Yawning Bread said:

Naturally, I have forgotten what my PINs are, so I went to both DBS Bank and Citibank to get them updated. At DBS, they said I had to fill in a form manually and submit it over the counter. They'd mail the new PIN to me in four working days.

"Four working days? I'll be flying off by then, I said. Any way to do this faster?"

"No, this is the only procedure we have, they said."

"Can't I go to some office and collect the PIN myself?"

"No, we have to mail it to you."

"OK, then, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope I get it in the mail on the day of departure."

I left the bank defeated.

At Citibank, I went up to the Enquiry counter with the same request.

"So, how can I get a new PIN? I asked."

"Oh, we can do it on this keypad right here, the young man said, pointing to a keypad on the counter."

He called up the relevant operations module on his computer, activated the customer keypad and asked me to key in whatever set of digits I'd want for my PIN.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "DBS = Doesn't Believe in Service"

Link

www.musings.per.sg said:

This economic downturn is largely caused by external factors beyond the control of the Government / civil service ... Therefore, I don’t see why public officers should generally be penalised by a pay cut ... [ though ] one of the few justifications that I can see for this pay cut is that it serves as a reminder to public officers ... that they cannot go about their usual duties ... without consideration for the man-in-the-street.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Alternative view on why civil service pay should not be cut."

Link

Alvinology said:

I wonder if it’s just me… the NS Portal is one of the worst and most badly designed website I have to access frequently. Do you have the same problems I have with this website? Is there any way we can make our opinions heard to effect changes? I have a feeling SAF don’t give a damn because NS is compulsory for Singapore male citizens and we have to keep using the lousy website regardless if it sucks to the core.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "True? Is it really that bad?"

Link

Averal L experiences bad service at one of our hotels.

Jeri and I were walking around Amara Hotel and we saw a very interesting cafe, so we decided to walk in.

Case 1: The American Bakery at Amara Hotel
Owner: “Hi, how may i help?”
Me: “Just looking around, you have a very interesting shop layout.” While Jeri was standing at the side looking at the muffins and scoffles in the display.
Owner: “If you are intend to enter the building, please use the entrance at the side and not my shop.”

Me: “???”

Link

Alvinology said:

Saw this post on omy’s forum by a person called 我的天 who claimed that local job search portal, JobsDB added a “reservist” option in their selection fields under “Personal Details => National Service”.

This is a very touchy issue as it concerns all Singapore male CITIZENS who have served National Service. Does the additional field implies it may be used as a screening criteria for potential employers?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "discrimination of Singapore born males?"

Link

Lucian said:

As for me, getting the job done right feels like I’m saving the world. That is why I do the things I do - sleep as late as I do and plough endlessly to learn and incorporate the best into stuff I create.

It’s like a slap in the face when Lee Kwan Yew, who like me serves the people of Singapore, proclaims loud and clear that expecting the leaders of our nation to sacrifice their own personal wealth is “an admirable sentiment, but we live in the real world”.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "some civil servants remember that they are servants."

Link

Mr Wang said:

To understand how the system works, you first have to understand that performance and potential mean two completely different things in the civil service. They lead to very different, very distinct consequences in the official appraisal system.

For example, a civil servant may be judged to have very high potential, even though his performance is very poor. Alternatively, his performance may be judged to be utterly outstanding, and yet his potential may be judged to be extremely low.

Performance is linked to your annual bonuses and increments. Whereas potential is linked to your promotions. So Ms Ong Toon Hui is correct to say that those who perform well in their jobs will get bigger bonuses.

What Ms Ong isn't telling you is that those who perform well in their jobs may never get promoted. That's because promotions depend on your potential, and potential has nothing to do with performance.

Recommended by at82: "So this is the REAL reason why entry level civil servants are leaving, and I don't blame them. This HR structure is breeding elitism of the highest order."

Link

cheahchuwen said:

'Singaporeans, please don't make yourself look stupid and ask the salesperson to get you a "new piece" of the item you are buying. If I were the salesperson, I'd slap my shoe across your face and tell you to go home and drink milk.' -- MAIA

Now, what is wrong what is wrong with what Maia said? Everything!

Recommended by rationalneurotic: "Watch our dear Ms Lee stuff her foot in her mouth again! Seriously, I never ever want to buy anything from her. What a lack of common sense. Also, how to spot if the new piece of merchandise you are requesting isn't really new."

Link

DK said:

And instead of us going over to collect the game, Tim personally delivered the boardgame to us. Never have I seen such good customer service before. Wait, we are not even their customer to begin with! Wanted to pay them for the game rental, but they refuse.

Recommended by Cobalt Paladin: "Outstanding customer service from a team of 4 passionate and hardworking youngsters!"

Link

Garry Blogs said:

THIS FLASH IS TO MARK MY 1 YEAR OF SERVING IN THE SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES. I AM LEFT WITH 10 MORE MONTHS BEFORE I AM FREE, IF I AM NOT WRONG.....

Recommended by Cobalt Paladin: "Brings a smile to all Singaporean guys who have been through NS. The Flash animation was very well done by nch85. Definitely a local talent! :)"

Link

Singapore Angle said:

[With tipping] every customer encounter is an incentive for good service. Cash motivates more than any GEMS appreciation card or Good Service Award

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Is this the way to tip ourselves out of the 26th place ranking for service standards?"

Link

Ed*** said:

[quote]

ARE you a 'farmer' (army slang for rank and file) or a 'scholar'? If the farmer keeps seeing the scholar getting hoisted on a pedestal, won't this breed resentment and class-consciousness in Singapore?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "A regular's frustration in the Army "

Link

Oikono said:

A person whom I know spent the last half a year in limbo hiding out in a foreign country. He was waiting for his asylum application to be processed as he was on the run from the Singaporean army, which he had served for months as a conscript before realizing that humanity should not be subjected to such indignity.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "There are people who run away from the military police and live to tell the tale. "

Link

Miyagi said:

# # Ask how come the replacement procedure is different from North America. # Become more upset when I am told ‘because in Singapore, it’s different’. # Ask if I can get a temporary battery replacement while waiting for the replacement because if not, my Powerbook is no longer portable. # Become more upset when I am told ‘no, because in Singapore, it’s different’.

Recommended by rationalneurotic: "Service starts from the heart - of the company. Policies got to change before the frontline staff can "Go the Extra Mile for Service (ie GEMS)". Don't give the service staff shit, give their bosses shit for shit policies.

"Because in Singapore, it's different." =_='''"

Link

BBC said:

In an interview with BBC World Business Report, Mr Wolfowitz said Singapore had made a "bad" decision when it blocked activists that had been invited to the event.

"I hope Singapore's authorities will change their minds and allow the people in that we have accredited as originally agreed," he added.

He added that was important for the organisation to hold a "strong dialogue" with such groups.

"We may not always agree with what they have to say, but it is very important to have that discussion," Mr Wolfowitz said.

Recommended by at82: "Going back on an agreement does not seem to be a sign of World Class customer service to me..."

Link

Almost Infamous said

Medisearch is Singapore's first medical services website searchable by location and operating hours. Pretty useful, if you happen to be stuck in the office and need a doctor for an MC badly.

Link

felumpfus said:

I also have some grief with the fact that they can turn their heads to the left, offer the Ang Mohs meal choices in a fake English accent, and turn back to their colleague manning the food cart across from them and request "Eh can you bling me some more fish ah?" as if said Ang Moh was already out of earshot. *facepalm*

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "felumpfus finds that SIA is not a great way to fly - at least if you're Singaporean."

Link

takchek said:

When Tony Tan came to visit Tekong medical centre, the schools were told for that day alone please restrict report sick. And then all the soldiers were sent to 2nd level to hide. SO it looked like the medical centre was empty ie nobody report sick.

This is what happens. SO in the end all the problems on the ground are never highlighted or brought up to the top. Because if they did it refelcted poorly on the CO, and he wouldn't get promoted.

In SAF everyone does things to get promoted only.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Why is the Medical service in SAF is so f up? Hear the answer from an ex-MO."

Link

Cheeky said:

Lim peh is fucking angry right now. Do you know why Lim Peh is fucking angry. Because of this guy call Melvyn Tan. This fucker, according to the newspaper, defaulted on his NS and he was only punished with a fine. A fine. Can you believe it? Just a fucking fine. Back in my time, when you want to try to play with the system, you better standby one big tub of jello 5-O to lubricate your ass because when the system fuck you up, it really fuck you up real hard. Dun play play eh.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Funny if you have served NS."

Link

kelchan said:

I use a Starhub pre-paid phone card. Each top-up comes in denominations of $18 each. Since I have a bunch of "points" accumulated from the past year of paying for my other mobile phone, the cable TV and internet, I figured I’ll just use the points to get the top-up.

Recommended by Cobalt Paladin: "Another fine example of 'great' service in Singapore."

Link