ 


_In brief, my multiple experiences with the government services in Dubai were astonishing and satisfying. I was quite impressed every time. My quick encounters are indicative of an environment that is conducive to quality of life and prosperity. I often thought this would be the right place to work in and to conduct business. My impression is that Dubai might be even distinguished in the UAE in its government services and indeed in the Gulf States. Some million light years separate Dubai from the rest of the Arab world including services provided by the government to its people. I hope the Arab countries emerging from the Arab spring will try and emulate some of the services aspects seen in Dubai. I believe with the right will and vision everything is possible, as has been proven in this environment. 
*Dr. Stephen Sweid*_


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

I agree, it's a mixed bag and too many people focus on the horror stories and issues with capricious rules that change or are enforced arbitrarily. 

Two I will add: 

I registered a personally imported car at the Al Barsha Tasjeel. The entire process took 2.5 hours max and was very smooth. As compared to US DMV offices, I was very impressed. 

I live in the Marina and my building is surrounded by construction for the tramway and also for a new tower block. The intersection to the only access road was dug up and refilled so that it had a patch that was basically just dirt and rocks. Over a period of time deep potholes appeared such that it became close of impassable for non-4x4 cars and I was worried about damage to my low-slung little sportscar. I was told - incorrectly as it turned out - that Emaar was responsible. I called their hotline and lodged my complaint. After a few days they got back to me and told me that actually they had nothing to do with it. This was the RTA's responsibility and that of the contractor the RTA hired to do the tram work. Nevertheless, Emaar followed up with the RTA and the road was fixed. Not only that but Emaar followed up with me to make sure it was fixed. Even better, the road has been subsequently fixed again when potholes appeared again. Very impressive! :clap2:


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

The cotton one is hilarious! 
Can't believe you cut your shirt up, only to find it was actually cotton!
If i see a man with a peephole nipple shirt, i'll know who it is!

That said, per the topic of your post, it appears that the Authorities that you are lauding generally closed your cases after initial report, and you had to follow up to get any action. Not quite so amazingly seamless.

The Mall : you got a response - nothing will happen though. Guaranteed. (you could walk instead of standing on travelators - takes far less than 10 minutes - you said that you were 'one of the few' walkers in Dubai.) The Mall has excellent PR. It appears to have worked, as a response has pleased you mor ethan the result of the query.

The Shirt : you had to go and get the test done yourself, despite polite emails and phone calls...

The noise : seems to have taken months..?


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

A friend hasn't had his bins empited for 4 months in the Springs.
Why?
The Landlord hasn't paid a fine.
Emaar will not allow the tenant to pay the fine so that the bin service can start up again.
the fine? AED 28 (twenty eight!)

On the flip-side, and despite all the horror stories, I found the driving license process to be extremely pain-free, and the online & SMS banking is better than UK (RBS at least!)

I also have a landlord that offers 24 hr maintenance, and actually delivers! (AC fixed at 3.00am!)


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Stephen Sweid said:


> And she thanked me again for the suggestion! _I felt this was a triple WOW. Do you get such a prompt and friendly and pro-active response in the UK or USA for that matter? I don’t think so, as I have travelled extensively to many places in the world. They did not only take note of the suggestion but they also called to acknowledge! _


_

Do you really feel that you would not get a thank you for a suggestion or an acknowlegment of a comment anywhere in the UK or US?_


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

vantage said:


> I also have a landlord that offers 24 hr maintenance, and actually delivers! (AC fixed at 3.00am!)


Does s/he have other properties for rent ?


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Hello Fatima :wave:


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## fcjb1970 (Apr 30, 2010)

Stephen Sweid said:


> *Municipality of Dubai and Jafza (DMCC, JLT) / Complaint About Noise Pollution:*
> 
> _In brief, I was surprised at the effectiveness of response to complaints made by telephone or by email, without having to go personally to the department, and at the initial effort focused by the authorities on solving the problem. _


Sounds to me like you made a bunch of complaints but nothing was actually resolved and you are impressed because you received some reply emails. You are impressed because they are working on solving the problem.




Stephen Sweid said:


> *Consumer Rights in Dubai (Ahlan Dubai Service, DED), And Dubai Central Laboratory (Dubai Municipality) / Testing a Shirt Fabric*:


So you chased this all down. You were told they had no lab facilities but yet found they in fact did and then pushed them to look at the sample (at the cost of tearing your shirt). You are impressed because they have a good lab, but they tried multiple times to get rid of the issue only your perseverance got anything done



Stephen Sweid said:


> *Management of Dubai Mall / Posting a Suggestion:*


You received acknowledgement for making a suggestion/complaint, that is all. No one is looking into this.



Stephen Sweid said:


> _In brief, my multiple experiences with the government services in Dubai were astonishing and satisfying. I was quite impressed every time. My quick encounters are indicative of an environment that is conducive to quality of life and prosperity. I often thought this would be the right place to work in and to conduct business. My impression is that Dubai might be even distinguished in the UAE in its government services and indeed in the Gulf States. Some million light years separate Dubai from the rest of the Arab world including services provided by the government to its people. I hope the Arab countries emerging from the Arab spring will try and emulate some of the services aspects seen in Dubai. I believe with the right will and vision everything is possible, as has been proven in this environment.
> *Dr. Stephen Sweid*_


_

Perhaps I am a glass half empty guy, but as I was reading you post I just kept asking myself what is so positive about these experiences._


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

call be a dibbly dobbly but the whole post seems a bit pointless. 

From my reading the 'Software' - automatic systems that send you a complaint number, log it then finally automatic respond that the case is closed works fine and is impressive. The issue seems to be with the 'Hardware' - An actual person caring about their job and the customer to put their i-phone, blackberry or in most cases both down long enough to get off the ar$e and do something, well to be honest tell us something we dont know.


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## IzzyBella (Mar 11, 2013)

fcjb1970 said:


> Perhaps I am a glass half empty guy, but as I was reading you post I just kept asking myself what is so positive about these experiences.


And I was wondering if it's just me or does the OP come across as a complainer?


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## Stephen Sweid (May 25, 2013)

vantage said:


> The cotton one is hilarious!
> Can't believe you cut your shirt up, only to find it was actually cotton!
> If i see a man with a peephole nipple shirt, i'll know who it is!
> 
> ...


I was impressed because I found professional people willing to listen and take action on my behalf. I am a realist and I am comparing with other countries in the region and internationally, where despite the perseverance and follow-up you do not get anywhere without showing up. I have included some details to show that one needs to persevere and follow-up, as everywhere, but I was still surprised to find a quick response every time, with willingness to support. What I am saying is that there are institutions in charge, but one should exert the effort to find them and get in touch, and that people are willing to help. About the shirt, I hate it when there are discrepancies with specs, and I was curious to see how supportive the institutions are.


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## Stephen Sweid (May 25, 2013)

fcjb1970 said:


> Sounds to me like you made a bunch of complaints but nothing was actually resolved and you are impressed because you received some reply emails. You are impressed because they are working on solving the problem.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am comparing with other countries in the region and internationally, and I was positively surprised at the willingness to support and the promptness of response without the need to show up. The institutions are there although some effort is required to find them. As always the perseverance is needed, but one gets results with this egovernment. This is the essence of the story.


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