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2024

Case Study: Dubai Model For Government Services

By February 23, 2025February 26th, 2025No Comments

This article is part of a comprehensive report published by the International Foundation for Customer Experience in Government, which aims to enhance the global dialogue on Customer Experience (CX) in the public sector. Drawing on innovative practices from around the world, the report establishes benchmarks for governments to improve their CX initiatives.

CASE STUDY: DUBAI MODEL FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES

INTRODUCTION 

The Dubai CX improvement journey started in 2011 25 as part of the top leadership vision to transform the city into a globally competitive and progressive hub. Translated into Dubai Model for Government Services, the innovative model has now been implemented for more than 10 years and is coordinated from the Dubai Model Centre in the Executive Council of Dubai. The Model aims at advancing future orientation, innovation, disruptive thinking, and delivering sustainable value.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INITIATIVE

The aim of the Dubai Model for Government Services centers around supporting the government in achieving a balance between two key strategic objectives. The first is its focus on greater customer-centricity by placing the customer, their needs, and their expectations at the core of service delivery. The second is improved service efficiency through the optimal use of resources for the delivery of government services. The implementation of these objectives consists of five interrelated phases, involving:

  1. Current State Assessment: Baselining and understanding customers’ needs and expectations.
  2. Planning Service Improvement: Identifying future objectives, identifying a list of potential service improvement areas, setting improvement priorities, and developing a service improvement plan.
  3. Implementation: Planning communication and overseeing its implementation. Develop a change management and risk management approach with flexibility towards the plan.
  4. Monitoring and Follow-Up: Following up on implementation, reporting and dealing with recommendations, and updating the improvement plan.
  5. Continuous Learning: Assessing final results, celebrating success, and implementing a continuous follow-up procedure. 

The methodology is implemented annually based on a set of priorities that change every year, called the Annual Improvement Cycle. The Model is centered around four areas, involving innovation, customer engagement, connected government, and reasoned spending, focusing on 6 overall perspectives: (1) customer insights, (2) service charter, (3) service realization, (4) customer experience, (5) service delivery stars, and (6) service improvement culture. The Dubai Model for Government Services has worked successfully for more than 10 years in a row with continued strong support from leadership.

SUCCESS FACTORS

Several key success factors contributed to the effectiveness of the program:

  • Leadership Support Drives Success: Dubai’s impressive achievements of over a decade have been nurtured by strong leadership of the Emirate’s Crown Prince. The unwavering commitment of the program’s sponsor to service transformation instills confidence and stability throughout the administration, inspiring continuous improvement.
  • Result Orientation: The government’s focus on service results is a driving force behind the program success. Collaboration among government entities is essential as customer journeys often span multiple agencies. For instance, a seamless experience for obtaining building permits involves various agencies; their joint efforts are crucial to enhancing overall results.
  • The program administration published a report 26 on achieved impact, demonstrating tangible results:
Over 1,000 public service improvement initiatives since launch. 
Over 300 services undergoing service improvement initiatives. 
Over 700 Million AED cost savings between 2015 – 2019. 
An average 25% increase in service productivity.
 An average 40% decrease in number of the touchpoints and visits customers made to avail a service. 
An average 50% decrease in service delivery time.
  • Incentive Scheme Fuels Progress: The model is complemented by a prestigious incentive program that motivates agencies to excel. Recognizing and rewarding best improvement initiatives and teams publicly and financially ensures acknowledgment and motivation. This celebration is an integral part of the service improvement process within the Model.

MAIN CHALLENGES

While the program achieved significant success, it also encountered some challenges:

  • Operational Complexities: Alongside notable achievements, the program continues to tackle operational complexities, stemming from the intricate coordination needed among a diverse network of government entities to ensure seamless customer experiences across the different services.
  • Implementation Approach: Determining the appropriate level of involvement in improvement endeavors is a typical challenge for central government bodies. The Dubai Model Centre continues to shift and adjust its level of involvement in its different initiatives flexibly to strike an optimal balance. 

TAKEAWAYS 

The program offers valuable takeaways for successful government initiatives:

  • Influential Role of Political Leaders: Political leaders initiate change through endorsement and prioritization, while a systematic process and incentive schemes ensure lasting success.
  • Results-Driven Annual Cycle: Focusing on key metrics like cost-efficiency and customer-centricity sparks government service improvements when coupled with a structured annual cycle for improvement and change.
  • Guided Entity Support: A proficient expert team provides entities with tools, ensuring guided, result-oriented improvement processes.
  • Relationship Building: Prioritizing relationship-building and preparatory change management “soft” activities before embarking on service design and throughout the process.
  • Motivation and Celebration: Acknowledging achievements and awards motivates change and cultivates an improvement-oriented culture.

In conclusion, the case study underscores the influential role of strong leadership in catalyzing transformative change within governmental entities. While their endorsement serves as a vital catalyst, sustained progress necessitates the implementation of systematic processes, supported by schemes that incentivise dedicated efforts. By leveraging key performance metrics and nurturing guided support from knowledgeable experts, the case exemplifies a comprehensive approach to fostering meaningful and lasting improvements in government services.

In our next article, explore how the UK Service Standard is shaping the future of digital public services by defining core CX principles that all services must meet.

References:

25 “2021 الخدمات الحكومية الريادية. “The Executive Council – Government of Dubai, 2021. https://www.tec.gov.ae/c/ document_library/get_file?uuid=43659869-02bf-fb66-50d1-4bc0f40f6be9&groupId=20124.