As part of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) efforts to provide customers with services that exceed their expectations, DEWA launched the fifth phase of its ‘Beyond Customers Expectations programme’, which provides staff with a comprehensive framework focused on the highest quality standards in service provision and customer happiness. 61 employees from DEWA’s Customer Care Centre, 63 employees from DEWA’s Customer Happiness Centres, and 10 employees from DEWA’s Invoice Services department will participate in the programme.
The programme aims to promote happiness through refined customer skills, while instilling a culture of customer happiness among employees, to improve the quality of services provided. The programme focuses on ways to deal with customers both professionally and efficiently, and to effectively provide services in a timely manner, as well as enhance teamwork and communication strategies.
The programme includes an introduction to customer services, enhancing communication skills, identifying customer needs, enhancing interpersonal skills via the internet and telephone, dealing with inappropriate behaviour and angry customers, establishing service quality standards for each department, and providing added-value services. It also includes team building and emotional intelligence, time management, dealing with stress, and monitoring key performance indicators. Once completed, participants will undergo an examination to attain credit for the Certified Business Professional (CBP).
“In adherence with the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that outline the need for all government policies, programmes, and services to contribute to the happiness of the community, DEWA is committed to providing the highest quality services, and adopting the best international practices, to achieve the happiness of the community. HH Sheikh Mohammed once observed: ‘I want a government that does not sleep, works 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, like hospitals and hotels, quick in processing its interactions and easy in its procedures. The government of the future is a creative government, that responds quickly to changes, and identifies solutions to challenges, to better the lives of the community and achieve their happiness,’” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
“In our efforts to achieve our vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility, we have adopted excellence and creativity in our daily work, to enhance performance and efficiency, while providing unique services to the citizens and residents of the Emirate. To support the Dubai Plan 2021, DEWA recognises the current and future needs of customers, and launches initiatives that add sustainability, and meets the needs of all levels of society. We prioritise training our employees and supporting them to surpass their current abilities to achieve our future goals. This contributes to the excellence, innovation, and creativity of our services,” concluded Al Tayer.
DEWA launched the Beyond Customers Expectations programme in 2006, which has so far benefited 903 employees. Through the programme, DEWA aims to train call centre staff at DEWA’s Customer Happiness Centres and the Invoice Services Department, based on certain requirements, in adherence with the framework of the CBP accreditation.