I wish to quote this real life example for government agencies to improve their online service. Although this case involves the CPF board, the same type of situation occurs with other big organisations.
I wanted to top up the special account for my wife. I had to go through the spider-web of the CPF board. I finally managed to submit an online application.
I did not receive any news for 1 week. I did not know if anyone is responding to my application and how I would be informed. I sent a follow up enquiry. I managed to get an approval a few days later. I send the top up amount by cheque to CPF board.
I received a communication that my cheque was received after the expiry of the approval. They gave me only 5 days to respond. I had to submit a new application.
Surely the CPF board knows that it would take a few days for a person to prepare and mail the cheque and for their big organisation to open the letter? Five days is far too short. Even if the approval has expired, there has been no change to the application, and there is no need to ask the member to submit a new application - which is a lot of hassle to go through their spider web.
Perhaps the CPF board is not aware that their members have many other things to attend to, and that the cannot spend a lot of time to meet their bureaucratic and unreasonable process.
I find the CPF board to be quite helpful and responsive on many matters, so this is an exception. Furthermore, this type of inconsiderate approach is quite applicable in many large organisations (and is not confined only to CPF). We need a process in Singapore for the people who designs websites and online applications to be more responsive to feedback and to make things simple for the public.
Tan Kin Lian
Monday, March 29, 2010
Customer service at call center
I had difficulty to access the Internet. I called Starhub. The hotline staff transferred me to a technical expert. I was left holding on to the line for 5 minutes waiting for the technical expert to receive the call. As I was using my mobile phone, it was quite costly to be holding on. I gave up.
The call center staff should ask for my mobile phone and get the technical expert to call me. This is only fair to the customer. But most call centers have a policy not to call the customer. This policy should be changed.
The call center staff should ask for my mobile phone and get the technical expert to call me. This is only fair to the customer. But most call centers have a policy not to call the customer. This policy should be changed.
Low yield for a 5 year investment
Dear Mr. Tan,
My mother is thinking of buying a 5 years insurance plan with a single premium of $10,000. She is still in good health and the reason she's buying is to get safe returns that are higher than the bank interest. I've attached the
benefit illustrations and hope you can give your view on this.
REPLY
The non-guaranteed yield varies from 1.55% to 2.8% p.a. for 5 years. It is rather low for an investment that is locked up for 5 years. However, I am not able to suggest any better investment. Let me post this in my blog and see if someone else has better suggstion.
My mother is thinking of buying a 5 years insurance plan with a single premium of $10,000. She is still in good health and the reason she's buying is to get safe returns that are higher than the bank interest. I've attached the
benefit illustrations and hope you can give your view on this.
REPLY
The non-guaranteed yield varies from 1.55% to 2.8% p.a. for 5 years. It is rather low for an investment that is locked up for 5 years. However, I am not able to suggest any better investment. Let me post this in my blog and see if someone else has better suggstion.
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