Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi:

“We are concerned about solving complaints as soon as possible to improve customers and partners’ satisfaction”.

Salim Al Suwaidi:

“The high number of consumer protection complaints is an evidence for SEDD’s success in educating consumers and investors about their rights and duties”.

 

Sharjah Economic Development Department “SEDD” solved 1221 complaints which were received at by the end of the first quarter of this year, with a 12% growth over the first quarter of last year. The complaints were from different dealers and investors and SEDD worked on solving them as soon as possible in order to apply its strategy that call for improving the services and deal with issues quickly.

Thus, SEDD report emphasized that consumer protection complaints reached 82% during the first quarter of this year of the total complaints received by the Department during this period, while service agent complaint hit 10%. On the other hand, the commercial fraud complaints amounted to 8% of the total number of complaints. Also, the report stated that the increment in the number of consumer protection complaints in an evidence for SEDD’s success to educate consumers and investors about their rights and duties and also after the application of value added.

In addition, the complaints received from the customers and investors were different and the concerned departments worked on resolving the complaints immediately. Likely, the Department confirms that protecting consumers from commercial fraud is one of its top priorities and to implement its strategy to improve the performance.

Besides, HE Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, SEDD Chairman, said that the issuance of such quarterly and detailed reports is one of the important economic indicators for the Department to study the economic situation in the emirate.

Also, HE paid great attention to address these complaints as soon as possible in order to improve the satisfaction and loyalty of customers and key partners through the adoption of best practices in procedures and quality systems to develop performance. HE pointed out that Sharjah has taken great strides in the field of economic diversification and has achieved a high level of development and progress under wise leadership seeking to use the energies and resources available to achieve the best achievements.

From his side, Salim Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director of Commercial Control and Protection Department at SEDD, stressed that the increase in the number of complaints of consumer protection is evidence of SEDD’s success in educating consumers and investors about their rights and duties as a result of the awareness campaigns carried out that are aimed to all the segments of the society. He also stated that it is important that the public should contact the Department in case of facing any problems after purchasing the goods. Likewise, he illustrated that the Department of Commercial Control and Protection in SEDD is dealing with many different cases of consumer complaints, and each is dealt with in cooperation with all parties concerned, to reach a solution that satisfies everyone and preserves their rights.

Besides, he pointed out that the Department has received many complaints from consumers, most of which concentrated in high prices after the start of the tax application at the beginning of 2018, where they were dealt with according to the laws.

Furthermore, Al Suwaidi clarified that the activity of cars and their spare parts came at the forefront of complaints of consumer protection with a percentage of 25 from total number of consumer protection complaints. Then, they were followed by the activity of electronics and mobile phones, which accounted for 12% of complaints, then building materials by 11%. After that, these activities were followed by the activity of furniture and curtains that reached 7% of the total number of complaints for the same period, while the remaining complaints shared the rest of the remaining percentages.

Moreover, Al Suwaidi emphasized on the importance that the public should communicate with the Department in case of facing any case of commercial fraud. He also on the need to keep a bill after purchasing, which is a reference to them and the guarantor of their rights if they wish to file a complaint. Besides, SEDD offers several channels to receive complaints whereas it receives the complaints through the Call Center at 80080000 or through the consumer protection website www.shjconsumer.ae.

Moreover, Al Suwaidi pointed out that SEDD is continuing its regulatory efforts and in cooperation with various competent authorities in the Emirate to ensure that all economic establishments operating in the Emirate comply with the requirements imposed by the Federal Tax Authority.