[November 28, 2008]

Tawafa track record terrific

MAKKAH, Nov 29, 2008 (Arab News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
The Tawafa Establishment for pilgrims from South Asia always exploits all of its energies to make the Guests of God feel at home. Its efforts are in line with the directives of the Saudi leadership to provide utmost care to the Haj pilgrims. The establishment, its seasonal committees and field offices are all ready to provide best possible services to the pilgrims.

The establishment has adopted a plan to discharge its duties and is organizing its work under an operation plan designed according to the most modern administrative theories commensurate with work methods in the field of services. The establishment is using the state-of-the-art technology in order to provide excellent services.

It has made it a point to provide a number of free services to all its pilgrims ensuring their comfort and safety. Among others, the free services include providing a quick transport of unwell pilgrims to the hospitals and closely following up on them. After they recover, they would be accommodated at the headquarters of the establishment in Arafat.

Once they arrive in Makkah, the pilgrims will be served with free food. This service will also be continued in Arafat so that the Guests of God dedicate all their time to prayers and supplication. The field service offices also give pilgrims souvenirs as gifts before they leave for their respective homes in order to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and cordiality between the establishment and its customers. The gifts include watches, prayer rugs, copies of the Qur'an and pictures of the two Holy Mosques.

The establishment also gives extra services to the pilgrims specially to those coming through companies and tourist groups. That includes mattresses, blankets, bed sheets, catering and health insurance.

The board of directors of the establishment is continuously looking for the best means and methods of further improving the services for the welfare and comfort of the pilgrims. Since last year's Haj season, the establishment has started working with the concept of "services industry" through contracts with specializing firms to provide services to its pilgrims according the standards of "services industry" which depend on check lists and quality control devices.

This procedure has a played a big role in boosting the quality of services.
The establishment is also keen to monitor the satisfaction of the pilgrims on the services provided during their stay in the Kingdom.

In collaboration with a team of King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, the establishments conduct a survey on the services provided among its pilgrims before they leave. Last year, 82 percent of the pilgrims said they were satisfied by these services. The high level of satisfaction proves the establishment provides superb services.

In the field of information technology, the establishment has taken great strides in recent years. During the current Haj season of 1429H, the operational plan of the establishment will include many new IT programs such as:

l Completing contracts of extra special services between its field offices and the tourist groups through its website.

l Introduction of accommodation contracts on the website.
l Receiving data of tourist groups from their countries online.
l Distributing pilgrims among field service offices and to the place of their accommodation even before they leave their respective countries for Saudi Arabia.

l More information about the establishment can be obtained from its various pamphlets and brochures. Its electronic magazine and website www.hujjaj-southasia.com are also helpful.

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http://www.arabnews.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Arab News, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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