Dubai Smart Government (DSG) has received a very encouraging response from the public during UAE Innovation Week especially for its Dubai Now app, which was recently launched at Gitex 2015. The app is being demonstrated to the general public at DSG’s special stand at Mirdif City Centre during UAE Innovation Week.
Dubai Now is the first Dubai government app that was co-created by customers at DSG’s Customer Experience (CX) Lab, making it user-friendly and comprehensive as it combines most used services of 22 government entities so far, in one app. The app for Apple and Android phones allows customers to login with pre-existing accounts of mPay or MyID and organizes services around categories and sub-categories that were decided by users at the CX Lab. These categories include payments and bills; housing; public transport; security and justice; health; driving; visas; educational services; Islamic services; business; and public services.
H.E. Ahmad Bin Humaidan, DSG Director General, said: "Our launch of this unified hub and smartphone channel, Dubai Now, comes as part of the steps taken by DSG in implementation of the initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for shifting to smart government and ensure that Dubai is smartest city in the world. It also comes in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, for providing a single interface and one log-in to make customers happier and more comfortable."
Bin Humaidan added: "The smart personal dashboard is like a personal assistant that creates diary and alert services to remind you to conduct necessary transactions. These are for services provided by several entities from one place and with an innovative and easy manners. This underlines our commitment to keep innovating for the happiness of customers in line with the leadership's orientations and DSG's strategy, which seeks to ease the lives of people and enable them to access services conveniently. We are a connected and collaborative government that works with our partnering government and private entities to meet the needs of our customers. We are pleased to see that this app has received a great response from the public which proves that our methodology through the CX Lab was accurate, showing that we are on the right track to demonstrate the government of the future.”
Dubai Now app includes a smart personal dashboard that can be customized to show or remove services and get reminders to renew expiring licenses or pay bills. Important and most used services are included such as: paying traffic fines, Salik, Nol, Etisalat, Du, DEWA, some of Dubai Municipality and Dubai Customs services, donating to Al Jalila Foundation and Dubai Cares. Other services include: getting flight information, booking taxis, accessing health services, nearest pharmacies, obtaining visa services, religious services, RERA & trade license and business activities, accessing emergency and business services, public services such as weather reports and postal services and educational services are also included. The app works well with Apple Watch with further development likely as smartwatches gain in popularity.
