For the meaning of life, just text 4644

The Life: Adnan Karimjee, operations manager at The Question Company, talks about working a job where customers can literally ask anything.

Adnan Karimjee, Operations Manager, The Question Company. Satish Kumar / The National

Adnan Karimjee's job is to answer random questions - and help settle arguments - as they come up throughout the day. As operations manager of The Question Company, he oversees about 30 representatives who respond to all sorts of queries that are text messaged to 4644 for a fee of Dh1 apiece. He talks about how his business is often about finding the meaning of life.

After midnight

Midnight to 8am always gives us some interesting questions. We're usually targeting people who are out and about, or don't have the time to search. A lot of customers are looking for something to eat or drink at 4am, or for taxis after an event is over. I think they do see us as a friend they can turn to when they're in a pickle. We're 24/7.

By 6am

I'm up. I try to make it a point to be in the office at 8.

Between 8am and 9am

I'm trying to look at questions that came through the night before. I give feedback to our reps whenever I can. I usually just try to make sure the questions are answered well, the info is correct and concise. We try to be a bit funny and quirky. We want the customer to be aware it's a human answering the question. We try to answer questions in under five minutes.

9am

All the questions have been answered, but if I feel one could do with more information we send a follow-up to the customer. Close to Valentine's Day, a lot who initially had a question also had follow-up questions: "How do I ask a girl out? Oh, really? Should I do this or do that?" It became interesting.

Mid-morning

Research. I'm constantly trying to find new websites [to help answer questions]. We get 250 to 700 questions a day. "What is the meaning of life?" That's our most popular question, and "why did the chicken cross the road?" We try to mix it up and give different responses. Opinions to do with the Royal Family, religion, sex or things that go against the laws and culture of the UAE, we won't answer.

Lunch

At the desk.

Afternoon

I'm developing guides for new agents, going through CVs. A lot of people we hire are students, and they usually wake up about midday. That's the best time to give them a call.

5pm

I might go home and go through e-mails. Now it's very easy to keep in touch, and hard to switch off.

Evening

I'm getting into photography on a basic level, and clicking away pictures on my balcony - testing different lenses and exposures. My colleagues in the office are tired of me taking my camera everywhere.