The Service Sector in Singapore

Rhonda SG

This topic is in the headlines today in The Straits Times.

Generally, I feel that if one is a good customer, the chances of one getting good service is greater. Afterall, some customers can be rude and unreasonable and although service staff should be professional and take all these in their stride, they are afterall human, and lapses in quality can occur.

However, what irritates me is when I go up to a counter and say "Hi!" and smile to the cashiers and there is almost always no response, no smile in return. Sometimes, they look at me like I'm crazy. I'm so used to this common courtesy over in Melbourne that it's a bit jarring in the beginning. Yet, I still can't say that this is something I have grown used to here, neither do I think that it's something that we should get used to because a "Hi!" doesn't cost anything and it's really basic courtesy, acknowledging someone's presence and sending a greeting their way, before proceeding with the transaction.

I still say "Hi!" and smile at the cashiers and counter staff but I no longer anticipate reciprocative courtesy. That says a lot for the level of service here, especially through the eyes of foreigners from certain countries.

eagle SG

I have to agree. I was in Germany for my student exchange, the everytime, the cashier says hi without fail.

And there, when I'm going to cross a small road, the driver will always stop the car and let me cross first (even when I stop and wait for the car to cross like in SG). But here, the driver wouldn't bother, and some might even horn rudely for crossing without letting him/her go first.

Rhonda SG

I have to agree. I was in Germany for my student exchange, the everytime, the cashier says hi without fail.

Yeah! You at least get a "Hi!". Even in supermarts like Coles or budget department stores like K-Mart, you always get a "Hi!" and I find that if you just make a general comment about the day / weather / whatever, the staff feels happier. The thing is, you don't necessarily delay the transaction - it still takes the same amount of time to finish - but the difference is, the entire transaction can be done in dour silence with a sour face or it can be breezily completed with smiles and basic courtesy from both the customer and the staff.

About crossing roads... I've noticed that these days, people cross the roads wayang-style... slow and as if they own the roads. The pedestrians don't seem to bother if there are cars around or not and quite a few times my dad had to slow down to a crawl just to accommodate pedestrians who cross the road and take their time to 'gelek pantak' (shake their bums). Kinda like human peacocks taking their own sweet time to cross their grandfathers' roads!

av98m SG

Where did you encounter this? From my own experience service standards are on the whole pretty decent these days. And yes, I agree that it won't kill us to smile and say hi.

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~ SG

Where did you encounter this? From my own experience service standards are pretty decent these days. And yes, I agree that it won't kill us to smile and say hi.

Well I've encountered my fair share these days too...

I had ichiban boshi over at parkway parade over the weekend on sunday. Service was real bad, staffs practically run ard, and when we asked for something, the staff just "wait" without even stopping... -___-

Last week I had Ajisen Ramen over at Tampines Mall, most the service staff got a deadpan look... no smile no anything...

Both times, the staffs weren't local...

However, Staffs in places like Coffee beans, Star Bucks, TCC, Coffee Club usually give a smile and are rather decent in their service... Same goes for Dome...

Ehhh, somehow the latter are all coffee places and most of their staff are locals...

不如就死 SG

Well I've encountered my fair share these days too...

Last week I had Ajisen Ramen over at Tampines Mall, most the service staff got a deadpan look... no smile no anything...

Both times, the staffs weren't local...

However, Staffs in places like Coffee beans, Star Bucks, TCC, Coffee Club usually give a smile and are rather decent in their service... Same goes for Dome...

Ehhh, somehow the latter are all coffee places and most of their staff are locals...

i have to disagree .. a lot of the coffee places, they are decent in their service not because of whether the staff are local or not ... more to that its their company's culture. Look at starbucks .. most of their outlets, their service staff are usually quite friendly and they greet u and wat not ..

Rhonda SG

Where did you encounter this? From my own experience service standards are on the whole pretty decent these days. And yes, I agree that it won't kill us to smile and say hi.

NTUC, Popular Bookshop, That CD Shop, Isetan, etc etc.

Rhonda SG

Well I've encountered my fair share these days too...

Last week I had Ajisen Ramen over at Tampines Mall, most the service staff got a deadpan look... no smile no anything...

Both times, the staffs weren't local...

However, Staffs in places like Coffee beans, Star Bucks, TCC, Coffee Club usually give a smile and are rather decent in their service... Same goes for Dome...

Ehhh, somehow the latter are all coffee places and most of their staff are locals...

They are understaffed. I won't expect staff working under pressure to provide good service. I think management has to realise that if you're serious about good service, you cannot understaff the joints.

elindra SG

Well when I go to Colds Storage at Tampines the cashier always greets me brightly. I think it’s company culture and training, some shops do greet you but I think in general, if you are polite to them, they tend to be polite back to you.

I think NTUC is the worse. KNS yesterday I went to buy some ready-made salad, I heard to this cashier bitch to another about being scolded because she was shopping for her groceries during work hours and the way she talked it was like she have ever right to shop during work hours.

elindra SG

I also think that most service staff are not used to customers greeting them brightly.

Sometimes I get shy smiles when I do that.

It's our culture I think

Dreamwerkz SG

I believe understaffing is one of the problems. The workers are overloaded at the expense of cutting cost. If such practices still carrys on, 10 years down the road, Singapore will be kicked out of the top 10 in many trades & industries. By then all the productivity & quality campaign by the WDA will be crap.

av98m SG

NTUC, Popular Bookshop, That CD Shop, Isetan, etc etc.

NTUC is confirm lousy service one. Popular bookstore.......haven't gone there for very long.

That CD shop and Isetan? That's a suprise! I always get good service from them leh.

elindra SG

NTUC is confirm lousy service one. Popular bookstore.......haven't gone there for very long.

That CD shop and Isetan? That's a suprise! I always get good service from them leh.

I think Popular staff r like droids

But I'm also surprised about That CD shop and Isetan

That CD shop always gives me very good service leh

I cannot comment about Isetan because I go to Medi-Ya more than Isetan

Rhonda SG

I also think that most service staff are not used to customers greeting them brightly.

Sometimes I get shy smiles when I do that.

It's our culture I think

Yeah! I say "Hi!" and smile, but most of them either outright ignore me, or they look a bit startled and don't know how to respond.

Rhonda SG

NTUC is confirm lousy service one. Popular bookstore.......haven't gone there for very long.

That CD shop and Isetan? That's a suprise! I always get good service from them leh.

I used to like That CD Shop because their staff used to be very friendly and cheerful. I used to frequent them and even got their member card because I really loved that shop.

I returned to the branch in Great World City twice and twice, even though I was served by different girls, they were uniformly unsmiling and unresponsive, even though I said "Hi!" to them. I spent quite a lot there but it sure wasn't a happy experience.

Rhonda SG

Haiz... it's so hot I don't feel like stepping out! I think I'll just take cabs for the remainder of my stay here.

I must say that the heat here is 'gentler' on the skin than back in Melbourne, where the heat is dry and your skin really suffers.

Junyang700 SG

Actually Cold Storage has this standard procedure of saying "Good morning, afternoon and evening" to customers when you reach the counter....

Used to work there before.... but usually cashier will say "Hi".... cos its more friendly and relevant... saying Good Morning will scare the customer... or make the cashier look stupid because nobody bothers to reply back anyway..

Anyway.... it really depends on the cashier himself/herself. If you say Hi... but give a glum face... i rather you dun say.. lol... Those who smile but don't say hi.... more genuine and sincere.. lol...

elindra SG

But I think it’s because the expectations are different?

Personally, I’m happy if the shop assistant is not rude, leave me alone and attend to my needs when I need them.

A smile is nice but not necessary as long it’s not a scowl or long black face.

I mean I don’t even talk to my neighbors, and you want me to chat with the cashier which is so not me.

It’s like in USA I wish the cashiers will just shut up instead of making small talk.

Kuali Baba SG

Back home, I do acknowledge service staff (including bus drivers) who greet me. It's only the right thing to do to reply and not treat them as if they're invisible until you need them. However a lot of customers behave as if they're no different from the buzzer at the entrance.

The service staff here in the US almost always greet you, ask how you are and sometimes inquire if everything's alright. I feel comfortable being frank with them but I usually have to put on a front with the "how are you doing" bit. Even if it was a rubbish day you feel compelled to somehow make it sound like it's going to get better.

Polish and Finnish service standards varied widely depending on where I went. Misunderstandings happen, and both sides go away feeling worse off. Generally though they know what they're selling or doing thoroughly, and like the Americans let you taste and test things to a reasonable extent.

In order for our service standards to improve, we need to pay them better and give them better working conditions. They should also have more autonomy when it comes to dealings with customers - they can't always be checking with superiors or sticking with rules. Unreasonable customers exist everywhere but the least that we can do is to treat them with more respect.

Junyang700 SG

USA service standards not as good as those in New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Europe, Thailand....

Damn bloody slow at times.... Especially those making coffee.. they expect you to put tips at the counter before they serve you coffee...

And for restaurant staff they like to ask "Is everything OK?".... The meaning is actually "Please place your tips on the table, Thank You!"

DON'T PUT, DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT LEAVING THIS RESTAURANT!

I find the Australian, Taiwanese and Thailand way more genuine. It comes from the heart, rather than standard operating procedure... or just to get tips from you!