Service DNA

Recently during the National Day Rally Speech, our PM say we should raise our level of service standard in Singapore and one of the way proposed is to send these service personnel for more training and skills upgrade.

Actually, I have a second opinion to that. I think what should be done is, a career pathway should be designed for these people. And the consumer behavior and employer mindset should be re-tuned as well.

Has anyone done a simple survey to find out the demographics of these service personnel in the first place? I figure most of them would be people who does not have a degree, former housewives and students. The pool of service personnel should contain mostly of these people. Now these people would not command a high pay due to their background. In this day and age, when Singapore standard of living are rising, while most of these personnel pay remain almost stagnant. How could their service standard increase? They are more worried when her boss would sack her or how to make ends meet with the meager pay. Moreover some of these retail businesses, the reward system promotes a different set of behavior from their employees. Having to contend with difficult customer is bad enough; having to tackle difficult customers without any compensation for the difficulty is worse. Employer here should have a reward system that would strongly encourage employee to provide good service. One way could be to share the profit of the business with these frontline personnel; this would greatly improve the service quality and the image of your business in customers’ heart.

With the reward system in place, another thing would be a career pathway designed for service personnel. Let these people know that the way they treat the customer could give them a chance for promotion, by merit only. Knowing there is a promotion for good performance, a chance to have a career in service would be a good for the personnel.

Talking about service quality, having been to Taiwan recently, I have seen the best that is not yet seen in Singapore and I have seen worst that is found in Singapore. One of the best service staff I have seen is from Taichung when I am buying the 奶油酥饼。(It is a form of biscuit that has green bean paste in it, it taste superb! Anyone who is there should buy it and try!) The staff is extremely friendly, even after the first time when we did not buy anything, she did not show any resentment although I have no idea whether deep in her heart there is or not. When we went back the second time to look around, she still treats us nicely so I decide to buy something from her. (She was also very passionate about the product she is promoting, the taste, history, the baking process. Very good product knowledge) The next day when we went back, because of the great taste, she remembered us! Wow!

Most of the service staff that I see in Taiwan is more or less the same as the one I met in Taichung. At least they do not show their resentment on their face. I guess a sense of loyalty and belonging could be another factor that could improve the service standard in Singapore. Upgrades and training should come later when employer are able to reduce the turnover in the frontline staff.

Let us wish and hope the service quality in Singapore would improve!

Cheers!