MetaShare
Applying Solutions to Business Issues
MetaBytes
Listening to One minute Leadership Insights
MetaServe
Viewing LATEST Meta program
MetaLinks
Linking to cutting-edge Learning websites & thought-leadership resources
MetaTools
Using Meta Frameworks for Organization Development

Subscribe to MetaTrends Click here


Making A World-Class Service Organization: The Singapore Experience


The service report card is out in Singapore. Our service is down.

I read with great interest the articles, “Health Care Service Down“[i], “Customer Satisfaction Levels Down”[ii] and[iii]that Singapore is joint last in an 8-market survey despite millions of dollars spent and the drives to boost service levels.  The decline in the customer satisfaction index is from 2007’s 68.7 to 2008’s 67.8.

Allow me to first commend and applaud the Government for addressing the problem of service earlier. We should not be discouraged. This serves as a good reality check on where we are.

Without the Government’s intervention, I believe the score would be much lower.
But it still begs the question, why has customer service has not improved?


1.     Training is not embraced by the leadership team – CEOs must champion the cause

Some business owners jump at the opportunity to conduct GEMS training simply because the government has provided funding and they want to appear to do something for their staff. I am not sure if they really believe in service excellence and that the training is going to make any difference. Is leadership commitment to service seen in their behavior? How much do CEOs talk about service at meetings, affirm staff that demonstrate service excellence, check on service standards, or monitor complaints regularly?
2.     Sporadic training is not sufficient – Provide systematic long-term training

I notice that many firms have adopted a knee-jerk approach to customer service training. It’s either propelled by a spate of complaints or initiatives by the Government (GEMS) program. As such, most service training comprise of a few modules of customer service, which seem to energize the staff and the organization for a short time. Unfortunately, we then relapse into our default mode and bad habits soon after. These types of training, though good, are not sufficient. Training must be systematic, intentional and organization-wide – a ‘short-gun’ approach will not do.
3.      Little or no monitoring of service excellence benchmarking – Create and monitor new benchmark

Training is not enough. Service excellence has to be tracked and monitored constantly. Thankfully, we now have a new Customer Satisfaction Index for organizations to benchmark themselves and also against others in the same industry. This is a great start. I fully recommend that organizations start adopting this as a way to monitor their service standards.
4.      Unfamiliarity with rising customers’ expectations – Out fly customers’ expectations

There is a constant need to monitor customers’ expectations. A basket of fruit placed in a hotel room ten years ago was a ‘wow’ moment then, but nowadays it is expected. Customers want more for less. Unless we are able to understand the changing expectations of customers, we will not be able to create value for them.

5.      Service providers are not effectively recognized and rewarded – Work out a recognition system

Getting staff trained is only the first step. Staffs who practice service excellence and manage customer complaints well have to be recognized and rewarded. Unfortunately, most rewards are monetary in nature. There must be more creative ways of recognizing and rewarding star service providers, who will motivate others. Service excellence is about creating a culture that will create a rippling and cascading effect to all levels and all staff.

6.      Processes are not in place – Service is about People & Process

Customer service is about people and process. We can have cheerful, professional service staff but if our product quality and delivery are not in place, service will not be up to standard. It is then not surprising when service standard goes down. From my own experience in service training and consultancy, many organizations have neglected service processes and systems. As the Institute of Service result has shown, service excellence is a function of service product, service value and expectations.

It is my wish that Singaporeans become more service conscious and that Singapore will become a nation identified with world-class service.
 

 
John Ng, PhD
President
Meta
**********************
Tel: (65) 6419 5255
Fax: (65) 6227 7170
Email: john@meta.com.sg
 
For past articles on MetaTrends, please log in www.meta.com.sg
 
 


[i] , Heath Care Service. Straits Times May11, SPH Publishing, Singapore.
[ii] Lim Wei Chean, Customer satisfaction levels down. Straits Times B1 April 20, 2009. SPH Publishing, Singapore.
[iii] Lim Wei Chean, Service sector has its work cut out. Straits Times B2 April 21, 2009. SPH Publishing, Singapore.
 
Home | About Us | Our Services | Our Programs | Our Clients | Our Team | Our Approach | Contact Us
MetaShare | MetaBytes | MetaServe | MetaLinks | MetaTools | MetaTrends
Meta Pte Ltd owns the copyrights to all materials listed. All rights reserved. No part of the publication and design maybe reproduced in any form or may by any means including photocopying without written permission from Meta Pte Ltd. Such permission must also be obtained before any part of the publication and design is stored in a retrieval system of any nature.

Meta Pte. Ltd. 31 Boon Tat Street, #03-01 Eagles Center Singapore 069625 Tel: (65) 6419-5255 Fax: (65) 6227-7170 Email: enquiries@meta.com.sg