GEMS, which stands for 'Go the Extra Mile Service', is a national movement to improve the service level in Singapore. In February 2006, four million cards were distributed throughout Singapore to encourage customers to show their appreciation for good service.
In my opinion, customer service is a two-way process. Although the customer is always right, well at least that's what most people say, yet I have always believed that it is also the customer that will ultimately be the determining factor in whether the service rendered was good or bad.
I believe that in the service industry in Singapore, one of the reasons why our service standard is still ranked lowly on World Service Standards chart (Singapore is now ranked 26, a drop from 17 in the year 2005) is primarily because the service industry is not given the appropriate emphasis. The launch of GEMS is to encourage better service standards however the perception of the service industry being a platform for many Singaporeans to seek temporary employment is still very much a prevalent perception. Their argument is because a job in the service industry is more of a job where a student would find during his holidays or a person who wishes to earn some money before finding a 'real' job, hence the disparaging service standards in Singapore.
Of course, there are numerous arguments both for and against about the idea of seeking temporary employment and am aware of these arguments as well. In fact, I will be in time, seeking for a temporary employment before going for my studies. However, one of the questions we could ask ourselves when we seek a temporary employment is whether are we taking an ownership in our job albeit temporary. If so, how does it affect our performance and more so our attitude towards our employment.
I believe that in Singapore, our service standards still need a little more work at. I won't gripe about the poor service that I have experienced, because as much as I have experienced poor service, I have also experienced good service too. What I will say rather is in the service industry it is more about finding your own personalised touch with the customers and be flexible in your approach towards handling customers. It sounds easy writing it all down in words but perhaps, that is also how people develop inter-personal relationship skills. For one, the service industry centres on such a skill.
If Giodano can be recognised for its quality service standards, then perhaps it serves as an encouragement to the people in the service industry that rendering good service in Singapore is achievable and possible however much said by the people from the service industry about Singaporeans being a fussy lot.
