Dubai Customs holds Annual Vendors Forum 2016

Dubai Customs has organized its Annual Vendors Forum 2016 to recognize vendors with outstanding performance, in line with its approach aiming to build stronger and more transparent relationships with its suppliers.

The gathering was attended by Khawla Slaes, Director of Administration Affairs Department, along with a number of heads of departments and 25 high-performing vendor companies from various sectors. These vendors were honoured on board luxurious Bateaux Dubai during a cruise along Dubai Creek. 

Khawala Slaes welcomed the vendors and praised the high quality of services they delivered to Dubai Customs during this year, which helped the organization carry out several essential projects to achieve sustainable growth for the benefit of all parties.   

Mrs. Slaes announced, addressing the ceremony: “Since it is our objective at Dubai Customs to ensure happiness and wellbeing for all our partner in sustainable development, Dubai Customs has launched four initiatives primarily designed to strengthen cooperation and save time and effort for suppliers and owners of companies, while taking relationship with our vendors to the next stage in order to elevate performance and smoothen communication with DC – namely, vendors website, discounts program, vendors majlis, and recognizing and incentivizing suppliers for adoption of green business solutions starting from 2017.”

The vendors website is intended to ease registration and simplify procedures with suppliers. This website provides easy access to DC policies and regulations pertaining to procurement. To ensure the highest quality standards, the website also contains a vendors guide, and a directory of all suppliers with updated data and contact details. To achieve greater transparency, the website receives comments, suggestions, and complaints from suppliers regarding the improvement of service, as well as views of contractors about customs agents and their treatment, in addition to providing for sharing and exchange of expertise.

With regard to the discounts program, Khawla Slaes explained that “Dubai Customs is considered the first government department to provide support to its suppliers in terms of marketing and advertising their products and services within the scope of the Department employees. DC also seeks to achieve the benefit of both parties through providing discounts for employees and marketing the suppliers’ products. This will be carried out periodically within Dubai Customs.”

The Vendors Majlis is a first hospitality facility for Dubai Customs’ suppliers intended to provide means of comfort and enhance communication with all DC departments. The Majlis also provides illustrative guidelines to vendors about DC departments and how to contact them directly, added Slaes.

“A new initiative will be implemented starting 2017 for recognizing and incentivizing suppliers who adopt green solutions in their business. This initiative aims to  honour and recognize suppliers' contributions to sustainable environment through their green business practices. Vendors having innovative environment-friendly solutions will get motivational privileges from Dubai Customs,” said Slaes.

This initiative goes in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to achieve sustainable development in Dubai and the UAE within the context of the long–range national initiative launched by His Highness under the slogan of "A Green Economy for Sustainable Development”.

The Annual Vendors Forum is an opportunity to say thank you to those vendors who efficiently support Dubai Customs in its projects through timely delivery of top-quality products and services.

Dubai Customs has a strong supplier base of 650 firms that compete to offer their services in different areas.

The recognized vendors were very happy that Dubai Customs is always keen to interact with them on a regular basis. They particularly acclaimed the newly-launched initiatives which will surely have a positive impact on their business relationships with the government organization.