Dubai [UAE], October 8: The General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai today convened the Government Best Practices Series 2026 at Jumeirah Emirates Towers under the theme 'Services 360: From Vision to Impact.' Bringing together leaders and representatives from 28 government entities, the forum examined the impact of the Services 360 Policy on customer experience and service delivery efficiency, and explored how successful government practices can be applied more widely.
The event was attended by Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai; Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai; directors general; and government service and customer experience teams.
Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti said: "Dubai's progress reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, to place people at the centre of government work."
He added: "Dubai has moved beyond improving individual procedures to designing integrated, customer-centred services that simplify processes, reduce requirements and save time and effort. The Services 360 Policy has embedded this approach and strengthened integration across government. The next phase is to translate these capabilities into tangible value for customers and establish new service standards originating in Dubai."
The opening panel discussion, 'Success Stories of Hamdan Flag Winners,' featured Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer and Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri and was moderated by Dr. Hazza Khalfan Al Nuaimi, Assistant Secretary General for the Excellence and Government Services Sector at The Executive Council of Dubai. It examined service integration, customer relationship management, shorter customer journeys, leadership, collaboration and impact measurement.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said: "Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai continues to advance a government model centred on people, quality of life and community wellbeing. The Services 360 Policy goes beyond digitising procedures to redesign end-to-end government experiences around anticipated needs, integrated systems and data, automation and artificial intelligence."
DEWA achieved 98.9% customer happiness on Digital Dubai's Happiness Meter. In 2025, it enhanced six main services and 21 sub-services across three DEWA channels and three shared digital channels. Implementing the Services 360 Policy has helped the organisation generate AED568 million in savings, saving 71,000 hours annually, reducing procedural steps by 75% and completion time by 50%, while achieving 100% customer trust.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri said: "Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai has become a global benchmark for service excellence by continually simplifying procedures and developing customer experiences that inspire governments worldwide. As a city of ambition, Dubai must remain at the forefront by delivering outstanding services that make it a destination of choice."
He highlighted that Dubai's 'Red Carpet' initiative attracted global attention, generating 3.5 billion views worldwide and demonstrating how projects that deliver unprecedented added value distinguish the city globally.
Between 2023 and 2025, GDRFA Dubai enhanced 18 public services.
It trained 1,384 employees through its internal Services 360 course and 111 federal government employees in the methodology, certifying 7 specialists.
Average procedural steps fell from 49 to 15, waiting time from 11.7 minutes to 1.7 minutes, service delivery time from 69.3 hours to four hours, requirements from 8.3 to one, total completion time from 51.3 hours to 2.7 hours, and visits from nine to one. Customer happiness rose from 92% to 99%.
Dr. Hazza Khalfan Al Nuaimi said: "These results show that service excellence depends on customer insight, committed leadership, capable teams, accurate data and continuous measurement. The Hamdan Flag recognises entities that convert development goals into tangible, sustainable outcomes, while sharing success stories helps scale proven practices across government."
Ahmed Hamad Huraimel, Director of Excellence and Government Services at the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai, presented results showing that the policy's three phases covered 1,474 government services across 28 entities. Implementation was underpinned by five enablers: leadership, service culture, capabilities, creativity and innovation, and governance and measurement. More than 200 service designers were trained, supported by digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and performance measurement.
As a direct result of implementing the policy, requirements fell by 61%, visits by 85%, waiting time by 96%, and completion time by 51%. Customer happiness reached 94%, while trust in improvement efforts reached 90%.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) showed how connected data and systems can anticipate customer needs and deliver services at the right time, improving awareness, access, speed and trust.
The 'Integrated Services: City Makers' session brought together the Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Health, and the Community Development Authority (CDA). CDA coordinated more than nine entities to serve People of Determination; Dubai Health outlined service channels and private-sector partnerships for senior citizens; and the Dubai Health Authority presented Jabr, which connects more than 20 entities so that procedures for bereaved families can begin without separate visits.
The 'Shared Digital Channels Experience' session highlighted Dubai Government's move towards unified and specialised channels overseen by Digital Dubai through DubaiNow. It showcased Dubai Courts' plans to develop 'Dubai for Justice' as a connected and accessible judicial journey; DP World's 'Dubai Trade', which brings key trade and logistics stakeholders together through a single digital window; and Dubai Municipality's 'Build in Dubai,' an integrated platform enabling developers, owners and consultants to track projects and access connected services. Together with 'Invest in Dubai,' these channels reduce the need for customers to move between platforms, avoid repeated submissions and enable more seamless service journeys across the Government of Dubai.
Professor Michel Morvan, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Cosmo Tech and Chairman of IRT SystemX, discussed advances in artificial intelligence and their role in exploring future scenarios and supporting government decisions.
In 'Voice of the Customer: Impact on People's Lives', three customers shared experiences across health, housing and education, highlighting the role of feedback, transparency and responsiveness in improving services.
Source: Emirates News Agency
