My World. My Life.

Monday, April 30, 2007

{*service in singapore*}

you know how the government has been actively campaigning for better service quality, most notably in the light of major events like the imf held a few months ago. retailers who are the face of the service sector and hence service standard (not exhaustive of hawkers, police force, etc) are encouraged to be more courteous, to offer a more comprehensive, quality service.

however, abstract as it may be, the shared new figures from the World Economic Forum (WEF) saw Singapore’s ranking in the world for service standards registering a drop from number 17 to number 26. more worrisome, the service sector seems to favour foreigners and therefore offer them preferential treatment. note that i am NOT making a generalisation here and accusing of the entire service sector of this. it is based on the experiences i have encountered.

in the past 3 days alone, i've been at the blunt of lousy service. and also, enjoyed surprisingly quality service from an unexpected source. will elaborate on the latter later.

i got my brakes changed the past saturday, at a certain "high-end" bicycle shop along bukit timah. sure, the one behind counter was patient with my questions about the price of the brakes. to be extra certain, i made 2 calls to the shop as i was cycling there and needed to carry sufficient cash/ensure sufficient funds in my credit hard. and sure, he was able to quote the sum of the prices of the cable, levers and brakes.

however his attitude was a turn-off. when he repeated the prices, he said in a irritated tone "din i tell you...?". now, i know it is tiresome standing behind a counter, servicing the endless bicycles, facing demanding customers and answering calls. trust me, i know how it feels. but it is not an excuse. you do not say that to a PAYING customer, even if he is 21 years of age. you do not say that to someone who decides the profits of your company in the short & long term. and i highly doubt he would behave the same way to a foreigner. and i was right.

i told him to give me a call when the bikes were ready. i even wrote down my name and hp number is a clear, very writable hand-writing. he did not do so. i had to call the shop again. and when i got to the shop, he completely ignored me. instead, he was completely focused on aiding a caucasian. no hello, no acknowledgement, no service at all. sure, he may be busy. but the way he behaved strongly illustrated the prejudiced quality of service to locals. his service was so bad to the extent that he did not even bother writing a receipt stating the break-down of the components and the prices. i walked off pissed, having to make do with just a simple cash receipt.

second example. a certain restaurant at bukit panjang plaza selling indonesian/halal food. i was there with my friend on a saturday night, after having changed the brakes. i approached the female waitress at the entrance and said, "table for two, do i have to wait?". i was neither rude or demanding - it was just a clear concise, simple question. she simply stared at me and continued to attend to a family behind me.

again, note that i was definitely audible, but not loud. i was very sure i did not jump thequeue and i wasnt being a least bit aggressive.

ahh now the good part : ) the local bike shop just below my house, opposite ten mile junction. the uncle was EXTREMELY accomodating when my family went to choose a new bike for my sister. and he was again, EXTREMELY patient when i asked him abt the prices of the many components for my mountain bike as well as a problem i was facing with my gear/chain cassette. note that it was part 9 pm - the closing time. yet he did not rush us, gave us a generous discount, changed the seat for free and even adjusted the position of the bars, saddle positions. all without any complaints.

now what is the use of say SPRING and GEMS when the service sector is deterioriating? when you expect good service at reputated outlets and instead get poor snobbish service?

singapore is a mixed economy, leaning towards a capitalist one. consumer sovereignity is one of the criteria determining how much of what is produced. goods and services are catered to our needs and wants. we are the final decision-makers of profit-seeking organisations and businesses. we vote in the marketplace with our dollars and cents. as such, the customer is ALWAYS right.

the service sector cannot simply be rude or display preferential treatment towards foreigners even though they may have deeper pockets. i cannot stress enough the importance of service quality and attitude. in a way, i have a reason for the supposed better service standard in the past - the community was smaller, the people were more sincere and the individuals more sensitive towards others' feelings.

a salute to the uncle at the bike shop. thumbs down to the bukit timah bike shop and restaurant at bpp.

to my readers, feel free to share your personal experiences!

Gabby | 3:43 PM

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About me:

22m(FREAKING old man)
me a long time ago
me now
gab_toh@hotmail.com
MY facebook
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smu, 2007-2012
ex-hpps
ex-acjc
ex-acs(i)
ex-acjc
ex-lifeguard
ex-RSAF

Loves:

cycling
milk
chocolates
chics
my family
my friends
music
guitars
chilling out
reading
chatting! :)

Dislikes:

liars
cockroaches
lizards
backstabbers
perverts
people who slurp when eating porridge/noodles/drinking soup

Wish List:

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