Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced it has transformed all of its services into smart services in less than a year after the launch of the Smart Dubai initiative.
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA said the achievement is in line with the Smart Government phase, the post e-Government initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which will contribute to making a significant improvement in customer services and transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world with all the services and utilities run by integrated and connected smart systems. The achievement supports sustainable development in Dubai, complements the National Agenda launched by His Highness and raises the profile of Dubai as a global hub for trade, finance, tourism, green economy and sustainability.
DEWA has completed its electronic and smart transformation while the electronic customer satisfaction rate, a record high on a global level.
The UAE has made a remarkable achievement worldwide in the field of e-Government by advancing from 49th position in 2010 to 28th globally in 2012 in the UN e-Government Survey. The biennial survey is the most comprehensive reference for e-Government programmes in the world as it focuses on its role in promoting sustainable development.
The announcement about DEWA’s smart transformation was made in a press conference held at Grand Hyatt, Dubai, attended by Al Tayer, DEWA officials and a large media presence.
“DEWA initiated implementation of all plans and strategies necessary to transform its services to smart ones in 2009 and launched the first smart application in 2010. The application has exceeded expectations with over 577,000 downloads to date. From 26,000 downloads in 2010, the app was downloaded 82,000 times in 2011, a growth of 208.7% compared to the base year. More than 124,000 downloads were recorded in 2012, an increase of 51.44% compared to the previous year. In 2013, the app was downloaded over 206,000 times, a growth of 65.92%, reflecting a consistent increase in using the app to access DEWA’s services,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
“DEWA commenced working on Dubai Government’s Smart City Strategy with dedication and commitment according to the highest competitiveness levels. This was proved by providing over 150 services and features available through its smart app. This is a continuation of our journey towards smart transformation which we started in 2010, in line with the directives of our prudent leadership to provide seamless government services round the clock using the latest technologies based on a clear understanding of customer needs for a sustainable future, for generations to come. These achievements have played a major role in upgrading DEWA’s services to new horizons in terms of keeping up with latest developments.”
“In line with its leading role in environmental conservation, DEWA has used its smart services to promote sustainable development. DEWA is the first government organisation to highlight the impact of using smart services on the environment. DEWA’s customers conducted 3.3 million transactions in 2013 through its website and smart app. This helped eliminate the emission of 11,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide that could have resulted from customers travelling to and from DEWA offices. This equates to planting 56,331 trees in an area equivalent to 106 football fields,” noted Al Tayer.
“DEWA’s smart services aim to fulfil customer requirements in line with the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to provide innovative government services since an innovative government reaches proactively, rather than reactively, out to its people and works tirelessly to achieve better lives for Dubai’s citizens and residents. Through these services, we’re able to meet a large number of requests and transactions simultaneously without any delay. Customers can submit applications wherever they are at any time, without having to visit our offices,” added Al Tayer.
“Through this smart transformation, DEWA is looking forward to contributing to shape a better future for every one by actively participating in embodying make the government’s objectives into a reality we all enjoy. DEWA’s continuous achievements prove the success of the smart government vision through the optimal use of modern technologies and the suitable implementation of advanced applications.”
“In support of the Smart Dubai initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai which aims to transform Dubai to the smartest city in the world in 3 years through 100 initiatives and 1,000 smart services to enhance the quality of life in Dubai, DEWA has launched three new smart initiatives that will make Dubai a world-class model and enhance sustainable development in the Emirate. In this regard, DEWA is keen to keep up with the latest technologies and achieve aspirations of the leadership through excellence in all technological fields. We are committed to providing sustainable and seamless high-quality services to all Dubai’s residents,” concluded Al Tayer.
Through its smart services, DEWA meets all customer expectations and needs. Its smart app serves all segments of society including its customers, consultants, suppliers, job seekers as well as government organisations. DEWA has recently launched specialised services for a number of government organisations in Dubai. Through the app, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence can send their comments and feedback to DEWA related to any of its facilities.
An updated version of DEWA’s smart application was launched on iOS7 for iPhone and iPad in October 2013 and on Android in November. Through the app, DEWA provides customers fast and secure access to its services. The updated version is more suited to users’ daily lives in terms of design and features. Users can access easy-to-use services that enable them to complete their transactions conveniently.
The application can be downloaded on any smart device including home entertainment devices, smart watches, and navigation systems compatible with Android OS. It can also be downloaded on devices that convert regular TVs to smart TVs (Android HDMI Stick). DEWA’s app can be used for reading QR Codes and for taking photos and attaching them with reports. The app supports Augmented Reality and Global Positioning System (GPS).
DEWA provides all its services on devices that support iOS and Android platforms, on its web application on the website (dewa.ae) for mobile phones. It can also be used on other platforms such as BlackBerry, Windows, Windows Phone, Samsung home applications and Etisalat’s eLife.
