My First Great Impressions Of Government Services In Dubai: Real Stories
By Stephen Sweid

During my brief stay in Dubai (UAE) I experienced an array of federal government services, and stumbled upon some sophisticated citizen's assistance, which in my opinion exceed the quality level of public services in the UK or various other innovative nations. It was a pleased surprise every time and a WOW feedback. It is an indication of an excellence program being applied in a major manner. A radical change has remained in the making in this small area in the region, and I assumed the Dubai phenomenon was restricted to the real estate industry!

I have been staying in Dubai for over 8 months. My children live and operate in Dubai. I am a senior business researcher and professional by occupation and as a result I am very curious naturally. I am one of the few people in Dubai that do routinely lengthy exploratory strolls outdoors including strolls in the sand. The climate was great this year until now, uncommonly mild with numerous wet days even. Altogether it was a suitable setting for discoveries.

I am presenting various actual stories of my experiences with Dubai government solutions. All the stories being told have occurred in 2013 in Dubai, besides one that happened in December 2012.

Municipality of Dubai and Jafza (DMCC, JLT)/ Issue Concerning Environmental pollution: I stay in JLT (Jumeira Lakes Towers) in Dubai. This is a very peaceful property and commercial location including tens of high towers ignoring many lakes. Suddenly someday early this year I awoke to the big sound of some maker. After a few days of bearing the sound I decided to go out and pinpoint the source of the sound pollution. It became a power generator being utilized for the renovation of a ground floor store in the tower opposite to mine. After enquiry with the workshop supervisor I comprehended that the tower monitoring is not offering an electrical power-line to the workshop, and therefore they needed to use the loud power generator, also Fridays. The supervisor mentioned jobs would certainly last for a number of months. I expressed the objection as a result of the loud noise triggered, and which is amplified by the representations of audio by the surrounding building towers.

After elevating the issue with the monitoring of my tower I was told I need to complain with the Town of Dubai. I tracked the site of the municipality and telephone and internet issue treatment, and made a telephone as well as an e-mail problem. I did not go to the town. I obtained after a very short while a problem number and telephone contact number and the message was sent as SMS to my mobile. I after that talked on the phone after estimating my grievance number, and the various other end was remembering of the details of my issue once more. The feedback after my telephone issue was extremely prompt; I obtained an SMS mentioning that my grievance case was shut! I expected some activity must have been taken. I spoke to the community by phone and was told that for such matters in JLT it is not the jurisdiction of the town of Dubai however of Jafza, and I was provided information as how you can situate Jafza. I had never ever heard of Jafza before!

I contacted Jafza by phone and I was provided an e-mail number and call. So I sent my problem by e-mail. I got a punctual action from Jafza (DMCC, based in Almas Tower) stating they will send out inspectors to the workshop. After that within a week I obtained a statement stating inspectors spoke with the workshop and to the monitoring of the tower, and suggested they will try and persuade the administration of the tower to expand a high-voltage line to the workshop, and they asked the workshop to lower the sound and to be limited to a couple of hrs in the day and only functioning days, this until a DEWA line is obtained by the workshop. The sound was a little reduced, but a couple of months have passed because my initial problem and the workshop was still making use of the loud power generator! I whined once again a few times at DMCC by telephone and email however did not obtain any feedback. Basically I obtained the understanding this is regarding we go. Then I grumbled once more someday with the protection employees when the workshop was making use of the loud generator after midnight! Ultimately, the loud generator was changed with a bigger however extremely silent one.

Briefly, I was amazed at the efficiency of response to complaints made by telephone or by email, without needing to go directly to the division, and at the preliminary initiative concentrated by the authorities on solving the problem. Although that the problem has actually dragged out for some time, I was extremely pleased at the rate and professionalism and reliability of the initial comments and speed of initiatives to sort points out. This reaction placed Dubai basically on equivalent ground with sophisticated nations, or even surpassing them in excellence. Such actions can not be done with this level of quality without the proper procedures and treatments in place.

Customer Rights in Dubai (Ahlan Dubai Solution, DED), And Dubai Central Research laboratory (Dubai Community)/ Evaluating a T-shirt Fabric: On one more occasion I acquired a cotton t-shirt from a known European brand name at Ibn Battuta Mall. After putting on, the t-shirt did not feel 100% cotton as specified, as it was not cool and it felt more like high ratio of synthetics and electrostatics. I called the European vendor by email and educated them concerning my uncertainties, but I did not obtain any type of description. I had questions whether I shall find a customer defense department in Dubai, however I was shocked I discovered one called Ahlan Dubai solution, part of DED. I sent out a problem by email and after filling out a form from the site, I obtained quickly an email reply with my issue number, specifying that my issue will be addressed within 2 days. In my complaint I pointed out that I would enjoy to supply a little item of the product to check whether the tee shirt is 100% cotton as claimed by the distributor. Someone from the customer legal rights division called right away after, wanting to clarify just what I in fact wanted! I told the individual I simply wish to evaluate the material and see whether it is 100% cotton, as claimed on the t shirt. The individual suggested that I return the shirt, however I mentioned that I have some strong questions and want to check the material even if it cost me a little. I then got by SMS a message saying my grievance instance has actually been shut! I spoke to the division once again by phone and inquired, and they showed the case was shut because I currently contacted the provider. However I mentioned that I had no description from the distributor. My situation was after that resumed and I was informed by SMS that this was the case. After that I received once more a phone-call asking just what I actually want from the complaint! I mentioned again that I would love to test an item of the material of the t-shirt, and I was told they do not have an examination laboratory for such functions, and my situation was closed again.

I looked on the internet for a test lab in Dubai, and without a doubt I located one as part of the Dubai municipality. I was rather confident the product was not 100% cotton. I learnt that the central laboratory has likewise test centers for fabric, and they had a consumer area, and I called them by email with my request. I am a scientist and I am owned by interest and I hate it when there are inconsistencies in between the specifications and the fact. I then obtained a phone call from the laboratory and explained what I precisely want, and I was informed that a simple examination can be done quickly to develop whether the fabric is 100% cotton or not, and this completely free this moment. Ought to I ask for a record with in-depth structure of cotton and synthetics then there will be a fee of some 150 AEU, if I recall. I figured out where the laboratory lay and made a consultation ahead following day.

I was really amazed by the setup and the company of the main lab. I requested for the get in touch with individual at the reception, and extremely rapidly a young women Emirati female as examination expert appeared, and I gave her the little item of product to be tested (Which I cut out from the t shirt). She disappeared for 15 minutes and returned and told me this is 100% cotton! My face showed some questions and the civil slave recommended I come and see exactly how the test outcomes was established, and showed me how the material was evaluated. WOW. Just what an incredibly and punctual service and just what a super know-how. I have myself a Ph.D. in scientific research and spent tens of years doing R&D and I was amazed. The expert discussed to me that this is a cotton textile made to reveal little greasing and thus really feels various. She described that after a few clean cycles the result will certainly be lowered progressively. Again WOW. I was given a sales brochure of the lab and some promotion and I left feeling impressed. Am I in the U.S.A? Almost the exact same day I got a belated email comments from the European vendor of the t-shirt specifying that the shirt is undoubtedly 100% cotton yet is of the surface "Easy Care" and for that reason really feels various! So after all this whole trouble it was indeed 100% cotton however of an additional coating! I still do not know just what this means in terms of 100% cotton specs!

I put the Dubai innovative solutions to the examination and they was successful wonderfully. I still took care of to locate a means of repairing the t-shirt as I had actually gotten rid of a small piece of material. I confess I had not at all expected to locate such sophisticated technical support services in Dubai. I thought most services would be limited to construction and real estate etc. I concerned the final thought that such expert feedback could not be understood without the appropriate vision from the top degrees of the government. It might not be just coincidence.

Administration of Dubai Mall/ Posting a Tip: I was travelling by city to the Dubai Shopping mall, which is among the largest on the planet. After getting here to the terminal you should go across walking this newly finished and long put on hold pedestrians' tunnel to get to the Shopping mall. Although there are numerous lengthy electrical pedestrian conveyor facilities (travelators), they are fairly sluggish compared with various other similar centers in the Dubai metro. I believed it would certainly serve to accelerate the conveyor to reduce the 10 minutes duration of journey to the Mall, this without compromise to safety and security. When I got to the Shopping mall, I went to the function workdesk and asked whether they have some kinds for pointers. I was given one by the individual at the desk and I loaded a few lines with my idea, and provided it back to the individual. I also included my mobile number as requested.

A couple of days later I got a phone-call from the monitoring of the Dubai Shopping mall, and the Mrs. At the other end gave her name and thanked me for the idea. She suggested that my idea was sent out to the administration of the shopping center and their responses is that the speed of the conveyors was established by the developers and can not be enhanced quickly. However the monitoring has kept in mind of my idea and is stating to raise this rate through various means in the future. And she thanked me again for the pointer! I felt this was a three-way WOW. Do you get such a punctual and pleasant and pro-active reaction in the UK or USA for that matter? I do not think so, as I have actually travelled thoroughly to many areas worldwide. They did not only keep in mind of the recommendation yet they additionally contacted us to acknowledge! I was taken for a while after the phone call! I was wondering exactly what a quantum leap Dubai must have undergone to show up to this synergetic stage of interaction with the customer and person.

Injaz Entrepreneurship: Emirati Students Competitors Awards/ Going to: This Injaz occasion occurred on the 1st of May 2013 at the conference block 1 of Knowledge Village. Different colleges and universities competed, including a spectrum of business project ideas. The word Injaz stands for accomplishment. Before the ceremony, the various teams (In excess of ten) were displaying and promoting their projects and products in a hall appointed to the function and using tables and some self-made stands. There was buzz almost everywhere. Service jobs was going on for a few months. A couple of hundred people were present, mainly young women and male nationals in their traditional UAE outfit and their loved ones. A number of funding companies existed also including banks, Khalifa Fund and others.

There were rewards for best innovation, for best marketing plan, for ideal Impact on society or even for effort, so everyone won a reward at the end of the day. The organization was very good, and without a doubt WOW, and the clear message of motivating entrepreneurship was quite possibly communicated. One could see that students were delighted and very happy and certain of their project accomplishments, and expecting improve their project and expand. A member of each group repeated the sale's pitch after getting the award. Each group of pupils or pupils had a volunteer business train designated to it, and that has been sustaining the advancement efforts from the beginning. The Injaz monitoring made certain to reveal admiration to the volunteers, some million times. There were numerous loud joys during the ceremony and one young local speaker on stage had fantastic funny bone and made sure the ambience was a satisfied one. One point is certain, there is genuine vision in the making below, beginning with the young age.

Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Dubai World Trade Centre/ Attending: I attended the summit on the 11th and 12th Dec 2012, and was extremely surprised at the extremely solid existence of the Dubai and UAE federal government in the exhibit, consisting of the SME support programs such as Dubai-SME and Khalifa Fund. Top management of both companies was present during the two days summit, consisting of supervisors. Yet I was most satisfied throughout the opening session of the Summit to see Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum the ruler of Dubai and vice president of UAE and a variety of his principal ministers get involved proactively with brief enhancing presentations each. The Sheikh was motivating his youths and Arabs to be entrepreneurial and innovative. You would certainly assume that the head of the country does not need to get involved to a business meeting, yet he is setting a fantastic instance to members of his government and undoubtedly to his very own individuals, and emphasizing the relevance of business and innovation for competitiveness. Excellent effort was made during the opening session to promote Dubai Expo 2020. It became clear that symbolizes the major driving pressure behind the Dubai development phenomenon.

In brief, my multiple experiences with the federal government services in Dubai were unbelievable and gratifying. I was quite satisfied every time. My fast encounters are a sign of an atmosphere that contributes to quality of life and prosperity. I frequently assumed this would be the ideal place to work in and to carry out business. My impact is that Dubai might be even identified in the UAE in its government services and undoubtedly in the Gulf States. Some million light years separate Dubai from the rest of the Arab world consisting of solutions offered by the federal government to its people. I hope the Arab nations emerging from the Arab springtime will certainly try and emulate some of the solutions aspects seen in Dubai. I believe with the right will and vision whatever is possible, as has been confirmed in this atmosphere.

Dr. Stephen M. Sweid is a business professional, scientist and fitness instructor with over 20 years getting in touch with experience on the worldwide scene: Europe, UNITED STATE, Middle East and Far East. He has entailed as expert in technological assistance projects of worldwide organizations, such as UNDP, UNIDO, World Bank, European Compensation etc, as well as in getting in touch with projects appointed by multinationals. He is member of a number of worldwide specialist research and seeking advice from societies. He is presently active in the UAE, UK, and other areas. His consultancy concentrates on calculated concerns, Quantum Leaping, Innovation and Advertising.
Email: [mailto:sweidsm@gmail.com] sweidsm@gmail.com