Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | DEWA’s advanced digital infrastructure ensures optimal implementation of preventative measures

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said that DEWA works according to the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for the UAE to become a fundamental part of the global efforts to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus. DEWA has undertaken a set of precautionary measures to protect its staff, customers, and all stakeholders from infectious diseases. This supports the global efforts to fighting the coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). It also requires that we all work together to protect against its negative widespread consequences, and limit its spread around the world.

“Our wise leadership is intent on the ensuring the safety and health and all Dubai Government employees as well as all society. It is making every effort to carry out all the necessary precautions to protect society and ensure the public’s health. At DEWA, we are committed to the directives of His Highness by allowing staff to work remotely. We have now more than 6000 employees working from distance. We urge employees to be responsible in the current conditions and follow the instructions to stay at home as long as possible. We also call on our customers to complete their transactions through our smart channels. DEWA provides all its services through the smart app and website to enable customers to complete all their transactions anytime, anywhere, to save them both time and effort,” said Al Tayer.

Smart Channels

DEWA has launched a campaign asking customers to use its smart channels to complete their transactions easily, anytime and anywhere. It also encourages them to reduce their visits to the Customer Happiness Centres unless it is an emergency. The number of smart transactions is more than 2.2 million transactions during the first quarter of 2020. Smart adaptation was 95% in March 2020. It is expected to be 100% in the next period. Those channels are:

DEWA’s Website

DEWA’s website provides a seamless and unique experience to users that enables them to access all its services, information, and transactions. This is through a smart design that reflects DEWA’s corporate identity, which is customer-oriented. The services include paying bills, activating, transferring, or deactivating electricity and water services, electric vehicle Green Charger services, and many others.

DEWA’s Smart app

DEWA’s smart app for customers provides a seamless experience and combines several steps in one step. This enriches customers’ experience and happiness. The smart app provides an innovative concept in providing services on the homepage, reducing the hassle of searching and browsing. On logging in, customers can immediately view all DEWA’s services, such as Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in), Deactivation of Electricity/Water (Move-out), Request for Issuing EV Green Charger Card, easy payment, request for a clearance certificate, among other services.

Smart channels for bills payment

DEWA provides several options for flexible bills payment, including Smart Dubai’s Dubai Now app; Apply Pay; Etisalat Public Payment machines; Tayseer, bills payment by using a reference number, via Emirates NBD’s Cheque deposit machine. Customers can also pay their bills through banks’ smart channels.

Dubai Now app

The Dubai Now application, launched by Smart Dubai, accelerates the digital transformation of Dubai through integrating between smart services of government organisations. It provides users with government services and transactions through one application, making life easier for them. This is by providing smart, instant, and seamless services anytime and anywhere. Through Dubai Now, DEWA provides electricity and water consumption panel; locations of electric vehicle charging stations; electricity and water services.

WhatsApp

DEWA makes communications easier with its customers to make them happy. It has verified its account on WhatsApp, to add a new channel for customers. DEWA is the first government organisation in the UAE to verify its account on WhatsApp Business. The new feature uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to respond to customer enquiries through Rammas, DEWA’s virtual employee. Customers can communicate with DEWA around the clock in Arabic and English through the WhatsApp number (046019999).

Rammas

DEWA launched Rammas, its virtual employee that uses AI to respond in English and Arabic. It is available round the clock on seven channels, including DEWA’s smart app (iOS and Android), website, Facebook page, Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home, robots, and WhatsApp Business. Rammas responds to customers instantly, while continuing to learn and understand their needs based on their enquiries. Rammas then analyses these enquiries based on available data and information, and takes action to accurately answer and streamline transactions with ease. Since its launch in the first quarter of 2017, Rammas has responded to over 3 million requests and queries through various channels.

Smart Response

DEWA launched the Smart Response Service for electricity and water technical notifications. The service includes several features, such as self-diagnosis for technical interruptions at homes and reducing the steps of handling notifications and follow-up on them, through the smart app and website. This enhances customer experience and service efficiency.

Smart channels for People of Determination

DEWA is committed to providing seamless access to information for Customers of Determination through its website and smart app according to Smart Dubai Government standards. DEWA launched several innovative and smart initiatives to support and empower People of Determination and streamline their access to information, such as making its website and smart app more accessible for them.

Digital Communication Channels (Hayak and Ash’ir’)

DEWA launched Ash’ir for live chat in sign language, which enables people with hearing difficulties to directly communicate with the call centre staff via video chat using sign language around the clock. DEWA also provides the Hayak written and visual communication service through its website. It enables written chat and video call option for direct communication with Customer Care Centres around the clock.

Work from Distance

DEWA provides a group of features that allow its employees to work from distance. DEWA proves its full ability to enable this as devices that its employees use are ready to support this process in this exceptional circumstances. DEWA provides laptops, smart tablets and other needed systems and programmes. DEWA stresses its support to its employees to do tasks easily, quickly, and efficiently anytime and anywhere:

Smart Office

Smart Office is a huge step in providing smart and digital services as it provides full flexibility for work from distance. The app provides many services that enrich the employees’ experience and efficiency. DEWA’s employees can get internal approvals to ensure workflow around the o’clock.

Smart office also includes Shared Folder that gives the employees access to their saved files on DEWA’s network; and Majlisna for long distance meetings. It also provides Panel Control that gives DEWA’s top management access to performance indicators instantly to support decision making.

Smart Office also provides Smart Document service to document and follow up official documents to get needed approvals. It provides for DEWA’s Employees of Determination Absher service so they can submit and follow up their request easily. Smart Office provides as well many other services such the electronic portal Khadamtec so DEWA’s employees can submit support requests easily.

Technologies of Customer Care Centre

DEWA provides employees at Customer Care Centre with the best technologies to support their work from distance to provide best services in line with the highest standards. DEWA provides needed devices to do so, besides VPN access (the virtual private network).

VPN Access

DEWA provides VPN access to all its employees to DEWA internal systems such as SAP and GIS.

File Exchange Platforms

DEWA provides a group of registered solutions to enable employees to exchange files easily and safely through Tabadul platform and D Drive that enables employees to share and collaborate on shared files with others.

Long Distance Meetings Solutions

DEWA provides another service that highlights its commitment to support its employees to work from distance. It provides them with the best technologies that enable them to have video meetings such as SISCO’s WebEx, Microsoft’s Skype for Business.

My Portal and Freejna

MyPortal is used for Employee HR services. DEWA also provides its internal website Freejna that allows employees to get all needed information and internal news related to DEWA and their divisions.