The UAE and Saudi Arabia have launched a major initiative to improve customer service at government departments in both countries.
Over the next few days in Riyadh, scores of workers will learn about dealing with customer complaints, clear communication and foster a positive work environment.
The five-day training camp — known as the UAE-Saudi capacity building programme — began in the kingdom’s capital on Sunday. It is the latest initiative from the Saudi-Emirati Co-ordination Council — a major alliance formed in 2017 to build ties across a broad swathe of areas including defence, political institutions and the economy.
Improving customer service and government efficiency is a central pillar of the alliance. And this training camp will chiefly focus on Saudi government employees, with workers from the country’s ministries of defence, interior, education, finance and social affairs participating.
“The training programme for customer service employees of the Saudi government aims to build their capacities and reinforce the partnership between the two countries in the area of government development,” said Mohammed bin Taleea, deputy director-general of government services at the UAE’s Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future.
It was the UAE, in 2016, that created the world’s first ministry of happiness. And Emirati experts and trainers have travelled to the Saudi capital to speak about the lessons learnt from this experience and topics such as streamlining access to government services and workplace training.
The UAE has been committed to improving the public service for many years. In July, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced that 600 government centres would be assessed by September 14 with the worst five named and five best celebrated.
“My message to all officials: we will not be satisfied with anything less than the top position worldwide in our services and facilities,” he said at the time.
