Etisalat Partners With Mobiqa To Offer Mobile Ticketing Service In The UAE

Etisalat today announced a strategic partnership with Mobiqa, specialists in mobile content optimisation, to bring mobile phone ticketing to the region.

As per the agreement, Etisalat will partner with Mobiqa to create future Mobile Ticketing applications, through Mobiqa’s industry leading mobile bar coded ticket delivery technology. The solution will initially be offered to the entertainment industry in the UAE, and will enable Etisalat customers to purchase tickets for live entertainment shows and movies through their mobile device. Mobiqa’s mobile ticketing service is already widely adopted across Europe and the US by a range of top cinemas, venues, ticketing software providers and airlines.

Commenting on the partnership, Abdulla Hashim, Senior Vice President, Business Solutions at Etisalat said: “Etisalat has always endeavoured to bring world class technologies in the UAE through strategic partnerships. Our association with Mobiqa, to create and offer advanced M-ticketing solutions to our customers, will offer convenience and value to our customers, and also reinforce our constant commitment to create newer technology avenues.”

Mobile ticket delivery offers many benefits over traditional paper ticketing, with the most prominent benefit being convenience: customers no longer need to self print their paper tickets; neither do they need to spend time queuing at the box office to collect their tickets. Now customers can purchase tickets from anywhere and anytime.

“Mobile ticketing is now becoming the most popular application propelling the mobile commerce industry worldwide. mTickets not only offer convenience to the end customer, but a far more cost-effective sales channel to businesses. The solution is most popular for entertainment industry, cinemas, sports and live events organisers, and travel and tourism industry,” added Mr. Hashim.

Mobile bar coded ticket delivery offers the ultimate customer experience in terms of convenience and efficiency. By providing cinemas and live events ticketing agents this functionality, customers are able to book tickets online via the web or the mobile web and opt for mobile delivery for their tickets. A barcoded ticket tailored specifically to the customer’s mobile device model is then delivered using either a SMS web link, an Email web link or MMS delivery technologies. After receiving their ticket, customers then present the barcoded ticket at the cinema or venue to be scanned and validated before gaining entry.
 

Empower Launches World-Class Customer Service Center Offering Integrated Services

Emirates Central Cooling Corporation (Empower) has launched a world class customer service center that provides customers with integrated services to cater to the demands of customers growing at the rate of 60 percent annually.

Designed to provide quality and efficient services, the new center reflects the company’s commitment to enhance customer support.

Empower’s customer base included individual customers as well as large businesses, including projects in Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai Healthcare City, Jumeirah Beach Residence and Business Bay.

Ahmed Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower, said: “Customers are the backbone of our operations as we believe customer satisfaction is the key to business success. As dedicated providers of district cooling services not only in the UAE but also in the region, we aspire to deliver satisfaction through a group of professionals backed with the knowledge and technical expertise. We offer our clients an experience rather than a service.”

The customer service center reflects the core values of Empower and it reinforces its position on the global front as an organization that delivers efficient service. The system is designed to manage customers’ queries through increased efficiency and productivity.

A dedicated team of Empower will be on hand at all times to serve customers in registration, bill payment, final bill and general enquiries.

Bin Shafar added: “Our customer base rose by 60 % in 2010. This is why we launched this center as the number of customers has increased dramatically. Customers of Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai Healthcare City, Jumeirah Beach Residence and Business Bay can avail of this service.”

This is the third customer service center for Empower, after Business Bay and Jumeirah Beach Residence, which are only dedicated to bill payments. The customer servicing center timings will be from 9 am to 2 pm in Ramadan and from 7:30 am to 3:30 am thereafter.

The Dubai based company believes that district cooling technology achieves optimal results not only to customers but also to the society at a socio-economic level through diminishing the electricity and water consumption thus conserving the environmental resources of the Emirate of Dubai.

Empower’s district cooling systems (DCS) provide effective and efficient means of air conditioning. Water is cooled in central plants and distributed through a network of piping systems to individual customer buildings. Empower which is a joint venture between Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and TECOM Investments has world class work stations being built on various locations in the Emirate of Dubai.
 

Emirates Offers In-flight Iftar Service This Ramadan

With the start of the holy month of Ramadan, Emirates has undertaken several initiatives to ensure the comfort and care of fasting customers.

The award winning Emirates in-flight service has developed a special offering for passengers observing Ramadan, in keeping with traditions and values of this important religious occasion.

For flights departing close to Iftar, Emirates will provide small snack boxes at the boarding gates of Emirates Terminal 3. The snack boxes, containing vegetable calzone, Namoura dessert, dates, water and a laban drink, will serve as a quick snack so that passengers can break their fast immediately.

Passengers who are in-flight when the sun sets will be informed of the Iftar time by the captain. Iftar will be determined based on where the aircraft is located at the time the sun goes down.

Large Iftar meal boxes will be served to fasting passengers in-flight and will comprise an array of traditional Arabic dishes including Hummus with crudités, mini Arabic bread, traditional chicken shawarma, pistachio Baklava, dates, banana, laban drink, calzone, dried apricots and prunes, and roasted almonds. The meal box, designed by Emirates’ chefs, will be served in Economy class, with a similar selection of foods served to fasting passengers in both Business and First Class.

Robin Padgett, Emirates’ Vice President Aircraft Catering said: “While we take pride in our cultural diversity, Emirates’ foundation is rooted in Islamic culture, and we are committed to ensuring that our Muslim passengers are well looked after during the holy month of Ramadan.

“Ramadan is an important part of the Islamic calendar and Emirates is pleased to be able to support our Muslim passengers as they undertake their religious obligations. Our non-fasting passengers will continue to enjoy the world-class meals Emirates is globally known for.”

Non-fasting passengers travelling on Umrah and Jeddah flights will receive a cold meal instead of the regular hot meal for all flights taking off after sunrise and before sunset, in respect to the many Muslim passengers completing Umrah on these flights.

Emirates would like to wish all our Muslim passengers Ramadan Kareem.
 

Al Bustan Centre & Residence Rewards Loyal Employees At Annual Long Service Awards Ceremony

Al Bustan Centre & Residence, the deluxe hotel apartments and shopping arcade which offers world-class services and facilities in the heart of Dubai, honoured its loyal employees who had rendered two, five and ten years of service with certificates and gold pins at its annual Long Service Awards Ceremony recently at the Al Nahda Banquet Hall.

Moussa El Hayek, COO of Al Bustan Centre & Residence, said: “As every organization is represented by its employees, they form its very backbone, lending it support and structure. And across the world it has been proven that happy employees are vital to its growth and progress. I believe that our annual Long Service Awards ceremony is an index to our success as an organization and I take this opportunity to congratulate all the award winners on the occasion while wishing them many more fruitful years with the property.”

Al Bustan Centre and Residence is one of the most well known hospitality names in Dubai designed to be the favoured shopping and fun destination for the whole family. The luxurious residential, shopping and entertainment complex comprises of 640 suites, a comprehensive shopping mall with over 95 outlets and one of the popular indoor amusement arcades in the UAE, the Fantasy Kingdom. A progressive oriented organization, the key to its success is its mission to be “your home away from home.”
 

Emirates Delivers The Goods With New Service To Dakar

With the launch of Emirates’ new route to Dakar now just six weeks away, the airline has unveiled a raft of economic benefits that the service will bring to the Middle East, West Africa and markets throughout the airline’s international network.

As the only scheduled passenger service between the United Arab Emirates and Senegal, Emirates’ new route will cut current journey times to Dakar by around the equivalent of an eight hour working day, creating an easy, fast and convenient service for business and leisure travellers.

Richard Vaughan, Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates’ Commercial Operations Worldwide said: “Dakar is a dynamic, emerging destination that we are delighted to welcome as our nineteenth African route. As the only direct air link between Senegal and the Middle East, our new service will play an important role in supporting trade ties and tourism, facilitating the smooth movement of travellers and cargo between Senegal and Emirates’ extensive global network.”

Mr Vaughan continued: “This new route launch is a further demonstration of Emirates’ commitment to investing in and supporting the development of its pan-African footprint. Not only is the service already paying dividends through the creation of new jobs, such as our first Senegalese cabin crew and sales staff, but it will provide a significant long-term boost to trade and commerce.”

Trade between Dubai and Senegal has followed a steady path of growth in recent years. Dubai’s non-oil trade with Senegal rose from AED 504 million (US$137 million) in 2008 to AED 676 million (US$ 184 million) at the end of 2009.

His Excellency Hamad Buamim, Director General, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: “Dubai Chamber has long recognised the importance and high potential of the African market. Senegal stood at 76th in the list of Dubai’s top trading partners at the end of 2009 and the launch of the Emirates’ new route to Dakar will strongly enhance trade between the two cities and consolidate Dubai’s status as an international business hub.

He added: “Emirates’ direct flights with Senegal will have a positive economic effect as they will cut business costs, facilitate trade and provide the right push for cementing the bilateral commercial ties. We believe that this new route will be a step towards achieving enhanced economic relations with Senegal and the region.”

The 18 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity on the A340-300 aircraft will support key Senegalese exports such as fresh fish, fruit and seasonal vegetables, primarily destined for Emirates’ destinations in Europe and the Mediterranean, including Milan, Madrid, Paris and Beirut. The new service will also facilitate the import of goods into Dakar such as textiles from Asia, electronics from East Asia and Europe and clothing from India.

As well as supporting new business opportunities, the Dakar route will also benefit existing collaborations between Dubai and Senegal. For example, DP World was recently awarded the concession to develop and operate the existing container terminal at Dakar’s Port du Futur and invest in a new container terminal, while the Jebel Ali Free Zone is currently developing a special economic free zone connected to Senegal’s new Blaise Diagne Airport.

Last year, the Emirates Group signed an agreement with the Government of Senegal to co-operate in the start up and longer term future of Senegal Airlines. Signed in November 2009, this agreement will see the Emirates Group provide commercial support, technical expertise, training and aviation-related goods and services.

Mr Vaughan added: “We bring a formidable reputation for service excellence to the market and we intend to live up to it. We look forward to giving passengers from Senegal much easier access to our international hub in Dubai, where they can travel onwards to more than 100 destinations across six continents.”

Starting 1st September 2010, Emirates will fly non-stop to Dakar five times a week every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Emirates Flight 797 will depart Dubai at 09:55 and touch down at Dakar’s Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport at 16:00hrs the same day. The return flight departs Dakar at 17:40, arriving in Dubai at 07:15 the following morning. The service connects seamlessly to key centres in the Middle East, the Indian Sub-continent, Asia and the Far East.
 

du Leads The Way In Home Entertainment With The Launch Of New Unlimited Video On Demand Service In The UAE

Confirming its position as a premier provider of home entertainment services in the UAE, du today announced the launch of the first of its kind Unlimited Video on Demand (UVoD) service. This latest TV offering gives customers unlimited access to an exciting selection of movies, TV series, dramas, documentaries, music, lifestyle, Kid’s shows and religious programming, whenever they want, at the touch of a button.

“At du we work hard to provide our customers with the most user-friendly entertainment solutions. TV customers globally like to choose what and when they watch. We are very excited to announce the launch of our Unlimited Video on Demand service with premium TV programmes, giving customers to choose to watch what they want, all with a simple click on the remote control from the comfort of their home,” commented Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du.

du’s Unlimited Video on Demand service has the same simple usability as du’s established Video on Demand service, now being used by thousands of du customers every day. Unlimited Video on Demand offers unlimited access to an exclusive selection of entertainment content, whether movies, TV series, documentaries, spiritual features, kids programming or music. To encourage all du TV customers to try out the service, it will be made available free of charge for an introductory period, after which du TV Customers can subscribe to the service for AED 75 per month.

du was first to launch a true Video On Demand service in 2009. Video on Demand allows customers to browse through a catalogue of movies including Arabic cinema, Hollywood smash-hit blockbusters, Bollywood movies and some of the most beloved classic movies ever to grace the silver screen. Under the categories - ‘New additions’, ‘Top Titles’, ‘Special Offers’ and ‘All Time Classics’, subscribers are easily able to find exactly which movie they are looking for, and even watch a trailer of that movie before purchasing it for viewing at their leisure. New movie titles are added to the Video on Demand catalogue each month, which is available to all du TV and du TV+ customers.

du TV has won several international awards and provides an unmatched TV viewing experience, including an array of advanced features such as intuitive and simplified search and display, advanced channel browsing, instant channel change, an ergonomically-designed electronic program guide and the option of pausing, rewinding and recording live programming.
 

National Bonds Corporation PJSC Launches Dedicated Customer Service Team For Handover Of Skycourts Project

National Bonds Corporation PJSC, the leading Sharia compliant saving scheme, has announced the launch of a new dedicated Customer Service Centre for its Skycourts project. This Unit will operate as a single point of contact for all updates, queries and general communications in relation to the Skycourts project.

Mohanad Alwadiya, Project Director of Skycourts LLC, said: “The Skycourts handover process to homeowners will begin in the third quarter of 2010. With construction progressing at a accelerated pace to meet the expected delivery date, the Skycourts Customer Service Centre is gearing up for the handover process that will be done with a phased approach depending on the completion of the towers.

The newly appointed Skycourts customer service team will also be in-charge of facilitating and supervising all resale, lease transactions and upon request, can also handle the required transactions with the Dubai Land Department and DEWA on behalf of customers.

“The centre is staffed by a highly experienced team of professionals who are dedicated to provide Skycourts customers with all the information and ensure an efficient and hassle free property handover process along with a suite of post handover services,” added Alwadiya.

The new team has already established various communication channels for Skycourts homeowners such as: the call centre, to contact any of the Skycourts customer service consultants on 600-5222-60 or they can visit the revamped interactive and user-friendly Skycourts website www.skycourtsdubai.com, which will allow customers to chat live with a consultant, express an opinion via the official Skycourts forum, access weekly project progress updates and even list their properties for sale or lease.

Additionally, the Skycourts team has already commenced many initiatives for the benefit of Skycourtshomeowners, such as facilitating the leasing or reselling of their apartments to securing anchor retail tenants.

Skycourts project is a pioneering AED 1.4billion (US$400m) residential development in the heart of Dubailand.

The project includes over 2,800 apartments in six towers and residents will enjoy facilities such as a swimming pool, health club, restaurants and commercial retail space, in one of the prime locations of Dubai.
 

Network International Selects Telepin Software For Mobile Service Offerings

Telepin Software, a leading provider of mobile money transaction platforms, today announced that it has been selected by Network International to drive the organization’s services for mobile network operators. Network International is the largest Merchant acquirer in United Arab Emirates (UAE), with a network of more than 35,000 Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals. Network International will use Telepin’s Cayman Transaction Platform to extend the reach of its current products into the mobile recharge market.

The majority of mobile phone subscribers in UAE are prepaid, with most accounts representing a large population of the workforce. The mobile market in the UAE has more room to accommodate related services. As a result, consumers who wish to recharge can visit a Network merchant and complete the transaction within seconds for the pre-defined amount they wish to top-up.

Network International will use Cayman Transaction software to enable its network of POS terminals to provide recharge services to all consumers. Network International is working closely with the mobile operators to extend its financial network capabilities and offer solutions to emerging mobile industry needs.

“The present technology allows us to offer many more services than currently available; hence we are working closely with market and innovation leaders to provide these services to our clients. With Telepin’s Cayman Transaction Platform we will introduce additional services that will expand the range of our current products in the telecommunications sector, giving retailers and end-users more flexibility and convenience,” said Mr. Abdulla Qassem, Chairman, Network International.

Telepin’s eVoucher provides an integrated capability to create and manage electronic vouchers to be used against any service. eVoucher is the most flexible mechanism to keep subscribers active on the network; generating revenue for operators and integrating in with several systems, such as Point-Of-Sale, Kiosk, ATM, and IVR platforms. This technology will help the merchants control their inventory and effectively manage their distribution systems.

“We at Network International are committed to providing our customers with innovative, differentiated services to meet their specific needs. Telepin’s Cayman Transaction Platform will help us provide mobile network operators in the UAE with the infrastructure required to maximize the market opportunity. This will in turn allow subscribers to transact faster and go about their business more efficiently, particularly irrespective of location" said Mr. Ram Chari, CEO, Network International.

Retailers are looking for solutions that offer the best experience for their customers at all interaction points. Network International and Telepin are working together to meet these needs with a flexible, modular solution that is built on open systems, fast to implement, scalable, and simple to manage in the long term.

“We are pleased to provide Network International with the capability to transform its business to provide mobile service offerings to the financial industry,” said Vincent Kadar, CEO of Telepin Software. “This is a win-win scenario as Network International merchants are now able to generate additional revenue through the services of Network International, and all mobile subscribers will be serviced by the most expansive POS network in UAE. We look forward to a long-term, strategic partnership with Network International and their affiliate groups, as we support further mobile service offerings for the financial community.”
 

du Launches E-Voucher Service, Offering More Convenience To Customers Through Wider Recharge Availability

Offering enhanced level of convenience to customers, du announced the launch of e-voucher, across the UAE. E-voucher is a new way to recharge customers’ prepaid lines, where the card number (PIN) is directly printed on a voucher instead of customers having to scratch for it on the recharge card.

All the existing recharge denominations of AED 20, AED 50, AED 100 and AED 200 are available on e-vouchers along with the three recharge options –‘more time’, ‘more credit’ and ‘more international’.

“The launch of e-voucher demonstrates du’s commitment to offer convenience to customers and continually facilitate and optimize their mobility experience. We understand that people lead busy lives, so we want to make the recharging experience as quick and easy as possible. With the launch of e-voucher, we will substantially increase our recharge network, therefore becoming even more accessible to our customers,” commented Farid Faraidooni, chief commercial officer, du.

du Pay as you Go ®customers enjoy exceptional freedom and flexibility with du’s pioneering WoW recharge that offers three options on every recharge- ‘more time’ option offers unlimited validity; ‘more credit’ offers up to 30 percent bonus with an extended validity of 60 days and the ‘more international’ option offer customers up to 60 per cent bonus with validity of up to 60 days. “Every recharge with du is a WoW moment” said Farid Faraidooni.
 

Etisalat Offers Interactive Quickserve Browsing Service For Businesses

Etisalat announced its QuickServe browsing service for businesses based on USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Services Data) platform, enabling businesses to provide interactive services for their end customers. QuickServe will provide businesses with a highly reliable and secure channel for customer interaction through a simple menu driven interface. Businesses can now deploy various customer-centric interactive applications like mobile banking, mobile ticketing, bill payments, mobile gaming, customer inquiries and feedback solutions and many more such value-added services by using Etisalat’s QuickServe USSD platform.

QuickServe is an ‘instant messaging type’ phone service with quick response times. To provide a more interactive user experience, the USSD based browsing service allows a customer to initiate and access information from any mobile handset by typing a simple star-hash (*#) command. The menu driven service helps the customer to select and respond to multiple choices available on their mobile handset in real time. Etisalat’s Mobile Credit Enquiry service which can be accessed by dialing *123# is one such instance of a USSD service.

According to Abdulla Hashim, Senior Vice President, Business Solutions, Etisalat: “Etisalat’s QuickServe will provide a convenient and user-friendly interface, along with a fast and robust platform for businesses to enhance and introduce new customer-centric services. Through the USSD platform, businesses can ensure higher customer engagement and satisfaction by offering a wide variety of value added services in real time. This service is a great technology enabler for businesses to provide convenient, low cost services for their customers and can be extended and customised for various industries and government departments.”

Through QuickServe, Etisalat would provide specific USSD short codes to businesses to use for various services. The service is highly versatile and can be used across various verticals. Government organisations could use the service for utility bill payments and traffic fine enquiries. In the case of banks, the service could be used for balance enquiry, funds transfer and requests for statements. Airlines could use it for customers to check-in and access flight status information.

USSD messages are simple to form and easy to send. Users can directly enter the USSD string and press call/send to send the message. A typical USSD message starts with a star (*) followed by digits which indicate an action to be performed. The USSD gateway in turn can interact with external applications based on the USSD command. This allows access to a number of value-added services via USSD.

For more information on the service, customers can visit www.etisalat.ae.

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