Ethos Issue 4, Apr 2008

What Does It Mean to Optimise Public Service Delivery?
Lee Chong Hock and John Lim

Lee Chong Hock and John Lim from the PS21 Office examine the challenges that face the Singapore Public Service, as it reaches beyond individual service excellence towards Whole-of-Government outcomes.

ACHIEVING SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Standards of public service delivery in Singapore have demonstrably improved in the last decade. While developments have been uneven across the Public Service, the efforts of agencies to pursue service excellence have generally benefited the public in the form of more service channels and higher standards of customer service. In 2007, Singapore took the top spot in Accenture’s "Leadership in Customer Service: Delivering on the Promise" study for our efforts in developing customer-centric service models and proactive communications, ahead of 22 other countries, including Canada and the US.

According to Accenture, Public Services around the world have been focusing primarily on improvements to the front end of service. However, the interpretation of citizen-centric service delivery as providing existing services in multiple channels (especially the electronic channel) has unintentionally widened the gap between public agencies’ vision of customer service and the actual service experience of their customers. Citizens use these channels expecting consistent levels of service but, without the same commitment to the backend structural and cultural changes needed to support the vision, the customer experience is one that is ultimately negative.

Singapore’s advantage lies in our Public Service’s aggressive approach to implementation, with a clear top-driven agenda which includes a holistic ICT master plan to positively transform the customer service experience. This approach has served us well. However, one should keep in mind the fundamental purposes of the Government as we continue our evolution of public service delivery.

ACHIEVING SERVICE OPTIMALITY
Focusing on the customer experience is essential, but there is also a need to balance that with good governance. Without a clear strategy to strike an equilibrium between serving customer interests and serving the public good, our current trajectory of "service excellence" may be skewed towards "going the extra mile", and placing an overemphasis on improving standards and innovating service solutions, ad infinitum. To begin the discourse on this equilibrium, two areas need closer examination:

1. What price, service?
There is no common understanding between the Public Service and its customers as to what constitutes "service excellence". Public expectations are rising, and a growing number of customers demand higher standards and more choices. Against this backdrop is the Government’s responsibility to uphold the public good and ensure cost efficiency in service delivery. Agencies attempt to meet demands of both sides, balancing customer wants against their organisations’ priorities, but these are mostly ad hoc, agency-level strategies rather than comprehensive Whole-of-Government solutions.

Without an explicit way of determining the ideal state of service provision vis-à-vis public interest, perceptions are being shaped by a vocal few, and agencies are susceptible to pressure applied by this vocal minority. Better service invariably comes at a price (i.e., requiring more resources), and the question often neglected is: who actually benefits, and who is paying for it?

2. Should it be handled with CARE?
The Singapore Public Service uses the CARE¹ framework to guide its approach in delighting customers. However, the framework itself gives more focus to front end customer service standards, and does not address the systemic and mindset issues at all levels of Government necessary to bring about true service excellence stemming from total organisational excellence.

Customer satisfaction is about giving customers what they need, when they need it. For the Public Service, this means policies should be formulated with implementation and delivery in mind, from involving stakeholders early by providing avenues for consultation and feedback, to demonstrating a willingness to change policy stances to meet the needs of the people. How prepared are we (as a Government) to more comprehensively and openly engage stakeholders from the onset of the policy-making process, so as to provide policies and services that meet shared desired outcomes, rather than attempting to "delight" them with good customer service at the end, or plugging gaps and loopholes as they arise?

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