(MENAFN-Khaleej Times) The rating process, which has been completed for two years now, attracted 46 retail outlets from six major sectors in 2013 as against 24 from three sectors in 2012
A growing number of retailers in key sectors across Dubai are showing interest in evaluating consumer behaviour and addressing consumer concerns as a definitive step to generate business outcomes as is evident from the Consumer Friendliness Rating, or CFR, analysis led by the Department of Economic Development, or DED.
The rating process, which has been completed for two years now, attracted 46 retail outlets from six major sectors in 2013 as against 24 from three sectors in 2012. Apparel, coffee shops and furniture were the new segments added in 2013 to the car agency, electronics and hypermarkets segments evaluated when the DED launched the rating process in 2012.
The findings from the study is collated into a Consumer Friendliness Index and the leaders in each sector will be felicitated at a special ceremony along with an overall leader from all the sectors evaluated.
“Within two years the number of outlets submitting to the rating exercise has went up by nearly 92 per cent. It indicates a growing emphasis on expressing as well as understanding consumer preferences in the retail sector in Dubai,” said Omar Bushahab, chief executive officer of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection sector at the DED.
A first-of-its-kind initiative in the region, the CFR chiefly looks into the most popular outlets in each of the sectors studied. The objective is to understand the level of compliance to the Consumer Code of Rights stated in Federal Law No 24 of 2006 and reinforcing the message that consumer rights protection is a shared responsibility between retailers and consumers.
“The retail sector is a significant contributor to Dubai’s reputation as a destination for businesses and tourists. The rating process seeks to understand how the major players in the sector justify this reputation and how well the sector is aligned to the business excellence and competitiveness levels Dubai aspires,” added Bushahab.
The 2013 rating was based on consumer opinions of individual outlets tracked over a period of nine months from April to December and consumer complaints received by the DED, as well as the extent of parity/fair pricing for a pre-determined basket of products/services. Consumers were asked to evaluate the outlet based on service quality, billing transparency, and sharing of warranty information by salesperson in addition to overall satisfaction.
Opinions from nearly 3,400 consumers along with consumer complaints received every month were evaluated. The price parity was compared in regular intervals — monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or half-yearly — depending on the nature of business.
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