Revealed: Most customer friendly UAE retailers for 2016 are…

Dubai – known for its mega shopping malls which are major attractions for the residents and tourists alike – is home to large number of local and international brands.

In order to measure performance and friendliness of these major retailers, Dubai issues annual Consumer Friendliness Index to award major players from different sectors for their friendliness.

For 2016, retailers from seven sectors were honoured on Wednesday along with LuLu Hypermarket and Alshaya Group, both overall leaders in customer satisfaction among the 60 outlets rated by the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai for their consumer friendliness.

The annual Consumer Friendliness Index, currently in its fourth year, aims to promote customer satisfaction through fostering healthy competition among retailers and encouraging them to adopt exemplary practices to gain consumer confidence.

Alshaya Group won the highest rating in the Consumer Friendliness Index with a total of 85 points in terms of outstanding customer service, in addition to being in first place in the retail segment. Lulu Hypermarket also led overall with points while being the top performer among Hypermarkets sector.

The list of winners in the other sectors was as follows: Damas (Gold sector) with index score of 84, Home Center (Furniture) with index score of 84, Fono Distribution Services (Electronics) with index score of 83, Juma Al Majid Group (Automobile) with index score of 82, and Second Cup Café (Café) with index score of 79.

Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of DED, said Consumer Friendliness Index initiative has completed four years with a 13 per cent increase in number of participants – from 52 to 60 in 2015.

The index showed that 94% of those who have shopped at hypermarkets expressed satisfaction with the transparency and clarity of their invoices, and most Arab consumers agreed that there is good value for money. In terms of prices, consumers noted that vegetable and fruit prices across hypermarkets are high.

In the Automobile sector Arab consumers between 18 to 24 years of age said that the after-sales service is decent, with good value for money. The reasons cited for dissatisfaction were high price and maintenance service, which was not up to expected standard.

95% of the participants in the survey in the Electronics sector expressed satisfaction with the transparency and clarity of their invoices, and overall satisfaction on the product quality and after-sales service, as well as the value for money. Most Arab consumers were positive about the electronic stores, especially regarding the policies related to service warranty. Some consumers said they were dissatisfied with the quality of products, service, and the high prices.

The Furniture sector also scored high in terms of product quality, value for money, and after-sales service. Consumers generally were satisfied with product prices, while poor product quality was the leading concern expressed.

Arab residents were mostly satisfied the about quality of beverages at coffee shops and cafes, as well as the value they get for their money. Though Arab respondents in the 18-24 age bracket and students were satisfied with product prices a number of consumers said prices in cafes are generally higher.

Mohammed Rashed Ali Lootah, Executive Director, Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector in DED, said the current cycle of the Index has six major criteria: product quality, price, value for money, satisfaction with after-sales service, clarity of service/warranty policies, and overall customer satisfaction.

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