Emirates ID launches "Ask Hamad" initiative through Twitter account

Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Identity Authority has announced the launch of a new interactive initiative entitled: "Ask Hamad" through its account on Twitter. The initiative is aimed at boosting Emirates ID's interaction with its customers, responding to their queries and feedback and solving their complaints. Emirates ID called on all its customers who have queries, remarks or complaints relating to its services or performance to communicate with the Authority through their Ask Hamad interactive service. Customers can use the service every Thursday from 12:00-2:00pm, starting from 12th September 2013. Amer Al Mahri, Director of Government and Community Communication at Emirates ID, said the initiative is the first of its kind in the UAE, where it will be live on a weekly basis, noting that it stimulates the Online Open Day as an interactive mechanism to directly communicate with customers who use Twitter and follow Emirates ID's account @EmiratesID. Al Mahri added that the initiative is in line with Emirates ID's keenness to consistently communicate with its customers and interact with them through their favourite channels, thereby reaching them via their smart phones and tablets in an innovative way through a cartoon character derived from UAE heritage. He clarified that an official representative from Emirates ID will respond to customers' queries and interact with them for 2 hours every Thursday from 12:00-2:00PM on the hash-tag #ASKHamad. Al Mahri said that enhancing Emirates ID's presence on social media channels comes in line with its strategic plan 2010-2013, which focuses on developing the level of services provided to customers towards achieving their satisfaction. He highlighted that Emirates ID has made tangible progress in terms of interaction with customers through its social media pages. Users will receive prompt replies to their inquiries and complaints related to procedures for obtaining Emirates ID cards. This has encouraged more users to interact with the Authority through these channels. Al Mahri pointed out that in mid-2012, Emirates ID launched its Twitter account under the name @EmiratesID_Help as an additional interactive channel with the public besides its official channels on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Last June, Emirates ID won two international awards in social media management; the Golden Award for "Best Use of Social Media Measurement" and the Sliver Award for "Best Use of Communication Management- Public Sector". The two awards were made by the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC). Institutions and organisations from 12 countries worldwide competed for the two awards. Emirates ID provides a number of interactive channels for its customers through its website. They include the "You ask, We answer" and "Contact the Director-General" services, in addition to its call centre which receives customers' inquires around the clock. Customers can also lodge their complaints and remarks at any of Emirates ID service centres across the UAE. – Emirates News Agency, WAM