The Ministry of Commerce and Investment announced receiving more than 3 million calls through MCI Consumer Call Center (1900), including consumer complaints, violation reports and inquiries, during the last five years since the start of receiving the consumer complaints and reports directly. The Ministry confirmed its keenness and endeavor to consider and process all consumer complaints received by taking the necessary measures in record time, indicating its intention to redouble efforts to provide an organized commercial environment that preserves the rights of consumers and protects them against any harmful practices.
Meanwhile, H.E. the Minister of Commerce and Investment, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, expressed his thanks and appreciation to all citizens and residents for their constant interaction and direct communication with the Ministry through its official channels, which contributes to the quality of services provided to them. H. E. pointed out that the role of citizen and resident, by reporting any violation related to commercial R&R, is very important within the Ministry's efforts, adding that the Ministry will spare no effort to address these issues.
MCI Consumer Call Center's statistics revealed that it had received more than 3 million calls through (1900), since its establishment in mid-2012 till the end of last week. 97% of such calls were processed and closed, the number of calls per day reached 1608, while the outgoing calls by the said Center to follow up the complaints and reports reached 292317. The statistics show that the proportion of complaints from the total calls received by the Center reached 38%, while the remaining calls related to inquiries, suggestions and following up the violation reports.
MCI statistics show that the commercial fraud violations top the list of complaints by 42%, the commercial agencies violations ranked second with 29%, then provision and supply issues by 15%, while the rest of complaints vary between promotion, sales, commercial data, fuel stations, imitating and forging signs and slogans contrary to the Islamic faith, real estate offices, commercial concealment, metals and precious stones and financial fraud.
As far as the Kingdom’s regions and districts are concerned, Riyadh region ranked first among the total complaints, followed by Makkah, then the Eastern Region, then the Southern Region and Medina, then the rest of the other regions.
Therefore, the Ministry of Commerce and Investment calls on the citizens and residents to proceed lodging their complaints through the application of a Commercial Violation Report, via their smartphones, which enable them to send directly and easily the photos and the site of violation. Through this application, the consumer can review the recalling goods and the campaigns launched by the Ministry, including all the news related to the consumer. This application is easy to use, and it was awarded the Best Free Application in the Apple Store earlier.
It is worth mentioning that MCI Consumer Call Center receives the calls and reports about violations, and they are followed up, processed and closed automatically with direct communication with the inspectors by using smart devices, which contribute to the speed and achieving the work perfectly.
MCI would like to confirm the continuation of its inspection, awareness and development campaigns for enhancing and promoting the capabilities of trade and investment sectors, as well as for protecting the consumers and all beneficiaries through the development of effective policies and highly developed implementing mechanisms that contribute to National Sustainable Economic Development.