Something to think about. Think about how others perceive you, and how helpful they are initially inclined to be based on these perceptions and how you approach them. Using a few examples we have seen so far - some of the reactions Mlinzi received while wearing the face paint. While not everyone would react that way, some might. The sailor you tried to collar and question, while he was on his way alone to the docks, may have been inclined to wonder why a foreigner (based on your skin) wearing a suit was approaching him on the roadside. Some competitor for his company, something else? He might not react the same time if he's not alone, or in another location, or drunk, etc.
Other things to keep in mind, how you are dressed, gender, how you carry yourself, where you are etc, can affect how various residents perceive you. Each of you has different niches you may at times fill more effectively than whoever has the biggest dice pool, as in some cases, just getting a stranger to talk to you may be what you have to overcome. Once you get someone talking, they are more likely to keep talking, so just keep that in mind.
