Sharjah Economic Development Department “SEDD” upgraded its services through “WhatsApp Business” Platform aiming to enrich its customers experience and enhance smooth and simple communication channels by applying best practices to provide digital services based on advanced systems. This goes in line with SEDD’s plans to consolidate the government’s goals to create an integrated digital environment, support digital transformation process, an provide services through multiple channels. This is done to enable customers to carry out their work anywhere and at any time without the need to visit the Department. Such thing helps in achieving SEDD’s objectives to provide an attractive environment for investment and the practice of economic activity in Sharjah, with the aim to offer innovative and distinguished solutions that allow investors to access the services needed with ease and convenience.

Therefore, SEDD services through “WhatsApp Business” allows customer to access nine services anywhere and at any time. These services include license renewal, trade name renewal, estimating license renewal fees, providing information about licenses, and following up on requests as well as checking on customers’ inquiries (inquiries - suggestions - general complaints).

It should be noted that customers can use the services immediately after registering the number 0097165122222 to begin communication and follow the procedures to complete the transaction. The new feature relies on artificial intelligence techniques to respond to customers’ inquiries through the “Chatbot,” which is distinguished by its ability to learn and understand customers’ needs based on their inquiries. Also, this feature helps to analyze and evaluate inquiries according to the available data and information, and then allows to take the necessary decision to respond accurately to contribute to completing transactions with ease and efficiency. This smart feature also allows to distinguish registered users, interact with customers according to the information provided, retrieve stored data from the user's profile, and end the conversation in an interactive manner. Likely, it ensures that customers' privacy is maintained, as all messages exchanged within the verified WhatsApp account are encrypted to guarantee the highest levels of security and reliability.

Commenting on that, HE Hamad Ali Abdalla Al Mahmoud, SEDD Chairman, emphasized that the Department works to provide all human, material and technical capabilities and to develop and offer all new advanced digital services aimed at simplifying procedures for customers to achieve the application of the concept of digital government. It comes as a continuation of the quality approach followed by the Department, and within the concerns of its development strategy to take advantage of modern technologies to enable customers to continue their work anywhere and at any time without the need to visit the headquarter or branches.

On the other hand, Ali Al Naqbi, Director of Information Technology Department, stressed that the smart speaker service in its new form via the WhatsApp application is considered a platform to provide customers with an easy-to-use channel to obtain the experience of accessing services in an interactive, easy and comfortable manner. This is due to the wide spread of social media applications in addition to their ease of use, which comes within SEDD’s plans to provide a fast and effective service, facilitate the conduct of transactions, and save the investor time and effort in implementing them. Also, “WhatsApp” chatbot allows to respond to customers inquiries and questions electronically about services, which increases the accuracy and effectiveness of communication, while employing artificial intelligence to increase the program’s ability to better meet their needs and enable them to access the integrated digital services package. In addition, Al Naqbi added that the Department is working intensively to provide all human, material and technical capabilities and to develop and offer all new advanced digital services aimed at simplifying procedures for the customer, as it works hard to implement the aspirations of the digital government.