The quality of customer service in Singapore has focused on the profit-making sector and government organisations.

However, customer service and quality standards are also an issue in registered societies, independent arts groups and charitable organisations.

These groups often operate independently, with their own internal management, and many of them are run by part-time staff and volunteers, often with diverse backgrounds.

In their interactions with the public, some of them may lack transparency, for instance, not informing the public that there are ticketing issues. They may also be disorganised, adopt a negative attitude and be rude when dealing with the public.

Some of these groups have received public funding from the National Arts Council. It is therefore important that they are professional in their dealings with paying customers.

Service quality is important not only to businesses and the government sector, but also to private organisations and volunteer groups. A basic set of ethics and customer service rules should apply to all such groups, especially if they have to deal with members of the public.

Dawn Chen Wenhui