The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) is putting the focus on three of its home developed initiatives--the Consumer Digital Platform, Price Monitor, and the Digital Complaints Channel--during its participation at the 39th edition of GITEX Technology Week, the greatest tech show in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA), that will keep running until October 10, 2019 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). ADDED is one of the 32 government entities highlighted in the Abu Dhabi Government Pavilion which is headed by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA).

The three offered services have been created and implemented to help guarantee buyer assurance and upgrade better communication ties with the public, private sector companies and points of sale in Abu Dhabi. ADDED's transition to feature these new services is pointed towards upgrading Abu Dhabi Government's performance while also help accomplishing digital transformation across its offered services.

H.E. Rashed Abdul Kareem Al Balooshi, Undersecretary, ADDED, stated, ADDED is glad to be participating at the current year's edition of GITEX Technology Week, which is broadly perceived as a vital platform. The current year's theme, Synergizing the mind and technology economy, demonstrates to be both timely and strategic as it complements our aim of solidifying endeavors in the transition to accomplish digital transformation, especially in the online products and services we offer to the public.

Al Balooshi clarified that the three initiatives being exhibited at this year's show depend on tackling modern technology to further improve consumer protection, strengthen Abu Dhabi's business division and offer leading smart services, which altogether help in achieving high levels of consumer happiness and customer satisfaction.

H.E. expressed ADDED's perception towards supporting the government's digital transformation efforts. He additionally stressed on the significance of upgrading the government services segment, which falls in accordance with the objectives set forth in the Abu Dhabi Government Development Accelerators Program Ghadan 21 and the Abu Dhabi vision to transform the emirate into a global smart city that provides a diverse portfolio of smart and electronic services to its citizens, residents, businesses and investors. The move also looks towards encouraging simpler techniques and guarantee the happiness and well-being of the consumer.

ADDED has uncovered receiving considerable results for its Consumer Digital Platform since its soft launch. Actually, the quantity of complaints received have totaled to 147 since the implementation of the initiatives trial stage during the second quarter of this year. The complaints, which have already been addressed, covered various vital sectors in the emirate like retail, automotive parts, electronics and mobile phones.

The Consumer Digital Platform offers a three-phase initiative comprising of 18 companies coming from several sectors, which have altogether added to raising investor awareness and the need to determine consumer grievances. The offer of these new services has effectively brought about a huge decline in the quantity of complaints received by the department.

ADDED has uncovered that the initiative have driven in a reduction in the procedure process--from seven to three easy steps wherein the time required to address the grumbling has additionally dropped down to two days as compared to the earlier process time of five days. The services have also helped raise awareness about ADDED's functions, laws and legislations concerning consumer protection, including endeavors to support the quality and upgrade the role of the department as a supervisory body in consumer protection, and activating partnership, cooperation and joint coordination between the public and private sectors to achieve the welfare of society and the quality of life in Abu Dhabi.

The Price Monitor initiative has been created to provide comprehensive research and compare product prices of commodities within the emirate. The service is also focused on featuring consumer prices via ADDED's electronic tools, which in turn, will allow consumers to view, update and compare the list of prices of goods and products. The Price Monitor service is aimed at helping facilitate a smoother transfer and exchange of data and information on prices, names and consumer products agreed upon through electronic means.

The third initiative, Digital Complaint Channel, mirrors ADDEDs insight to upgrade correspondence with consumers, entrepreneurs and companies with the point of empowering them to submit a complaint legitimately through the departments website or ADBCs digital application. This facilitates easy access to the Departments services and quicken the whole procedure in relation to complaints.

H.E. Al Balooshi pointed out that the new offered services reflects ADDED's transition to make smart digital platforms planned for strengthening communication ties with its clients. The move also allows for easier access to ADDED, which represents a forward step in the emirate's government service segment, including the efforts to create an integrated digital society based on knowledge, innovation and creativity.

H.E. brought up that the Consumer Digital Platform service was made to help empower the private sector-- filling in as a joint electronic platform between points of sale and ADDED. Under the initiative, ADDED's consumer protection team will be able to rapidly develop and legitimately address consumer complaints to guarantee the preservation and protection of consumer rights while simultaneously upgrade the role of the private sector in managing with consumer complaints.

Al Balooshi shared that the Price Monitor initiative is being launched in cooperation with the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) to give a refreshed and endorsed value rundown of significant products at a few outlets in Abu Dhabi. This will currently enable consumers to view and think about the costs. The initiative complements ADDED's insight towards improving the idea of consumer guidance and educate consumers on the need to know about prices of products across several outlets in the emirate.

In accordance with our commitment to create direct channels with our consumers, ADDED has initiated the creation of a 'Digital Complaints' channel that will be part of the ADDED website and the accompanying mobile app of the Abu Dhabi Business Centre (ADBC). The channel will enable consumers expand awareness about their feedback and complaints via the mentioned tools--reaching out to the concerned team in charge of following up on the consumer complaints in Abu Dhabi, Al Balooshi expressed.