It's the burning issue that brings opinions more heated than the weather - the standard of customer service in the UAE.
Whether it is queuing for hours to get through immigration while attendants chat on their mobiles, or waiting for an hour to be seen at a telecoms store, some of the customer service in the UAE drives residents to distraction.
And talking about driving... what about getting into a taxi only to have the puzzled driver turn around with a shrug and say 'sorry sir?' whe
One customer service guru has laid out the blueprint he believes is needed in the UAE to ensure customers here aren't left screaming until they're blue in the face.
American national Ron Kaufman is the author of New York Times bestseller 'Uplifting Service - The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues, and Everyone Else'.
Kaufman was hired by Singapore's government in 1990 to create and launch a national organisation to improve the nation's service culture.
Today Singapore's Changhi Airport is regularly declared the world's No.1 airport.
A company slogan of Singapore Airlines, which Kaufman has worked with for 23 years, is that "profit is the applause you get for serving your customers well".
According to Kaufman service is "taking action to create value for someone else". Are we getting value here?
Well, Dubai may be known as a highly service-oriented place with lots of cash to be spent but Kaufman says it takes more than money to provide excellent customer service.
"Building a service culture requires commitment to longer-term investment - and not just financial investment. It requires concern, creativity, support and recognition."
Teaching, not just training, is imperative, according to Kaufman, who even advocates service being taught at schools.
You can train staff to perform tasks but it takes teaching them about the levels of service you wish to attain so that "they can figure out what to do".
It's not mission impossible says the Brown University graduate, who has worked with companies such as Microsoft, American Express and Rolls-Royce.
Even over a space of just 12 months "you can make an impact", he advises.
Kaufman - in Dubai on the final leg of a service-levels advice tour that has taken him to 35 cities in 45 days - says top-notch customer care will benefit businesses even further than just attracting repeat business.
It also help companies to lure top talent to their teams, he believes. Good customer service, he says, "attracts the best people who want to work in a culture like that".
Reader experience
Maria Lynne Scandizzo said: "The biggest problem here is that when people don't know the answer or don't understand they just say, no! They rarely offer service at all.
A good example was a few months ago when I ordered a Pellegrino, they told me they don't have any, when in fact the case is that they do, inside, just not at the outside bar.
It is a 10m walk away, yet the server just refused - this at what is supposed to be a
five-star hotel!"
Ray Mond said: "For me the best customer service in Dubai with friendly staff and a smile from the managers is in McGettigan's JLT. Great bunch of guys with great food, beverages and always helps me ease the stress of a long week away."
Col Bass said: "Customer service does not exist in this country!"
Jhun Cruz said: "A lack of training is the cause of it all. Subjecting staff to training is non-existent in this part of the world."
Jessica Jones said: "I cannot even handle dealing with Etisalat - even just to pay a bill is an enormous hassle. I seriously lose it. The other thing that is bothersome is at the grocery store. There are three people per aisle 'working' and they are always in the way or mopping precisely where you need to go - then you get chased around by that big mopping machine on wheels. I have gotten good service, however, at the Fairmont Abu Dhabi, which is a dream."
© 7Days 2013
