Dubai Customs launches new upgrades in smart services

Dubai Customs today launched new upgrades in its smart services. The launching event was attended by H.E. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation, and H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, along with a number of Dubai Customs’ clients and journalists. The launch of new upgrades is aimed at keeping up with the latest trends in technology and offering customers further convenience and better accessibility to Customs services.

The fresh upgrades include the launch of a revamped Dubai Customs’ smart phone-enabled website following a comprehensive updating and development processes, and the launch of DC’s services on smart watches.

The move is in pursuance of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in fulfilment of the smart government goals set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed when he said, “A successful government is one that goes to the people and does not wait for them to come to it. The government of the future works 24/7 and 365 days a year.” The new upgrades in Dubai Customs’ smart services are in response to the initiative to transform Dubai into the world’s smartest city by taking services quality and delivery channels to a new height. This coincided with Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s launch of a government work system designed to lay the foundation stone for creating a smart government across all of the Dubai Government departments and institutions, reaffirming the integration of roles and plans of both the local and federal governments to secure the provision of highest quality services in all sectors.

H.E. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said in his speech that Dubai Customs’ transformation into the first fully-fledged smart government department was only the beginning of a new phase on the path towards innovation and excellence in service delivery and gaining customers satisfaction.

Bin Sulayem underscored that initiating direct communication with customers and involving them in making decisions related to their business is part of Dubai Customs’ strategy. Their feedback is the foundation for services improvement.

On his part,  H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih said that the revamped DC’s smartphone-enabled website offers more flexibility and features a modern user-friendly interface that provides better accessibility to services. 

Mahboob added that the revamped website is upgraded as per the Dubai Smart Government’s criteria and global best practices. DC’s customers were involved throughout the development process. They were contacted to know their specific requirements and the services they mostly need to make it easier for them to complete customs transactions. 

Dubai Customs conducted a customer satisfaction survey of its smart services. The survey indicated that DC’s smart services are 90% seamless, 89% accurate, 84% accessible, and 82% timely. Overall, DC’s customers are 88% pleased with the service delivery mechanism.

Juma Al Ghaith, Executive Director of Customs Development Division at Dubai Customs, showcased the phases of launching smart watch services at the meeting. He noted that launching smart watch services adds a new innovative channel to DC’s array of smart services delivery channels.  Dubai Customs’ smart watch site is compatible with all screen sizes and its interface features windows that can be used to directly access the desired service.

Dubai Customs’ smart watch services include: Inquiry of Customs Declaration Status, Inquiry of Inspection Request Status, Inquiry of Guarantee Refund Request Status, Inquiry of Registration Request Status.  Work is underway to offer the rest of DC services on smart watches.