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Pure Gold Jewellers is sector leader and overall winner in customer satisfaction
Dubai - His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai International Marine Club, honoured the top performers in the third 'Consumer Friendliness Index 2014' of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai at a special ceremony held today. Retailers from seven sectors were honoured along with Pure Gold Jewellers, the overall leader in customer satisfaction among the 52 outlets rated by DED for their consumer friendliness. The annual Consumer Friendliness Index, currently in its third year, aims to promote customer satisfaction through fostering healthy competition among retailers and encouraging them to adopt exemplary practices to gain consumer confidence. Pure Gold also lead in the Gold sector with an index score of 83. Newly added to the index last year, the Gold sector was also the leading performer among all the seven sectors with an index score of 84 while the Car Agency sector stood at the bottom of the list with a score of 70.
His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of DED, commented: "We are proud to see the Consumer Friendliness Index initiative completing three successful years with a 110 per cent increase in number of participants - from 24 in 2012 to 52 in 2014. It's also satisfying to see the Gold sector making a remarkable entry into the entry and we expect to see more participants joining the index in its next cycles and the competition growing stronger."
Al Qamzi added: "The consumer friendliness rating aims to strengthen the relationship between the merchant and the consumer by encouraging traders to offer best-in-class customer service and constantly improve their professional standards as well as the customer experience available to the community at large in the emirate of Dubai, which represents the quality of retailing in the UAE and the Middle East."
HyperPanda was named the most consumer-friendly among Hypermarkets with 81 index points and 94 per cent of the consumers expressed satisfaction with the transparency and clarity of their invoices. High price of vegetables and fruits was a major consumer concern in this category but the survey showed most Emiratis considering their HyperPanda purchases as value for money. Grocery shopping is a once-a-week activity for 31 per cent of those surveyed.
Al Nabooda was the top performer in the Car Agency sector with index score of 80 and the overall scores were indicative of the stiff competition in this vital sector. The survey also showed that the majority of consumers are satisfied with their car agencies in general although prices and service quality leave much to be desired. However, pricing got a good rating from consumers aged 25-34.
Jumbo Electronics and Fono Distribution Services shared the top honours in the Electronics sector with a score of 79. Questionable quality of products and services and inadequate product information were the chief consumer concerns in this sector.
IKEA led the Furniture sector with an index score of 82. The survey showed that that 11% of the respondents had to approach DED to resolve their complaints regarding IKEA purchases, mostly regarding furniture quality, high prices or delays in product delivery.
Alshaya Group was the leader among retain chains with a score of 78. The survey results showed an exceptional level of satisfaction among Alshaya's female customers and Emiratis in their after-sales service even when the retail chain scored low in pricing and product quality.
Dome Café was the top-scorer among Coffee Shops with 74 with male customers in the 35-44 age group giving a high rating for the outlet for value for money. Customer satisfaction with Dome was also high among the 18-24 group, especially females.
Mohammed Rashed Ali Lootah, Executive Director, Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector in DED, said: "The Consumer Friendliness rating also highlights the role and concerns of businesses in keeping Dubai a promising market, both in terms of business competitiveness and consumer protection standards. In this third cycle of the index, we have especially noted businesses being keen to take advantage of the outcomes of the rating and provide customers with outstanding service."
Lootah added that the index is an integral part of a series of initiatives and goals set by the Department of Economic Development in order to raise the profile of Dubai and enhance ease of doing business in the emirate.
"We are therefore keen to assess the business outlets participating in this programme against a set of parameters and through opinion polls and field surveys that conform to the highest degree of transparency and impartiality. The findings of the surveys and the ratings received by outlets in this programme help all concerned to identify their respective strengths and weaknesses and ways to improve performance," stated Lootah.
Lootah pointed out that the current cycle of the Index has seen improvements in the evaluation process as the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection sector overhauled the judging process and introduced six major criteria: product quality, price, value for money, satisfaction with after-sales service, clarity of service/warranty policies, and overall customer satisfaction.
"The Consumer Friendliness Index 2014 has also brought forth various recommendations and solutions for the business sectors involved to boost their employee performance and bridge existing gaps in their service delivery. We call on all participants in the Consumer Friendliness Index 2014 to take note of the points raised in this rating process as well as the suggestions and complaints of their consumers and also work with the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection sector to remove obstacles faced by consumers," added Lootah.
CCCP launched the Consumer Friendliness Index in 2012 to strengthen the relationship and trust between consumers and retailers in Dubai. In its first cycle the programme had 24 commercial establishments and feedback from 1,700 consumers in three main sectors - Electronics, Cars and Retail Chains - were gathered for compiling the index.
-Ends-About Department of Economic Development (DED)
The Department of Economic Development (DED) is the government body entrusted to set and drive the economic agenda of the emirate of Dubai, UAE. DED supports the structural transformation of Dubai into a diversified, innovative service-based economy that aims to improve the business environment and accelerate productivity growth.
DED and its agencies develop economic plans and policies, identify and support the growth of strategic sectors, and provide services to domestic and international investors and businesses.
For further information, please contact:
Faisal Shamsudheen
Government Communication Division,
Department of Economic Development
Tel: (971 4) 445 5927
Email: faisal.pathiasseri@dubaided.gov.ae
© Press Release 2015
