SPEECH BY MS LOW YEN LING, SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY & MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, AT THE NATIONAL KINDNESS AWARD - SERVICE GOLD 2017, WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2017, FURAMA RIVERFRONT HOTEL
Dr William Wan, General Secretary of Singapore Kindness Movement,
Award Winners,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
INTRODUCTION
1. Good afternoon. I am honoured to join all of you today for the 23rd edition of the National Kindness Awards – Service Gold 2017 Ceremony.
2. The Service Gold Award was initiated by the Singapore Kindness Movement and Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) to recognise hotel service staff who have displayed exemplary service and gracious behaviour in the course of their work.
3. Today, we celebrate the efforts of 112 exceptional individuals who, through their warm hospitality and kindness, have delivered extraordinary experiences for their guests.
CHANGING TOURISM LANDSCAPE
4. Tourism is one of the major contributors to Singapore’s economy. In 2016, our tourism sector attracted a record of 16.4 million visitors and S$24.8 billion in tourism receipts. The number of visitor arrivals reached 8.5 million in the first six months of this year, a 4% increase over the same period last year.
5. Even as we prepare to welcome more tourists, we need to remain mindful of the challenges ahead. The hospitality sector, a key component of tourism, continues to battle manpower constraints in the face of an ageing workforce and changing aspirations of job seekers.
6. To overcome the labour crunch, the hospitality industry is transforming and reinventing itself to be more productive, innovative and manpower-lean. Led by SHA, the Hotel Innovation Committee (HIC) was set up last year to drive innovation in the hotel industry as part of efforts to raise productivity. The HIC is working with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to develop prototypes that will enable seamless check-in technology at hotels. With such technology, hotels can potentially reduce the time spent on manual processes and instead focus their resources on guest engagement.
SERVICE PROFESSIONALS LEAD BY EXAMPLE
7. While these innovation efforts will go some way in improving customer service, hospitality requires the human touch and cannot be replaced by technology. Hotel employees are one of the first points of contact for many tourists who often form their impression of Singapore based on the service they receive.
8. Hotel service staff therefore play a critical role in creating favourable experiences for visitors. Little touches such as remembering the hotel guests by name, or going the extra mile to lend a helping hand can make Singapore extra special for those who visit.
9. Today at the Service Gold Award, we applaud exemplary service stars who have gone out of their way to be kind and gracious to their guests and colleagues. I’d like to highlight two of them.
10. Mr Albert Chan Chee Ming, a Senior Florist at Raffles Hotel Singapore, is a proactive employee who will step forward to render assistance whenever his colleagues need help. At a recent company donation drive, Albert, who was not on the organising committee, took the initiative to prepare small ‘thank you’ gifts for all his colleagues who made a donation. He prepared hand-written appreciative notes on heart-shaped papers with lollipops to show appreciation for his colleagues. He then delivered the basket of lollipops to the Human Resource office for distribution without mentioning that he prepared the gifts. His selfless act of kindness warmed the hearts of his colleagues and put a smile on their faces.
11. Ms Juliana Xie Shuzhen, a Senior Guest Relations Executive at Village Hotel Bugis, goes beyond her duties to create positive experiences the guests at her hotel. For instance, she takes special note of their birthdays and if it falls during the period of their stay, she makes it a point to surprise them with a birthday cake. When she observes a guest coughing, she will arrange for a humidifier to be placed in the guest’s room. Her attention to details and thoughtfulness towards her guests are exemplary.
12. All of our Service Gold Award winners this year have demonstrated impeccable service and devotion to the needs of those around them. It is through the hard work of our service professionals that visitors not only enjoy their time here in Singapore but also return home with positive feedback and fond memories.
CLOSING STATEMENT
13. My heartiest congratulations to all the recipients of the Service Gold Awards. Thank you for your contribution to the hospitality industry, and may you continue to inspire those around you with your kindness and graciousness.
14. Thank you.