Saudi Salesmen

 

Salesmen Saudi Young men are breaking the ice by taking up jobs in shops for selling clothes , make up or shoes for girls and women who are not used to deal with Saudi salesmen for  a long time.

 

Zaky Bantaan ,20, working on part time ,for two years ,for Evans ,a specialized shop for big sizes . He works as a cashier  and he provides customers all the service  that they need  he also takes care of cleaning .

"  Basically we give her more than what she needs .If she needs  just a blouse , I suggest for her shoes from Milano or accessories from Claire's  " Zaky said  . He thinks that he can work best with his old customers because they are regular ones and he knows what are they looking for exactly .

  About his treatment to ladies " We should be professional ,we were taught lessons about etiquettes of dealing with customers  '' he said, " We don't mix work with personal life , I am earning money from my work , I don't want to lose my job"  . 

" It is growing the other side, between young men  and girls "Bantaan said. He didn't like that some girls try to involve him in  relationships that he never wanted ,"  I want to know you  ,could you give me your number" a girl said  to Zaky . When he found out that the girl wanted to make a love affair or anything like that , he said " I am engaged ".

 

The Saudization (replacement of foreign labor by Saudi nationals) plan was imposed by King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz to stop Saudi Arabia from dependence on cheap foreign labor.

According to Arab news, the shop owners have also been strictly instructed to implement 50 percent Saudization this year itself.  Interior Minister Prince Naif, who is also chairman of the Manpower Council, has ordered the total Saudization of jobs in gold and jewelry shops .

 He had ordered that 30 percent of jobs in the sector be Saudized last year, 50 percent this year and 100 percent by next year, but the authorities concerned complained to the prince about noncompliance by shops in most regions.

  So a group of Saudi businessmen have decided to open an institute to train youth in all skilled jobs related to the manufacture and sale of gold and jewelry. The new institute will facilitate the smooth replacement of expatriate workers with Saudis in line with the government decision to Saudize the sector.

The areas of training will cover trades such as sales of gold and jewels, specialized accounting of gold workshops. The cost of providing training to 13,500 Saudis will work out to more than SR282 million. When the training courses are completed Saudis will be fully qualified to replace 3,500 expatriates working in 1,100 shops and 10,000 skilled laborers working in 360 workshops in Jeddah alone.

 

Ahmed  Falataa ,21, a salesman in body shop ,one of the most popular shops for selling body products and perfumes in the kingdom. He works for 9 hours a day   ,He enwraps gifts and helps the customers to choose from the collection of cosmetic they have in the shop.

He talks about his  way of dealing with girls " we are not allowed to tackle with the customers in a bad way ,respect is a must , to avoid any problems ,we should be professional in doing that ".

 Falataa is looking forward to get a certificate for his good relationship with customers  " We have sisters " he said ," I treat my customers as my sisters" .

Saudis want to work just as other people do, but employers tend to prefer foreigners because they accept lower wages. Young men do not  any more spurn the modest jobs that foreigners are happy to take.  They do not want to remain jobless. They are obtaining these jobs ,  getting salaries from 2800 to 3000 SR .  Fallattah said "  We get our payment for salaries before the others ; and our wages are increasing to motivate the young men to do a better job" . 

 

For the same company ,Yahi Al Ali ,27, gives his opinion  about choosing the best products for customers ,said " I used to be embarrassed a little at the beginning of my career when  a girl asks  me about how to use a certain product but now I don't have any problem ''. It `s a matter of time  for Yahia , he didn't get  anybad reactions from  customers .

 Some of the clerks are trying to learn English Language to communicate better with foreign customers  and to do better  work  . They knew that " life is not so easy " Yahi said. They are looking forward to get bonus  from their employers .

 

 

In Zara , a shop for garments in Heraa shopping centre , Amen Al Ghamdi, arranges the  clothes according to their colors and sizes, when they start their work  at 9  O'clock in the morning. He is a cashier and responsible about cleaning the shop, too.

" All our customers are equal ,rich or poor ,civilized or savage, they are just the same for us ,We never treat any one meanly, to protect the name of our company ,Zara" Ali said.

But dealing with girls and women has another technique" If a customer is laughing we laugh with her and talk to her just to make her a regular customer not more, then we say bye ''.

 About women at the age of 45-50, he said, "they want us to give them more than interest, sometime they are worse than the young girls; they don't want to get the classic clothes they rather prefer sports."

 

In Claire's,  a shop for accessories, a salesman  Bander Maghraby, 25,married , ,working for four months there . He talks about his job . It starts by welcoming the customers .  " If a customer likes me to help her , I do that I may suggest a set for her  ,other wise we offer her a small basket to put the accessories or pins for hair in it ".

 

Begin married he has a kind of loyalty to his wife," I am a married  man " he said . " Some girls  try to talk  nonsense , they want to have fun , I try not to lose them as customers but at the same time  I fear  Allah ".

 

 Bander use another strategy with different customers," if they are wearing veils and they seem to be conservative, I switch the cassette off respecting their desire of not listening to songs  or music and make them feel free without any interference ; but for others we may let the songs on or talk to them freely ."

 

Saudi salesmen are trained to deal  best with their customers. They are given proper training before they face the public. 

 

A manger for Zara Store, Majed Salem, Egyptian , said " Some Saudi young men are really serious about their work , they are very good in doing their jobs "

 

Zara gives these clerks 2- 3 weeks  for training , they tell them how to help the customers ,arrange the goods and all  other basics .

 Salem said "  some of the  young men come just for fun  , we distinguish them from the first days ,they never do good work ,and they leave  soon '' .

 

Mazen , a manger for Claire's in Al Tahlia centre  .They  give their employers a training  for a month  ,  said " I have mixed experience with young Saudis "  . He thinks that 20-25 percent are good for nothing  10-15 are excellent . " We do not give them much work but even then some of them can`t take up our formula in doing good work " he said .

Dealing with Saudi clerks has another privilege for Miss Al Bougami, who studies fine arts, " Saudis do not cheat you, they never play tricks on you " she said . She finds their cooperation  sufficient.

 " They do not interfere  in your business , they do not dare to talk to you badly, they are shy . They do not want the society to misjudge them so they do not cross their limits ".

But she also thinks that they lack experience . "The expiators are more aware of certain information , and they can help you better " she concluded.

 

 Mrs. Sabaagh a regular customer for  shops dealing with kids clothes,  prefers to t deal with foreigners.  she said " when I asked the cahier about how can I  get a discount card ,he said that he doesn't have any idea about that '' .

Mrs. Sabaagh finds expiators more serious about their work ,they do not waste time after prayer they come earlier to work not like Saudis. About sale season, she said" some of them do not know which  items  are for sale"  .

 According to Mrs. Sabaagh only very few  Saudis  one can rely on them and they can be  so honest and good.