How to shop like a pro in Singapore

 

Eye contact? Check. Genuine smile? Check. Made the first move? Check.

No, I wasn't getting picked up at a bar. I was going undercover as a mystery shopper to test the Singapore Service Star (SSS) initiative, a scheme developed by the Singapore Tourism Board, aimed at improving the quality of service in Singapore. For the world-class city that Singapore bills itself as, service here is like opening a box of chocolates -- you never know what you're going to get, and often the result is a rude surprise.

To assess the quality of service in Singapore, I underwent a training session to become a pro shopper. A pro shopper is someone trained to go beyond questions like "Can I afford it?" and "Is this item what I want?" The pro shopper is equipped with a heightened sense of awareness and a mental checklist of 30 or so Yes/No scenarios. These range from the obvious: cluttered shop spaces, unkempt appearance; to the more subtle: If I was led to a seat with an open-palm gesture, if the temperature was comfortable; to the expected: being handed a menu spontaneously, no personal chit-chatting.

In addition, I also had to engage the staff with three simple requests. 

1) Ask for a product recommendation and then reject the original and get a new opinion.
2) Give feedback about a previous negative experience and wait for an explanation and apology.
3) Canvass for suggestions on what to see in Singapore.

The litmus test

Armed with this newfound knowledge, I visited two outlets, the first a luxury retail store on Orchard Road, the other, a mid-priced seafood restaurant located in an upscale neighborhood. Before, as an 'untrained' shopper, being left alone to do some non-committal browsing without being accosted by over-enthusiastic shop girls was a blessing. Heck, a shop playing Justin Bieber at top volume could be forgiven if I could walk out laden with shopping bags. But these, I soon learn, are strict no-nos. 

At the retail store, I realized it wasn't enough that the sales assistant educate me on all the brand's new lines and even which handbag would likely go on sale. In the end, she never invited me to touch the item in question -- I resisted humming Hilary Duff's "Reach Out and Touch Me" as I fondled the small leather good.

Over at the restaurant, while I had to wait a little too long for my table (that’s a point deducted), the wait staff made up for it by taking the initiative to find out what I was hungry for before making more small talk about the establishment. This was a prime example of how the human factor can make or break an experience. In addition, not once was I was solicited to order their most expensive item on the menu -- that's another point in their favor.

Falling short

Both outlets failed when it was time to respond to my 'negative experience.' The staff at the retail store looked at me blankly and muttered a non-committal "okay" before segueing into talk about another product. At the restaurant, the individual shifted the blame to "new staff" and disappointingly failed to give an apology -- guess it’s every man for himself.

As for playing 'tour guide?' If he/she had recommended an iconic attraction, the establishment would have received two points, if they failed, but referred me to a nearby service (say the shopping mall’s information counter) they would make up for the loss with a reward of two points. In the end, I wasn’t sure how I would rate suggestions to visit Sentosa, the Singapore Zoo and the other malls along Orchard Road. Iconic, yes but far too obvious.

While both parties showed exemplary product knowledge and an ability to listen to the customer, I wasn't  too encouraged by the overall outcome. I decided to turn to a real expert and ask why service standards in Singapore was so lacking. Lani Chan, head of Club 21's style services, says, "Although the people that retailers hire fill the gap in the industry quite well, there is still a lacking in real ability to serve. People as service staff here are also not very spontaneous and they also lack the empowerment to react sometimes."

The state of service

Post training, the differences in me as a shopper are not very marked. However, these days when I am in a shop/restaurant I’m tempted to test out what I’ve learnt, to see if I'll be informed about in-store/card promos spontaneously or if I’m told how long I’ll have to wait. However, I realize such intuitive sales qualities cannot be taught, they are either inherent or nurtured over time. And while these two outlets are not a true representation of the entire industry, it is fair to say that if this is the standard after a scheme has been accredited, we still have a way to go.

At least we're on the right path.