Mystery shoppers keep government employees on their toes

A project that has seen mystery shoppers test almost 40 government services has been completed, with the General Secretariat of the Executive Council now studying possible improvements.

Over the past year, teams have carried out tests face-to-face, by phone and by email.

Services have shown improvements compared to 2015, officials said, particularly in face-to-face customer service.

“Service development is a key factor for customer satisfaction, and consequently for achieving the Abu Dhabi Plan’s excellent service provision objectives,” said Dr Yasir Al Naqbi, Director of the Abu Dhabi Excellence Programme said.

Three indicators were measured in 38 departments: time, performance, and introduction to digital channels.

The latter is a new indicator linked to digital transformation within the Abu Dhabi Plan, and the ability to adopt the best standards for smart governments.

The Mystery Shopper Programme was launched in 2013 and is is currently working on drafting a guide, which will allow the public sector to continuously monitor their performance.