DUBAI: Most of Dubai Customs services can be accessed through smart phones and smart watches as it has launched a revamped smart phone app.
The web-based application is adaptable on all mobile platforms and can be used to process various applications, make service requests as well as status inquiries.
The application was unveiled by Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, along with Director of Dubai Customs Ahmad Mahboob Musabih at Dubai Customs head office.
Bin Sulayem said the launch of an updated system is aimed at keeping up with the latest trends in technology and offering customers further convenience and better accessibility to Dubai Customs’ services. The fresh upgrades include the launch of a revamped Dubai Customs’ smart phone enabled website following comprehensive updating and development processes, and the launch of services on smart watches.
The move is part of the smart government initiative launched last year by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice- President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
The initiative aims at transforming Dubai into the world’s smartest city by taking service quality and delivery channels to a new height.
Bin Sulayem said following the launch that Dubai Customs’ transformation into the first full-fledged smart government department was only the beginning of a new phase on the path towards innovation and excellence in service delivery and gaining customer satisfaction.
Director Musabih said that the revamped smart phone enabled website offers more flexibility and features a modern user-friendly interface that provides better accessibility to services.
Dubai Customs conducted a customer satisfaction survey of its smart services. The survey indicated that smart services are 90 per cent seamless, 89 per cent accurate, 84 per cent accessible and 82 per cent timely. Overall, Dubai Custom’s customers are 88 per cent pleased with the service delivery mechanism.
Speaking about the smart watch services, Musabih said, “The smart watch technology is still fairly new and there are not many users of the service in the region as yet but we are launching the service to be ready for the near future when we are sure a lot of people will use smart watches.”
He added that 15 million people already use smart watches in the United States and by 2020 around 375 million people are expected to use smart watches across the world.
Dubai Customs’ smart watch services include inquiry of Customs Declaration Status, inquiry of Inspection Request Status, inquiry of Guarantee Refund Request Status and inquiry of Registration Request Status. Work is under way to offer the rest of Customs’ services also on smart watches.
Customers can access services through their smart phones via mobile.dubaicustoms.ae, and through smart watches via watch.dubaicustoms.ae. The applications are also available on GooglePlay, Apple Appstore and BlackBerry.