Emirates Post lagging behind rival services, says scrutiny body

The service should set up home delivery of Emirates IDs and other documents, an FNC committee chairman said

Most service desks were unattended when The National visited Karama post office on Monday afternoon. The National
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Emirates Post should begin home delivery of documents like Emirates IDs to offer a better service to customers, a scrutiny body has said.

The government-run department needs to look at new services to avoid the need for thousands of people to visit its branches in person, Federal National Council members said.

The service was criticised by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, last month for poor service and lengthy queues. He shared an image that showed dozens of customers waiting in line in a crowded centre in Dubai's Karama area.

An FNC committee is looking at how it can be improved.

"We recommend that they deliver cheques, credit cards and ID cards to people's homes, so people don't have to go to the office and queue up for hours," said Hamad Al Rahoomi, head of the temporary committee.

He said Emirates Post is significantly behind international delivery companies that have a strong presence in the UAE and it needs to keep up.

"They haven't added efficient services like the big companies here, like home delivery and calling customers and asking when they are available," he said.

"That is why nobody acknowledges the company: everybody knows DHL and FedEx."

"You compete in the market by providing good service."

Separately, the committee also recommended Emirates Post gives all managerial and supervising jobs to UAE nationals. Many of the FNC's members were elected campaigning on job creation for Emiratis.

"Their talk about not finding enough Emiratis in the market is only an excuse," said Mr Al Rahoomi.

"There are Emiratis entering the space and nuclear sectors, and they cannot find any to do their work at Emirates Post?

"It's not that technical."

Last month, inspectors found a "lack of service standards" and that "serving customers is taking too long".

They found 75 per cent of customers - about 3,000 came through the Karama branch's doors per day - were simply there to pick up an Emirates ID.