Dubai: Commercial complaints in Dubai dropped 54 per cent last year, Dubai Economy announced on Wednesday.
The Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector of Dubai Economy received 770 commercial complaints last year, compared to the 1,657 complaints received in 2018. CCCP also received 476 enquiries, bringing the total transactions it handled to 1,246.
The smart channels of CCCP accounted for 55 per cent of the commercial complaints received in 2019 – 13 per cent came through the smart application app and 42 per cent were filed on the website. The smart app also accounted for 73 per cent of enquiries received. Sector-wise, Services led with a share of 39 per cent of the complaints, followed by Foods (16 per cent), and Decoration and Buildings (12 per cent). The remainder was distributed among varied sectors.
Failure to adhere to agreement terms and contract was the leading cause for complaints in 2019, in addition to commercial fraud and non-adherence to declared activity. Most of the companies involved in the complaints were those owned by Emiratis, Indians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, and Saudis, reflecting the investor profile in Dubai.
The drop is thought to be thanks to sustained campaigns by Dubai Economy to reach out and resolve trader complaints amicably, improving relations within the business community and enhancing business competitiveness in Dubai.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of CCCP, said: “We are pleased with the continuous year-on-year decline in the number of complaints we receive from merchants in the Emirate. It indicates the success of our awareness campaigns rolled out on conventional as well as digital platforms. Certainly, these campaigns will continue to help us achieve the highest level of satisfaction and happiness among the groups targeted.”
Lootah added: “Dubai Economy has a big responsibility, especially since Dubai has the highest concentration of international trademarks. Therefore, we are keen on adopting a fair and transparent system to protect the rights of merchants and consumers alike. Our focus is on increasing confidence in our economy and strengthening the emirate’s reputation as a competitive global hub for sustainable business growth, while also consolidating its position among the most prominent investment, tourism, and shopping destinations worldwide. We encourage innovation, excellence, as well as the highest standards of quality across products and services and work with all partners to to minimise complaints.”
Businesses can file their complaints to the Business Protection section in Dubai Economy with a copy of the documents needed to validate their claim. If the complainant is from outside the UAE the documents must be certified by the competent authorities in the respective country. Complaints can be submitted through consumerrights.ae or the Dubai Consumer App available on Apple, Google and Huawei stores.
