IN AN extract of his speech ('Fish rots first from the head';
March 3), CapitaLand chief executive officer Liew Mun Leong
described a CEO as an officer who must ultimately be responsible
for service excellence in the company.
So I commend the chief executive of DBS Group, Mr Piyush Gupta,
on taking responsibility for his company's service standards ('We
failed you, DBS chief apologises to customers'; July 14).
In his apology for the recent disruption in banking and ATM
services, one can infer a resolve to set things right. Mr Gupta
also laid down the service standards customers would require of
DBS, saying: 'You have every right to expect uninterrupted services
24/7, 365 days a year from us.' I hope he will deliver on that
promise.
By contrast, SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa's cavalier and insensitive
remarks ('SMRT: Tighter security will not mean higher fare'; June
27) about crowded trains leave one wondering about commitment to
improving service standards.
It also makes one wonder about SMRT's customer charter, which
promises, among other things, safety, security, comfort and
openness to customer feedback.
The recent security breaches at SMRT's Changi depot could not
have underscored this more emphatically.
The importance of having a CEO who does not merely pay lip
service to service is further heightened in the case of SMRT, where
there are wider implications of overcrowded stations and
trains.
Teo Kok Thye
