Following the announcement of the UAE to use facial identification in some sectors, Paul Bogan, Chief Digital Officer, Serco Middle East commented "now more than ever is the time for facial recognition technology to empower the customer experience. The use of this technology to verify the personal identity of individuals in certain sectors should not be under estimated, and it will cause a ripple effect that ultimately will help drive home the importance of offering a great customer experience. Not only this, but it will further support the overall smart agenda by aligning Dubai with new more disruptive technology driven by artificial intelligence."

He added "What is exciting about this specifically is that whilst facial recognition technology is nothing new, it enables an accurate, personalised and secure customer experience, and one that through its ease of doing, benefits all. The pandemic, as such, has accelerated its take up because of the importance of touchless experiences that removes the need for human contact (and this is preferred over biometrics solutions such as utilising a fingerprint option because of this). Every customer’s experience is unique to them and it is determined by multiple parameters, such as gender, age and their cultural nuances. So what facial recognition is allowing is a very personalised customer experience that speaks to them.

This has huge benefits not only in the context of the current story around efficiencies within government and some private sectors, but on a broader scale in terms of its wider potential roll out. Many sectors are set to benefit through this; from health to transport, facial technology will enable the creation of ticketless, paperless environments. We can expect to see these benefits through the enablement of a seamless end-to-end visitor experience. For example, from access control, ID scanning enabling (such as with contractor staff to ensure that in large scale events the right people with the right access and qualifications are allowed entry – this is particularly relevant for allowing security staff the right access)

But when it comes to the citizens themselves, what is clear is that citizens increasingly expect governments to provide the fast, seamless service they are used to from the private sector. They want to deal with the public sector on their own terms, whether it’s on a mobile device, at home on their computer, in person or through a combination of channels. When they have an issue, they prefer to speak to a human rather than a chatbot, or they would rather post a quick comment about it on social media than send an email. 

"To stay relevant the message is clear; there is a continuous need to evolve and take a holistic look at the organisation. This means putting the citizen and employees at the centre of digital transformation. By doing so this not only builds trust with the public, but it offers a full view of the uptake of services, resulting in increased transparency, satisfaction, cost savings and compliance. Through seeing the power of facial recognition technology and its impact on the customer experience first-hand, Dubai once again has the opportunity to lead the charge."