By : Nahla Makled

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has developed an innovative solution that enables its people of determination customers with hearing impairments who use hearing aids or cochlear implants equipped with a T-Coil, to use the telepresence system through video chat screens to communicate seamlessly and efficiently with DEWA’s customer happiness employees. The new system improves the quality of sound, which allows easier access for them to information and services.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, highlighted DEWA’s commitment to providing a positive environment that encourages innovative solutions and new services. This enhances DEWA’s position as a globally leading utility and achieves its vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation.

Al Tayer affirmed the importance that DEWA attaches to people of determination and its efforts to develop all its facilities and smart services to meet their requirements. In early 2020, it redesigned all buildings and facilities to be 100 % compliant with Dubai Universal Design Code

We provide people of determination with inclusive services with an added value. This is part of DEWA’s strategy to include and empower people of determination. Those services ensure easy access to all DEWA’s services, whether smart services or services at the Customer Happiness Centres.

This is in accordance with the National Policy for Empowering People of Determination, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to create an inclusive society that ensures empowerment and a decent life for people of determination and their families. It also supports the ‘My Community... A City for Everyone’ initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to transform Dubai into a friendly city for people of determination.

DEWA has allocated a wide range of comprehensive services and facilities for people of determination at its Customer Happiness Centres; Customer Care Centre, and DEWA’s website and smart app. DEWA also developed services to enable easy access for people of determination, such as the text and video chat service Hayak, and Rammas, DEWA’s virtual employee that uses Artificial Intelligence,” said Al Tayer.

DEWA provides its new telepresence system at its Customer Happiness Centres. The new service adds to DEWA’s innovative and inclusive services for people of determination, such as ‘Ashi’r’ service for instant video chat using sign language. Ashi’r enables those with hearing disabilities to directly communicate with the Customer Care employees at DEWA through the smart app around the clock.

In 2020, DEWA’s website accessibility for People of Determination was rated 96% according to the standards of Smart Dubai Department, while DEWA’s app received a score of 10/10. The People of Determination happiness towards DEWA’s services reached 95% in 2020.