Arabic-speaking staff a must for customer service

A recent study has shown that 36 per cent of customer service and call centres in the UAE do not have Arabic-speaking staff. This is unacceptable in an Arab country. The Ministry of Economy’s move to impose fines on such businesses, effective from yesterday, could not have come sooner.

Under the new rules, commercial sectors and service centres that fail to use Arabic when issuing invoices or assisting customers will face penalties. Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi, Director of the Consumer Protection Department at the ministry, said that the shortage of Arabic-speaking staff in these sectors does not allow some Arabs to submit reports, complaints or even questions.

It should not be the case that, in an Arabic-speaking country, residents have to know a foreign language in order to go about their daily business. Quite simply, this is offensive. The new law will ensure that the official language of the UAE is a basic right of residents demanding services.