Saudi Gazette Most women prefer male customer service agents rather than females in Saudi Arabia. They complain that female customer care agents working in private sector companies like banks and telephone companies are unequipped and untrained to deal with customers on a professional level. The lack of professional corporate culture in customer service industries that employ women has been a regular problem with female customers. “Whenever I have a quick and urgent transaction at the bank, I walk into the male section because I know I will be guaranteed good service and get my job done.” Both men and women who spoke to Saudi Gazette believe that the notion of females working in the service sector in the Kingdom is fairly new, women workers do not take their client servicing jobs seriously. The most common reasons listed by women who usually go to men for customer care services were –– that men are comparatively more patient, direct, understanding –– and are easier to relate to than women customer care executives. Maha Ayub, 38, marketing professor in Jeddah said that women customer care officials are less helpful and less capable of handling pressure than men.” Firstly, women take hours to understand a problem. Then they call up men to ask what to do. I just walk into the men's branch and tell them I want service not some Barbie who is too scared to work, for the fear of spoiling her manicure. They laugh and help me out minus the drama.” Saira Al-Faisal, 26, a PR agent, living in Jeddah said banks are furnished with women customer care agents who are paid to sit, chat, drink coffee and gossip. “I was at my bank for a crucial matter last week at 9 AM which is their official opening time. However, we were made to wait outside the building for 20 minutes. Out of fury when I screamed at them to let us in –– to my amazement –– I found them them sitting and chatting. I had interrupted them at 9:30 AM, asking for service. One of them said they were having a meeting.” Al-Faisal told them that customers were waiting outside and some of them don't have time to wait for long. “I do not sit and gossip during my working hours. I finally got served at 10 AM. An hour wasted for them is nothing. Many women sit for hours like mannequins, I do not understand how that works. I have a job too, so it's not as if they are the only ones working. Women have absolutely no respect for time and neither do they understand the concept of customer care. I would like to know how they got that job because they definitely do not qualify for it.” Salwa Mahad, a 25-year-old law student said the reason why client servicing is not strong with women is that they do not feel threatened by competition and their positioning. “The attitude style in management by women is so blase and too forgiving. Internationally, we as customers believe that if you don't value our time –– we won't value yours. Most women who work for customer care and support are ridiculous and extremely rude. I have seen them talking to VIP customers like they are royalty and the rest are cattle. We get treated by status.” Mahad said only men are supportive and caring when it comes to customer service. “It may be stereotype and people might dismiss me by saying men are only helpful to women, but even if that is the reason, we do not care. At least they help us out professionally.” Becky Thompson, a British expat living in the Kingdom, complained that female staff at banks barely speak English and find it hard to communicate with her. “Firstly, they need to be taught English.” Thompson was amazed to see Arabic-speaking sales representatives call the men's section to ask for translations and work directions. “You cannot work at the American or British bank and not be able to communicate with your clients. In many cases they called up the male section to ask them how to do simple transactions. Ridiculous!” Joud Murad, a 21-year-old medical student at the King Abdul Aziz University said women working as customer care agents do not value time and lack the ethics and expertise of servicing. She admitted that all female members of her family prefer to get their bank transactions sorted out by male customer care agents or male sale representatives. “My mom just walks into the male section and they finish her work in five minutes. In the women's section, it could take up to an hour.” “You know they do not value customers and do not have the professional attitude towards client servicing,” said Maya Abdul, a 29-year-old designer. It took her a week to fix a simple problem with her phone services. “Everyday I had to go to the women's section. It is very difficult to arrange transport here. I can't drive so I had to take a cab. Finally, on my last trip, I lost my cool and went to the men's section to get my work done. My problem was solved in 20 minutes. Now, there is no way I am going to a woman to help me out.” __
