Two-thirds of UAE residents consider AC a critical ‘life essential’, according to a new survey.
Sixty-five percent of residents rated AC as more important than Wi-Fi, smart phones or cars to their quality of life.
The survey of 1,000 UAE residents by air conditioning solutions provider Taqeef found 56% of respondents said that AC is the one thing that they cannot manage without for even one day.
Twenty percent said that their AC failing was a bigger concern than any other product issue.
Tariq Al Ghussein, Taqeef Chairman and CEO commented: “Given the harsh climate in the UAE, particularly during the summer months, it’s not surprising that residents consider their AC to be a life essential. It can be very frustrating if it breaks down, especially when temperatures are soaring beyond 40 degrees Celsius.
“We always advise having AC units checked and cleaned regularly to ensure that they’re working efficiently, to extend their working to life, and to avoid any potential issues when they’re needed the most. Doing so also helps to minimise the environmental impact in a region where AC usage is simply unavoidable.”
Despite the importance placed on fixing a broken life essential within 24 hours, the survey results also revealed that nearly all respondents, 93%, are unsatisfied with some aspect of warranty policies on big ticket items, including ACs, appliances, electrical goods and cars. They noted several reasons for the cause of frustration, including the difficulty of the claim process (45%), followed by waiting time for repair/ replacement (42%), hidden charges (37%) and fine print (23%).
Taqeef is offering its CoolCare protection plan, a free, five-year warranty on Midea and General AC units purchased at a Taqeef showroom or through its authorised retailers, which Al Ghussein said will help address resident’s concerns about AC servicing.
“You can use your AC responsibly by simply keeping the temperature at a minimum of 24 degrees Celsius and switching it off when there’s no one in the house. Not only will it reduce the chance of issues arising but it should reduce your electricity consumption and your bills too. AC should be a comfort and not a concern, so this summer we launched our CoolCare Protection Plan, which offers free parts and labour on AC repairs for new units that we retail,” added Al Ghussein.