Customer service in Singapore goes beyond the Frontline

Singapore, our little red dot, is an island of service enterprises. As a customer, if all you need is “Yes, Sir!”; “Thank  you, Sir.” I would say then that you have been served.

The reality is, customers demand and deserve more! Having to wait more than 30 minutes to get your plate of pasta or interacting with sales personnel who do not ‘go the extra mile’ to explain alluring features in latest tech gadget you are eyeing, is probably sure to stretch your patience to the limit.

While others may play armchair critics by simply complaining about the bad services they receive from this and that place, perhaps one should be generous enough to provide his/her feedback about the customer experience to the establishment.

Lucky are those service outlets that receive customer feedback - progressive companies do value such feedback to improve the way their service is delivered. Innovation can spring from here. Work processes can be re-engineered; systems, structures and implements can be reviewed to correct inherent flaws and inefficiencies to transform your customer experience.

Service establishments need to seek ways to innovate and continuously improve beyond the impeccable smiles.

Cultivating the right service mindset is only winning half of the battle. The workplace has to be an environment conducive to germinating seeds of creativity that can lead to tangible innovations.

That is, innovation that will bring about reduced work wastes and idle time while producing better quality products or delivering all-round excellent service.

With the labour issues that confront us today, be it a shortage of labour or rising wages, sustainability of businesses hinges very much on all aspects of productivity improvements in the workplace.

Human resource development should be a holistic approach. On the same note, excellent customer service goes beyond the frontline. It has to encompass a comprehensive framework of attitudinal, skills, competencies and process training and improvements to deliver the company’s brand promise.

(Read a commentary piece on Singapore Airlines' customer service here.)

Companies in Singapore can benefit from the numerous government schemes out there for those looking to improve workplace productivity and service innovation.

Service industries can tap into the Customer-Centric Initiative (CCI) and CCI Plus (for SMEs) offering specially tailored assistance packages for Singapore-based companies to upgrade service standards.

People development through training is strongly encouraged and there are various funding schemes available.

WDA has established CET centres to deliver quality adult training. CET centres undergo a rigorous accreditation and Continuous Improvement Review process to maintain the standards and quality of training delivery. Course fees  can be funded up to 90% and company sponsored trainees receive additional Absentee Payroll support.

Organisations that are committed to improving efficiency and cultivating a globally competitive workforce, as well as individuals who are keen to upgrade and strengthen their capabilities should leverage on these funding options to pursue a wide spectrum of training and people development initiatives.