Why do Most Expat Technicians seem to be Dishonest?
Abdullah Al-Jaithen
Al Riyadh
My friend said to me while laughing: “I thought expatriate workers were stupid, but it turns out that I am stupid, not them.
When you bring an AC technician or any other type of technician into your home and ask him how much it will cost to repair the AC, he will never tell you the price.
On the contrary, he drops the ball into your court and asks you to tell him how much you will pay. By doing so, you fall into his trap.”
Most of these technicians charge people for services based on what the person’s home is like. If the house is big and located in an upmarket neighborhood, then the technician will not accept less than double the price.
My friend learned this the hard way. Now, every time he engages an electrician, plumber, etc., he never tells him that he lives in an upmarket neighborhood when negotiating a price.
Instead, he usually says he lives in an old neighborhood. He says that this usually results in the workers appearing to be uninterested.
After agreeing with a worker on the price and the work that is needed, he takes the worker along with him.
When my friend reaches his fancy house, the worker immediately goes back on the deal and demands more money.
When my friend asks why, the worker says it is more difficult for him to fix the problem in a new house than an old one.
No matter how hard my friend tries to convince the man of the contrary—that older homes are more difficult to work in—the worker will not agree.
The worker is greedy and wants to overcharge my friend because he lives in a rich neighborhood.
If my friend agrees with the worker on a new price, then another problem crops up: spare parts.
Expatriate technicians usually take advantage of the fact that most customers have no idea about spare parts.
A technician might say that several spare parts need to be changed when in fact only one part needs to be replaced.
Most technicians lie; they do not buy new spare parts. They bring used ones and put them into new boxes.
He added that at the end of the day, they take double the amount they have agreed upon and the AC will usually stop working after a week.
Then, when you look for the same person or call him you will not find him. He will have gone with the wind.
When my friend was building his house, he suffered a lot from this problem because he had to search for good and honest electricians, plumbers, etc. Today, the market is full of technicians who cause more harm than good because they are not skilled. All that they are bothered about is making money dishonestly.
Note: Local Viewpoints are translated from the Arabic press to bring current mainstream opinions published in Saudi media to a worldwide audience. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Saudi Gazette or of its team.