Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, shared the results of a 'secret shopper' initiative carried out at one of the government's service departments.
A group of 'secret shoppers' were sent to a number of service counters, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment.
The report showed that the chief executive of the establishment was present at the customer counter, assisting the staff on duty.
“Today, I received a group of secret shoppers' reports, one of which was for the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted on Friday.
“We found its CEO at the service counters, receiving customers, speeding up procedures, and contributing to clearing transactions.
“The secret shopper assured us that providing the service did not exceed five minutes.
“Thanks to the work team and to the CEO, Omar Bou Shehab.”
Secret shoppers are often used as a method of testing service quality, by sending undercover staff to pose as customers and experience first-hand what the public encounter.
Sheikh Mohammed frequently sends secret shoppers to government offices to test services.
In April 2019, he criticised poor standards at an Emirates Post office after he was sent a picture of long queues by one of the shoppers.
“A message to all: The clients and the public are the reason for the entity's existence,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“And they are the reason for hiring its staff, and their satisfaction with the services is an authentic right and a noble principle in the work of any entity.
“No matter how developed our country is, our eyes will continue to monitor the level of basic services provided to our citizens.”
In 2020, an online application that allows Emiratis and residents to rate a government service was launched by the UAE Cabinet.
The app, named UAE Mystery Shopper, is available in eight languages and asks users to input information on their experiences with a service at a government office.
The app, developed by the UAE government, can be downloaded from the Google Play or App Store. Alternatively, users can scan a QR code on the website.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
