SEDD resolves more than 73% cases in H1

Sharjah - The chairman has praised and expressed his gratitude to the various departments and sections in the SEDD that deal with the complaints.

The Sharjah Economic Development Department, or SEDD, has resolved 1,312 complaints out of the 1,662 received in the first half of 2015 from customers and investors.
The concerned sections at the SEDD solved the complaints as soon as possible to implement the department's strategy that calls for improving performance, and are still working on the ones that are not yet completed.
Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, chairman of the SEDD, said that under the wise directives of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, the department has highlighted the importance of resolving complaints as soon as possible; protecting consumers from commercial and industrial fraud; and promoting confidence in the markets.
"The department also organised a complaints and suggestions committee to ensure a quick response to customers' needs, to detect the problems they face, and to come up with solutions in order to improve the service that it provides," Al Suwaidi said. He also emphasised that the department is looking forward to improving its services to both customers and investors, who are the core element in its plans and strategies, which focus on facilitating procedures and transactions to gain access to the highest levels of satisfaction of its services.
The chairman also praised and expressed his gratitude to the various departments and sections in the SEDD that deal with the complaints. In addition, he called the public to communicate with the committee through the SEDD website, and by any other means. In this regard, he pointed to the effectiveness of the campaigns and initiatives that the SEDD launched in order to inform consumers and customers about their rights, duties and the available means to ask and place their complaints, as well as suggestions.
Al Suwaidi noted that consumer protection claims accounted for the highest number of complaints last May at around 71 per cent; followed by 15 per cent of complaints in the sector of services agents; and 14 per cent in commercial fraud claims. It is worth mentioning that May saw the highest number of the complaints that the department received lately with a number of 327 claims.
He added that the sector of cars and their spare parts was the one with the highest number of complaints at 33 per cent, followed by electronic and mobile phones, electrical appliances and construction materials, furniture and curtains, fashion and wedding services, as well as tourism and shipping at 11 per cent, 11 per cent, seven per cent, four per cent and four per cent respectively. He further stressed the fact that the department pays great attention on promoting transparency and easing the procedures between providers and consumer.
Bader Al Salman, acting deputy director of the commercial control and protection department, stated: "The SEDD's role is not only limited to consumers and dealers protection, but to also inform providers with the procedures to avoid disputes and complaints, and to carry out inspection campaigns on markets in order to eliminate irregularities."
- afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah