Martoons

Egypt’s Tradition of Customer Service by Enlightened Tourist

A built-in part of the foreigner’s travel experience in Egypt is the relentless badgering you will encounter in an outdoor shopping area and contiguous public space. Enlightened Tourist knows that it won’t go away and that you have to work around it. You can even have fun with it.

The average tourist usually ignores or politely refuses an aggressive vendor’s advance. Enlightened Tourist, if time permits in a particular situation, seizes the moment and expands it into a social opportunity. At best, the verbal exchange between the aggressive vendor and ET can transcend the rudimentary and oTften bothersome buy-sell paradigm and become a conversation between both parties as equal participants. Basically, two acquaintances from different parts of the world meet in the streets and strike up a spontaneous conversation about life, perhaps share a joke, or in a rare incidence become friends.

In some cases when a vendor and a tourist encounter each other in the streets, there may coincidentally be something the tourist actually does need to buy. Enlightened Tourist had been in Cairo 3-4 days but had not been able to locate milk! So, after warding off a vendor’s monotonous sales pitch for lovely pyramid replicas, ET off-the-cuff informs the vendor inquisitively that, “Yes yes I want to buy I want to buy … milk! Can you sell me some milk?” The vendor registered the request and disappeared around a corner. ET was inclined to leave the scene at that point but inferred from body language that the vendor was up to something relevant. Sure enough, the vendor reappeared a moment later … with a carton of milk. “My friend has store,” he stated. ET disbursed the normal payment for a carton of milk and moved on, shaking his head in amazement at the lengths that the vendor had gone to help out. It can be almost embarrassing at times.

Now, back to an annoying vendor. Sometimes a tourist finds that passively ignoring or politely refusing the tedious sales pitch doesn’t work and you have to actually say something more direct, commanding and unequivocal to repel the pest. However, even when faced with that situation, Enlightened Tourist advises to avoid a completely disingenuous answer like, “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you tomorrow.” Or in the case of a persistent child vendor at the Petra monuments in Jordan, another tourist was heard to say, “I think I can hear your mother calling you.” Some more effective responses may be, “Let me think about it” (if you actually are going to contemplate or reconsider making the purchase at a later date) or “Maybe next time” (if you might actually pass by this area again and want to buy). A tour guide advises that if you definitely have no interest in an item now or ever, simply say, “No thanks.” That worked well when invoked on several occasions. And it might be in your best interests not to accompany the vendor to his souvenir shop, even if his offer of Egyptian tea sounds enticing. It’s almost an unwritten law that by entering the shop, you are indicating an intention to buy. If you clearly are not, stay out. Get your tea elsewhere. It’s very cheap in Egypt.

What about an issue that seems to trouble and irritate some tourists: Tips or “baksheesh”? Let’s return to the seller that came back with Enlightened Tourist’s milk. Now that’s service! Would you ever get a vendor in Canada to go across the street to get you something that you hadn’t been able to find? In a case like this, where Enlightened Tourist gets a palpable sense that the seller has gone markedly out of their way to unconditionally assist, a small token of appreciation can be dispensed. However, disbursing baksheesh effectively is a tricky art. Too little can be insulting to the vendor, and worse than none. Paying out baksheesh too generously is a waste of your money. Overdoing baksheesh also reinforces the idea among some vendors that tourists are rich. Also, Enlightened Tourist dispensed tips to some staff but not others at one particular lodging establishment, and this touched off a wave of resentment and jealousy. Even so, life is very difficult for many Egyptians and even a dollar’s worth of baksheesh can really help out. The gratefulness you feel from a thankful recipient can be the highlight of your day.

On the topic of hotels, Enlightened Tourist experienced some truly remarkable service there, encountered only in Egypt. The front desk clerk at ET’s lodgings in Sharm El Sheikh wholeheartedly welcomed ET back from a 24-hour marathon Petra tour … at 2:30 in the morning. The clerk had been aware that ET had been participating in the excursion because the clerk had taken the time to inquire the previous day. Now, with continued genuine interest, the clerk asked, “Did you enjoy the tour?” ET exclaimed with wholehearted enthusiasm, “It was absolutely amazing.” Even if there were minor glitches, discomforts, or inconveniences along the way, best not mention those. Bear in mind that Egyptians take remarks about their country personally.

Moments later, as Enlightened Tourist took leave to head off to his room, the front desk clerk made it clear in no uncertain terms, “If there is anything you need, let me know. If you require something for breakfast for tomorrow morning, I will send our security guard off to the store to get it for you. I want you to know that during the entire length of your stay here, I am here for you.” Now that’s service. (Cairo, Egypt, Sunday May 14/22.)