*** ----> EWA rolls out video communication service | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

EWA rolls out video communication service

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Electricity and Water Authority announced launching a new set of visual services for subscribers to overcome the challenges posed by the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

The services, using Skiplino, open a direct visual link with EWA employers, bypassing service centres. The services also cater to those who are hard-of-hearing.

Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, the Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs, and Shaikh Nawwaf bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the CEO of EWA, inaugurated the new services. EWA, the minister said, is one of the first governmental agencies to launch a visual communication service for subscribers.

“The move follows the digitisation plan the authority is rolling out, including for insurance payment through the e-government portal.

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Shaikh Nawwaf said the new services allow subscribers to book an appointment through the Skiplino app available both for Apple and Android. Sheikh Nawwaf added: “Upon booking a service, an employee from the concerned department will contact the subscriber visually using the app to complete the transactions.”

“The service experienced great success during its trial period by making 28 thousand video calls through our virtual branch during the first quarter of the year.”

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“This year, EWA call centre processed 268,110 calls according to the performance indicators approved by the authority,” Sheikh Nawwaf said.

The service for deaf and mute people allows them to communicate visually through the number 33267444 without prior appointment. The minister and the CEO further affirmed that the Electricity and Water Authority plans to launch more new electronic services in the future.