Happiness score of 89% is not enough: Shaikh Mohammed

Dubai - Shaikh Mohammad approves the results for the Smart Happiness Index he launched a year ago.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, today said that customer satisfaction is not enough and that their overall happiness is one of the goals of the government.
He said this should also be a goal of the private sector and the whole of society, local news agency wam reported.
"Achieving welfare and happiness for nationals and expatriates is what drives our national agendas for all sectors," Shaikh Mohammed said at a meeting during which he approved the results of the Happiness Meter, an initiative he had launched a year ago.
89 per cent of the public were satisfied with government services in Dubai, according to the meter which polled more than two million customers at 28 government departments.
He instructed the local government departments to introduce the Happiness Meter in the private sector organisations.
The result has shown that the public satisfaction and happiness rate to the services rendered by the Dubai government has hit 89% after over two million customers have been voting for the past nine months in as many as 38 government entities.
Also read: Where does UAE rank in World Happiness Report?
Shaikh Mohammed also honoured Dubai Customs, which emerged the best government department in terms of customer happiness.
He noted that customers of the Roads and Transport Authority accounted for the majority of those polled.
The initiative was designed to instantly measure the level of satisfaction of the public about government service provided at 328 locations in 38 departments using networked electronic devices.
The Happiness Meter also sends daily reports to decision makers to enable them in monitoring government services that people are most satisfied with, and identifying the geographical areas where these services are being provided.
Other departments honoured today included the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai Courts and Dubai Police.
Data is being analysed to know why 10am every Tuesday was the happiest hour for the public.

Today we reviewed Dubai's Happiness Index, with 89% of 2 million votes registering happiness. We continue to strive to be the happiest city.
- HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) May 28, 2016