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Now get Dubai Customs on your smartphones Staff Reporter / 3 October 2013 With the services sector being a key competitive advantage that draws investors and traders to Dubai, Dubai Customs has upgraded into a “smart” department to hone the edge. Now Dubai Customs services are available through mobile phones 24/7, a leap from its earlier e-services. This is part of the initiatives to support the UAE’s bid to host Expo 2020. Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and Director General of Dubai Customs, made the announcement at a Press conference on Wednesday, saying the transformation was in accordance with the integrated vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The vision is of a “Smart Government” that “is readily accessible to people and does not burden the user, one that works 24/7 and 365 days a year and provides its services through mobile phones”. Dubai Customs’ integrated system will allow clients to submit their requests through mobile phones and ensure that the requested services are processed on reception. The department sends emails to clients immediately, telling them when the work will be done. It helps businesses become cost-effective since the process takes less time and effort. It also eliminates the need for human resources to follow up on the implementation. Butti said the smart government services started with a 100-day plan that took into account the high competitiveness of the UAE, along with its regional and international economic role. Now clients using smartphones can get 19 main services with a variety of sub services. “This procedure saves time as we reach clients rather than be reached by them, and we provide our services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” Butti said. “The customer service centres of Dubai Customs are now located on clients’ smartphones.” Smart services also help eliminate the use of paper documents and save the original documents needed for administrative procedures. This has been one of the main goals in employing the latest IT applications. Dubai Customs was the first government department in Dubai to provide all its services electronically in 2009. Jumaa’ Al Ghaith, Executive Director of Customs Development division, said the smart system ensures that managers and directors at different managerial levels supervise the timely implementation and delivery of services. A committee oversees the development and improvement of the services of the smart government. It comprises all concerned divisions and departments in Dubai Customs. The plan is to encourage customers to switch to smart services so that they save time and effort, along with lessening the need for human resources to follow up on customs transactions. These benefits, in turn, result in reduced business costs and higher revenue. news@khaleejtimes.com Taylor Scott International
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