RAISING STANDARDS IN SHOPS

Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Trade and Industry what are the main recommendations of the task force set up in early 1994 (with the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board and other agencies) to look into raising standards in Singapore shops.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: The task force, led by the Chairman of the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), was set up to help improve the service quality in the retail sector and labour productivity. It had three main recommendations. They were:

a. To encourage retailers to adopt the ISO 9000 certification scheme to maintain consistent service standards.

b. To train as many retail frontliners as possible and within the shortest possible time, eg. in product knowledge and sales technique.

c. To encourage more retailers to price tag.

The recommendations are being implemented. Giordano and Hour Glass were awarded the ISO 9002 certification during SRA's Annual Conference in August last year.

On the training of retail frontliners, STPB is studying how a programme used overseas can be modified and adapted to meet our local needs. It hopes to launch this programme by the end of 1995. National Productivity Board (NPB) has also tailored its training programmes, especially its on-the-job training (OJT) schemes, to meet the needs of retailers. Since the launch of the NPB Retail OJT Programme in July 1994, some 400 workers from 60 neighbourhood retailers have been trained.

As for price tagging, the price tagging campaign was held for the third consecutive year in November 1994. Its purpose is to educate retailers of the merits of price tagging which would help to boost the shoppers' experience in Singapore.