DED launches two campaigns to educate consumers on their rights and e-Service options

The Department of Economic Development (DED) has announced a ‘Ramadan Awareness Tent’ campaign for the month of Ramadan and a ‘Mobile Vehicle’ campaign to be launched during the last quarter of 2012. The initiatives are part of DED’s efforts to reach out to consumers and educate them on their rights, mainly through receiving consumer inquiries and complaints, distributing information material, and conducting surveys on the services of the Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection division (CCCP) and Business Registration & Licensing division (BRL) at DED. 

The Ramadan Awareness Tent will be set up in more than 15 key areas in Dubai including shopping malls, supermarkets and major retail outlets as well as religious and social events held in connection with Ramadan. The Mobile Vehicle campaign will provide education and counselling to consumers, receive their complaints, list irregularities for the benefit of auditors of licensees as well as provide some BRL services such as renewal, cancellation and adding a new license. The vehicle will tour major sites according to a weekly schedule to be notified in the media and social networking sites. 

“The Awareness Tent is set up during the holy month of Ramadan as the period normally witnesses hectic buying and selling. The CCCP division is keen to reach out to as many consumers as possible and educate them of their rights and responsibilities as it would improve transparency and relations between merchants and customers. Customer participation in the surveys will also help us improve the workflow in the division,” said Omar Bushahab, CEO of CCCP division. 

He added: “DED’s initiatives aim to improve the overall economic outlook and ease of doing business in Dubai. The initiatives we launched this year have especially brought good results by identifying consumer complaints and responding to their inquiries on sales and purchases, refunds, exchanges, and other aspects of retailing. We aim primarily to increase consumer awareness and educate shoppers and consumers through messages posted across major retail outlets.” 

Mohammed Shael Al Saadi, CEO of BRL division, said: “The Mobile Vehicle campaign falls under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to reach out to investors to highlight the diversity, attractiveness and investor-friendliness of the economic environment in the Emirate of Dubai.” 

“The vehicle will provide a suite of services to investors and business owners. DED will also examine how government agencies can strengthen co-operation to enable investors to finalize all transactions real time across e-Service platforms. DED is continuously working to raise performance levels and integrate the best practices in customer service,” added Shael.