Life lessons: Unexpected roles can help to change perceptions

A Lebanese former colleague used to travel back to Lebanon at least once a month to visit family and friends. I remember him telling me that one of the things he loved most in his home country was being served by his compatriots. If he went to a restaurant, a Lebanese waiter served him. If he went to get his car fixed, a Lebanese mechanic fixed his car. If he went to get his hair cut, a Lebanese barber cut his hair.

I wondered what the big deal was. His response was: “We just get each other. We are from the same background and culture, which makes the service experience smoother.” I never quite understood what he was trying to articulate. I had grown up in the UAE, arguably one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, and unless it was a government department, I was used to service experiences with all types of nationalities except for one: Emiratis.

That was until recently. During a weekend at the Festember Carnival at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi, my family and I were scouting the food trucks, trying to find our guilty pleasure of choice. It was then we were approached by a young Emirati who invited us to try his restaurant’s mac and cheese, which was also his restaurant’s name, funnily enough. He was dressed in uniform: a branded T-shirt and cap. At first I thought he was there for PR and a marketing gimmick, but I was very wrong.

While we were waiting in line, a group of four Emiratis, who were about to put their food down on the tables made of old oil barrels, complained that their “table” was too dirty. It was then we watched the Emirati co-founder of the restaurant grab a water spray bottle and a cleaning cloth from behind the counter and proceed to clean the table. I captured the entire moment on Snapchat with the caption: “I love Emiratis like this.” I had numerous direct messages enquiring about the restaurant’s location.

That wasn’t the only thing I observed while my family and I waited in the queue for our meals. He was filling sauce bottles, checking and serving customers, and replacing napkins and straws in the dispensers. You could see that when he spoke to customers, especially Emiratis, there was a connection. He knew how to talk to them in a way that felt natural. He knew how they were feeling by the way they responded, and when he spoke about his product, he described it in a way that would appeal to me as an Emirati. From my observations throughout the evening, the queue in front of his restaurant was the longest, and I’m sure his personal touch and connection with his Emirati customers played a big part in that.

Why do I share this story? Well, according to last year's Oxford Strategic Consulting report Tourism and Hospitality, one of the most front-facing customer-centric industries in the world, which includes places such as hotels and restaurants, was ranked in the top four least-attractive sectors for Emiratis to work in.

There still seems to be a negative perception about the service industry; a confusion, if you will, between being a servant and serving others, the latter being the type of work in question. This is a shame, because from my experience, I sensed that Emiratis were supporting their fellow Emirati serving them, rather than looking down on him. I felt they wanted him to succeed and wanted to support in any way they could. It was pretty heart-warming to see.

I feel the work culture is changing in the UAE, and more importantly, Emirati millennials’ approach to work is changing. They want to go beyond the mandatory 9-to-5 cubicle surfing and branch into exciting and non-traditional fields. I feel Emiratis who serve others, especially Emirati customers, are starting to become more and more appreciated, because they’re able to connect and share pieces of the country’s culture in a way that’s impossible for their international counterparts.

There’s an opportunity today for young, bold Emirati men and women to enter this industry while the winds of perception are changing, and be the first to raise their sails and capture that momentum. I think those who do so will be pleasantly surprised by the love and support they get.

Khalid Al Ameri is an Emirati columnist and social commentator. He lives in Abu Dhabi with his wife and two sons.

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