Quality Service
After recieving multitudes of complaints about the falling standards of service in Singapore, the government has pushed for better service.
As usual, they started a campaign. This time, a campaign for better service quality called the 'GEMS' campaign. GEMS stands for 'Go-the-Extra-Mile-for-Service', and the tagline for the campaign is 'Great Service Begins With Me'.
It's specific intentions are the following: (ripped from this site)
a) For Service Workers
Demonstate that every service provider is capable of performing ordinary task in extraordinary ways in the normal course of their duties.
b) For Employers
Encourage enployers and management to take the lead to create a service culture and system within the organisation to excel in service delivery.
c) For Customers/Public
Show that customers can play a role to encourage great service by showing simple gestures of appreciations such as smile, greet and thank for service rendered by the service providers.
It's general motive is to promote better service by encouraging the service workers to perform better by going an extra mile in their jobs. For example, Mr. Roger Tay, who went out of his way to help a customer who had problems buying shoes due to the difference in both feet sizes.
Also, they call on the employers to be more than just average in service. Like Muthu's Curry Restaurant, whose management strived not only to provide good food and curry, but also to create a efficient delivery system and first-rate ambience.
Customers are encouraged to show gestures of appreciation, so that the service workers know that their efforts are appreciated.
However, I have a better solution based on the root of the problem: Low salaries. How can you be happy and provide good service when you are getting paid peanuts yet the cost of living is increasing?
So here is my suggested solution: (note: constructive criticism underway)
1) The Government lower taxes, ERP rates, etc. etc. that raises our standards of living.
2) Employers, with lesser expenses to bear, can now increase the wages of the employees
3) The employees, with more pay and less burden, will generally feel happier, and inexorably be in a good mood, which will in turn make them smile more and provide better service.
4) The customers, who will also have less burden, will be affected by the better service and be in a good mood. The mood will be spread as people are more courteous to each other.
Voila! There you have it!
But taking a step back to reality, the GEMS campaign is quite practical and easy to put to use. Let's hypothesize what will happen if the campaign goes very well, too well in fact:
Scenario:
Guy, who is starving, walks into cafe
Guy: Hi, I would like a cup of hot chocolate and a muffin please.
Cashier (smiling widely): What size would you like your cup of hot chocolate to be? Regular or large?
Guy: Regular please.
Cashier: Would you like marshmallows in your hot chocolate? They're free of charge.
Guy: Okay.
Cashier: Would you like to have our crossaint to add on to what you have ordered, sir? It's on offer, 2 for $2.
Guy: No, thanks, I'll just have my hot chocolate and muffin.
Cashier: Sure, sir. May I ask if you are lactose intolerant? The hot chocolate has plenty of milk added.
Guy: It's okay, I can take lactose
Cashier: Are you allergic to peanuts, sir? The muffin contains peanuts.
Guy: Nah, I don't have an allergy to peanuts.
(Guy gets a bit irritated)
Cashier: Having here or take away?
Guy: Having here.
Cashier: Okay then, that would be $2.40
(Guy pays with $10)
Cashier: How would you like your change, sir? A $5 note, a $2 note, and 3 20 cents? Or with a 50 cent coin and a 10 cent coin? Or with 6 10 cent coins? Or 3 $2 notes, a $1 coin, and 3 20 cent coins?Or with 3 50 cent coins and a 10 cent coins? Or with 8 20 cent coins? Or with 16 10 cent coins? Or...
(Guy interrupts)
Guy: Uhh, I'll just have the first combination please.
Cashier (smiling widely): Alright then, would you like to have the receipt?
(Irritated now, seeing that the cashier is still smiling)
Guy: Yeah, why not.
Cashier: What font would you like you receipt in? Time New Romans? Arial?
Guy: Arial then.
Cashier: What kind of material do you want your tray to be made of? Plastic? Mahagony?
Guy (seriously irritated, super super hungry): Can I just have my hot chocolate and muffin please?
Cashier: Sure, sir, would you like your hot chocolate in a mug or a cup?
Guy: A mug.
Cashier: Why are you so irritated? I'm just following the GEMS Campaign..
(Guy faints on the spot of hunger.)
Of course that is almost impossible to take place. The main reason for that is to get people to realise that doing everything to the extreme best may not be the best.
As someone famous said: "Kiang jiu ho, mai geh kiang", which, directly translated, means "Smart can already, no need to act smart".
So, to all people out there, remember to go the extra mile for service, and always remember:"Kiang jiu ho, mai geh kiang"!!
As usual, they started a campaign. This time, a campaign for better service quality called the 'GEMS' campaign. GEMS stands for 'Go-the-Extra-Mile-for-Service', and the tagline for the campaign is 'Great Service Begins With Me'.
It's specific intentions are the following: (ripped from this site)
a) For Service Workers
Demonstate that every service provider is capable of performing ordinary task in extraordinary ways in the normal course of their duties.
b) For Employers
Encourage enployers and management to take the lead to create a service culture and system within the organisation to excel in service delivery.
c) For Customers/Public
Show that customers can play a role to encourage great service by showing simple gestures of appreciations such as smile, greet and thank for service rendered by the service providers.
It's general motive is to promote better service by encouraging the service workers to perform better by going an extra mile in their jobs. For example, Mr. Roger Tay, who went out of his way to help a customer who had problems buying shoes due to the difference in both feet sizes.
Also, they call on the employers to be more than just average in service. Like Muthu's Curry Restaurant, whose management strived not only to provide good food and curry, but also to create a efficient delivery system and first-rate ambience.
Customers are encouraged to show gestures of appreciation, so that the service workers know that their efforts are appreciated.
However, I have a better solution based on the root of the problem: Low salaries. How can you be happy and provide good service when you are getting paid peanuts yet the cost of living is increasing?
So here is my suggested solution: (note: constructive criticism underway)
1) The Government lower taxes, ERP rates, etc. etc. that raises our standards of living.
2) Employers, with lesser expenses to bear, can now increase the wages of the employees
3) The employees, with more pay and less burden, will generally feel happier, and inexorably be in a good mood, which will in turn make them smile more and provide better service.
4) The customers, who will also have less burden, will be affected by the better service and be in a good mood. The mood will be spread as people are more courteous to each other.
Voila! There you have it!
But taking a step back to reality, the GEMS campaign is quite practical and easy to put to use. Let's hypothesize what will happen if the campaign goes very well, too well in fact:
Scenario:
Guy, who is starving, walks into cafe
Guy: Hi, I would like a cup of hot chocolate and a muffin please.
Cashier (smiling widely): What size would you like your cup of hot chocolate to be? Regular or large?
Guy: Regular please.
Cashier: Would you like marshmallows in your hot chocolate? They're free of charge.
Guy: Okay.
Cashier: Would you like to have our crossaint to add on to what you have ordered, sir? It's on offer, 2 for $2.
Guy: No, thanks, I'll just have my hot chocolate and muffin.
Cashier: Sure, sir. May I ask if you are lactose intolerant? The hot chocolate has plenty of milk added.
Guy: It's okay, I can take lactose
Cashier: Are you allergic to peanuts, sir? The muffin contains peanuts.
Guy: Nah, I don't have an allergy to peanuts.
(Guy gets a bit irritated)
Cashier: Having here or take away?
Guy: Having here.
Cashier: Okay then, that would be $2.40
(Guy pays with $10)
Cashier: How would you like your change, sir? A $5 note, a $2 note, and 3 20 cents? Or with a 50 cent coin and a 10 cent coin? Or with 6 10 cent coins? Or 3 $2 notes, a $1 coin, and 3 20 cent coins?Or with 3 50 cent coins and a 10 cent coins? Or with 8 20 cent coins? Or with 16 10 cent coins? Or...
(Guy interrupts)
Guy: Uhh, I'll just have the first combination please.
Cashier (smiling widely): Alright then, would you like to have the receipt?
(Irritated now, seeing that the cashier is still smiling)
Guy: Yeah, why not.
Cashier: What font would you like you receipt in? Time New Romans? Arial?
Guy: Arial then.
Cashier: What kind of material do you want your tray to be made of? Plastic? Mahagony?
Guy (seriously irritated, super super hungry): Can I just have my hot chocolate and muffin please?
Cashier: Sure, sir, would you like your hot chocolate in a mug or a cup?
Guy: A mug.
Cashier: Why are you so irritated? I'm just following the GEMS Campaign..
(Guy faints on the spot of hunger.)
Of course that is almost impossible to take place. The main reason for that is to get people to realise that doing everything to the extreme best may not be the best.
As someone famous said: "Kiang jiu ho, mai geh kiang", which, directly translated, means "Smart can already, no need to act smart".
So, to all people out there, remember to go the extra mile for service, and always remember:"Kiang jiu ho, mai geh kiang"!!
posted by The Wordsmith at
7:17 pm
2 Comments
