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    Customer service reality TV produces big winners

    By kaifong | Singapore Showbiz – Wed, Sep 28, 2011 1:08 AM SGT
    Newly crowned service champion Afiq Syed walks away with S$70,000 cash at the season finale of Can You Serve. (Photo courtesy of Can You Serve Season 2)Newly crowned service champion Afiq Syed walks away with S$70,000 cash at the season finale of Can You Serve. (Photo …

    A 27-year-old entrepreneur has emerged the winner of the second season of service-based reality TV contest Can You Serve.

    In addition to S$30,000 worth of training opportunities provided by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, newly crowned service champion Afiq Syed also walked away with S$70,000 cash at the season finale on Tuesday.

    "Afiq sailed through the challenges displaying a depth of product knowledge, reacting quickly towards situations and standing firm in dealing with unreasonable customers," said Neeta Lachmandas, executive director of Capability & Innovation at the Singapore Tourism Board and resident judge of the reality series.

    The second and third places went to National University of Singapore undergraduate Bella Ghani, 24, and prestige client executive Shawna Yong, 29, respectively. They received S$20,000 and S$10,000 each in training opportunities.

    Also walking away with a generous 'tip' of S$2,394 was the service team behind BROTH — Bar Restaurant On The Hill.

    The service team behind BROTH – Bar Restaurant On The Hill is rewarded with a generous ‘tip’ of S$2,394. (Photo courtesy of Can You Serve Season 2)The service team behind BROTH - Bar Restaurant On The Hill is rewarded with a generous 'tip' of S$2,394. (Photo …

    The 10-year-old bar restaurant won the highest number of votes — 207 out of 2,394 — in the Singapore's Biggest Tip Jar.

    Introduced by Can You Serve Season 2, the giant tipping device allows supporters to vote for their favourite establishments on the series' Facebook page. For every 'Like' received on the page, a S$1 coin was deposited into the Tip Jar.

    Said CK, manager of BROTH, "We are grateful to voters who have recognised the extra mile we go for our customers, and we will continue to deliver personalised quality service and food to all our patrons."

    He added that the tip will be distributed equally between the eight service staff.

     

    17 comments

    • Leo
      Leo  •  7 months ago
      My dad used to tell me,service industry are like High Class beggars...especially the sales & service industry.

      The customers making ridiculous demand,what can him/her do? Only can endure and still have to smile. Customer shouts at you,what can u do? Still must say sorry and smile...customer launch a complain at u which is clearly not your fault,still u must smile and say sorry. Customer splash a glass of water at you becos he/she is not in a good mood,you still must smile and say,"it's fine,i'm ok." Customer says your service no good(not a bad service,just not good enough),complain to the manager demand for a compensation.Service person can only say sorry & wear a smile.

      Being more than 22 years in the service industry.i have seen all sort of customers and had devise ways and methods to handle them.i feel it is the customers that needs to be educated more than the service person. And btw,most customers is ALWAYS WRONG.
    • Vincent
      Vincent  •  7 months ago
      Try to live the reality of customer service every single day of your life for the last 23 years and see if you can be a true "winner". Shows are fun to escalate a person's profile ... the true hero and winners are those in the service industry trying to make it better everyday of their lives. They are the one who haste deal with your difficult temperament and unreasonable demands just because you are the customer. Like we always say .."it takes 2 hands to clap, you be nice, you will be treated with excellent experience." We do have a long way to go before a gracious service attitude becomes a norm, society needs to change before things will improve. All of us do need to have a courteous attitude towards people who provide us with service, then you will see service staffs giving you that delightful experience. Walk in the shoes of those that bring your that coffee, meal or shirt to try for a month, see if you live through that experience with a new perspective? Ciao
      • Leo
        Leo 7 months ago
        well said...i have been in the service industry for the last 22 years. Have met up with all kinds of customers,i feel that Singapore customer service line is rather fine ,other than those from foreign country where language & ways of using the words are different which may result in mis-communication. (but they are generally fine too.)

        I seriously feel that there is a need to educate the consumers/customers more than the service provider. Over the last 22 years,i have seen a few hard-core cases...quoting a few examples. :

        1. Customer buys a computer.Customer expectation for after sale service/warranty to be "salesman to teach customer from A-Z on computing." Customer themselves does not need to attend computer courses to know about using them.

        2. A Chinese Customer buys a "Learn to speak basic English" CD that comes with a book. 1 week later comes back for a refund,reason as in she couldn't manage to learn English from the CD and book.

        3. Customer buys a computer. 2 weeks upon purchase computer keeps shutting off within 30 secs upon turning on.Call service centre,found out its a virus infection and it was not cover under warranty. Customer got angry and demand a refund.

        There are many more cases & it usually takes some wisdom and tactics to handle certain types "customers".
    • Andy
      Andy  •  7 months ago
      I think this is a good game show suitable for the MIW MPs.
      Hey, CAN YOU SERVE?
    • TanW
      TanW  •  7 months ago
      When someone served you well, please let them know. Win Win situation.
    • YahooUser
      YahooUser  •  7 months ago
      win liao take money... dun work in service line liao lor. Got money, its time for ppl to serve him instead lol
    • GG
      GG  •  7 months ago
      It is a good real life game show... A job well done. Those who play nasty customers are great actors. It is true front line staffs are the firing line... No one understand how much they suffer & they don't even have pride when customers bully them. Hope these will open up those customers' eyes & mind, before any action taken against them of their career.
    • Purple Heart
      Purple Heart  •  7 months ago
      Congrats Afiq..U deserve to win.
      Your professionalism and cool attitude contributes to your winning.
    • Adlyn
      Adlyn  •  7 months ago
      He's really handsome...
    • Nisa
      Nisa  •  7 months ago
      So Singaporeans can serve.. proves to show that we dont really need the "rest".. customer service in Singapore are slowly being filled by "them".. hopefully this opens up the eyes of employers and start recruiting our own people to represent our country and give the best service to locals and tourists..
      • A Yahoo! User 7 months ago
        Unfortunately most locals are not interested in the Service Industry as I have consistently found when they don't turn up for interview or worse first day of work!
      • Sean
        Sean 7 months ago
        Nisa, as someone who was in the Service Industry, the number who WANT to serve is diminishing very much. Although you could lead the charge, if you were so willing. :)
    • Airy
      Airy  •  7 months ago
      at least not won by Ftrash... Congrats!
    • Cuemal
      Cuemal  •  7 months ago
      This is TV show that is in line with the government MESSAGE to criticise on Singaporean is a bunch of ungraceful human kind therefore unable to provide excellence service in the service industry that they push to go ahead with much less planning. Yet these few cartoonists really join in the show for an publicly insult?? The end result of the show, is to let us know that there is just one Singaporean who can serve, it is so insulting!!!!!
    • Ardie
      Ardie  •  7 months ago
      Luv u my nephew..! Once again CONGRATES!
    • wahlimpei
      wahlimpei  •  7 months ago
      kelong
    • Sengguan
      Sengguan  •  7 months ago
      Can served on competition,but can u serve in real life?
      • Lam
        Lam 7 months ago
        Its equally tough and pressurizing to serve on TV as compare to real life...
    • HK1988
      HK1988  •  7 months ago
      We don't need good service, we first need demanding customers. The service will follow. Adapt or Die!
      • Stylusmaestro
        Stylusmaestro 7 months ago
        i'd love to be your boss. i'll treat you likewise. see if you'd complaint and quit.
    • mumkey
      mumkey  •  7 months ago
      Congrat!!
    • A Yahoo! User  •  7 months ago
      Service industry needs to learn to be more patient, kind and listen to customer.
      • Leo
        Leo 7 months ago
        My dad used to tell me,service industry are like High Class beggars...especially sale service industry.
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