Neighbourhood Voice - December 11

Ramadan, the holy month of giving and sharing. Well, I know the perfect thing to give to a lot of salespeople in Dubai – a few extra hours of sleep. It is during this time that employers get the maximum out of their staff by adding on extra night hours to their otherwise long working hours.

Why don't employees complain? Well, for some of them it's more overtime and extra sales commission. Others just don't have a choice.

Apart from salespeople, customers suffer too. We know about customer service and how wonderful it is here, but can you imagine how much worse it gets? If it is hard to get attention during regular times, try it when these people have done a 12-15-hour straight shift.

Overworked, sleepy, cranky salespeople cannot be good for anyone's business. Maybe companies could try to work out a better schedule. And while they are at it, can someone please standardise working hours during this time.

I know my tailor works from 3.00pm till 11.00pm; a mall opens in the morning, and then after 7.00pm and so on. Whether it's a hairdresser, a pharmacy or a toy store you need, there is no way of knowing what's open when. So if you happen to have errands, make sure you call before leaving.

Anyway, I do think this routine of staying open all day, seven days a week needs to be reassessed. Malls affect a lot of companies with their rigid timings. Planning a day picnic or trips out of Dubai is impossible. This really limits the time and choices for recreational activities. I know some people who have been here for years and have never seen a park.

So, the next time you walk into a store, hotel or restaurant, and aren't happy with the staff, just think of their plight. But if the attendant is too busy giggling on the phone, fixing their hair or retouching the make-up, go ahead and exercise your customer rights.