A demonstration of Carrefour's latest "Queue Buster" system to Minister Lim Swee Say.

As companies race to improve service standards in Singapore, much of their focus today is on customer service training. Equally important is the need for innovative ideas that look beyond service training to improve customers' shopping experience. The third retailer to share their service initiatives under the Customer Centric Initiative programme, Carrefour's latest projects demonstrate their active pursuit of innovative solutions to enhance their service.

Introduced for the first time in the retail industry, Carrefour's "Queue Busters" consist of mobile teams that scan and pack customers' purchases to speed up the payment process. Using wireless technology, the new system saves up to 25% of customers’ time spent in queues.

Another first in the industry is Carrefour's new electronic shelf label system. Using low radio frequency, the system enables instant price updates on the shelves and at the cashier. The system also allows staff who were previously handling the labelling manually to spend more time at the sales floor attending to customers. Used in Carrefour stores in Europe, Carrefour Singapore is the first hypermarket in Asia to invest more than $250,000 on this project.

The hypermarket's innovative approach to service does not stop with its customers. Carrefour's incentive programmes and monthly competitions for the staff also boast attractive rewards - luxury hotel and yacht club stays, restaurant vouchers and limousine service to motivate and develop service champions among the staff.

Mr Steven Yee, a Cashier Supervisor with Carrefour, who won a night's stay at a five-star hotel, said, "Being a front-liner myself, I thought I knew already what good service is about. But experiencing it personally made an impact. I now know that excellent customer service is about giving a service that will create a wonderful feeling and happy memories for the customer such that they will always remember us with a smile."

Incentives for good service quality need not always be monetary. Carrefour's 'Pat On The Back' pro-gramme awards Certificates of Appreciation to those who exhibit good customer service. Mr Shafie Shamsuddin, Managing Director of Carrefour Singapore & Malaysia, said, "These intangibles are equally gratifying to our service staff. I believe that when they feel they are sincerely being appreciated, it drives them to be more passionate about their work and in turn more able to deliver good service truly from their hearts."

And their efforts are beginning to pay off. The company has reported a 5% increase in sales in 2005, along with an increase in the number of shoppers.

"To deliver excellent service, staff training is only one critical aspect. Companies need to explore how their service operations and back-end processes can be improved to support staff in the service delivery," said Mr Png Cheong Boon, Deputy Chief Executive of SPRING Singapore. "And when they find innovative solutions to do so, like Carrefour, the impact on their profits and sales turnover will tell the story." ET