Make Your Voice Heard

Below is an initial draft of a letter that will be sent to the top bods in RAK. Investors in the Al Hamra Resort project are urged to leave their suggestions for amendments/additions/deletions to this letter by way of comments (link below), before the final draft is sent.


As investors in the Al Hamra project we are looking forward to enjoying the excellent lifestyle, facilities and weather once the units are completed and handed over. Our positive outlook and patience is mixed with a feeling of extreme frustration when comes to getting information, or any sort of customer service from Al Hamra Estates (AHE).

Why should we have to rely on fellow investors who have been able to visit the project site for updates? Why should we have to discuss the progress of Al Hamra based on rumours? Why is Al Hamra so reluctant to speak to it’s customers? A typical response from AHE is that “we do not have for the moment this facility and this kind of service [customer service]”. For such a big company as Al Hamra Estates, it is ludicrous to suggest that they do not have the manpower, expertise on finances to communicate with customers on the progress of the project.

At the recent RAK Conference on 27 Jan 2008, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler, said that Governments should become models for the private sector by taking efficiency and competitiveness to new heights. We would add that “providing excellent customer service” is another key principle for role models to adopt. AHE cannot be exempt from this drive towards efficiency, competitiveness and excellent customer service.

Despite our reservations, we still remain optimistic about Al Hamra project, and look forward to enjoying the fruits of our investment. We just wish that AHE saw it’s investors as integral to the project, and communicated with us as such.

We would like you to look into AHE communication policy with customers and their lack of customer service, in particular ensure that AHE

• keep customers informed of progress and respond to customer questions
  
  
• take responsibility to ensure that any reseller it hires give clients accurate information, and keep them informed of progress
  
  
• does not blame resellers (such as Global Estates) for its own failure to keep customers updated. After all, resellers can only provide information supplied by AHE
  
  
• take immediate steps to dispel the impression of the vast majority of investors that AHE does not wish to engage with it’s customers in any way, and customer care is at the bottom of it's agenda.
  
  
• make excellent customer service a top priority
  
  
• take seriously any grievance investors may have with regard to poor customer service
  
  
• set up an Investors Discussion Forum, or take note of the issues being discussed on public internet forums by investors so that investors don’t have to speculate on discussion forums as to what is happening with the project


• send out an regular progress update email, with photos if possible to investors
  


• have a clear and fair policy on compensation any breach such as delays in the completion date, or reduction in finish quality

We will continue to insist for that Al Hamra Estates deal with us in a honest fair and customer friendly way, and deliver what was agreed in the contract.