Many of us believe that Singapore is an understanding and forgiving society. However, we often overlook the faces who serve us on a daily basis.
*Our survey has a sample size of 124, it does not represent entire Singapore*
By: Sara Alyssha Norhisam and Dania Insyirah
She stood at the entrance of SEA Aquarium, checking the tickets of visitors to make sure that they are valid. One of their protocols was to check the identification cards of visitors if they are holding a Singaporean ticket. Politely, she asked a family of 4 to show her their identification card to verify that they are Singaporeans as they were each holding Singaporean tickets.
Their response was something that she often encountered working in the service line but this unforgettable one left a permanent scar.
She quoted: “Don’t we look Singaporean? Why are you making everything such a big fuss? We speak like Singaporeans so why must you ask for our IC?”
They started shouting and lashing out at Nur Asyifa Thasyeera Binte Johari, 20. The family was unhappy that she would not admit them because they did not bring along their identification cards. She tried her best to explain to them that it was protocol and almost got hit in the face by the father of the family. She immediately activated her supervisor and the security before things got out of hand.
How would you feel if you were treated less than a human? Is it hard to imagine that there are instances whereby frontliners have to endure the harsh treatment inflicted to them by us locals.
According to statista.com, 84.1% of Singaporeans are working in the service industry. This group of frontline workers are often being mistreated and misunderstood by us.
Hurled with vulgarities, showing/ experience little to no respect, being difficult towards employee and sometimes physical attacks.
These frontliners have seen and felt it all.
Customers harsh doings
Nur Asyifa, 20, all dressed up for her then Maritime shift at Resort World Sentosa.
(PHOTO BY: NUR ASYIFA)
“At one point, one of my colleagues had to step in because he saw the husband wanting to punch me. He started scolding vulgarities and he said that I wasn’t understanding,” said Nur Asyifa Thasyeera Binte Johari, 20, who used to work at Worked for Adventure Cove and SEA Aquarium as an entrance admin.`
Asyifa isn’t the only one who faced such treatment. Coming from the F&B industry, Nachitket Kadam, 33, is the Original Boat Noodle store manager who has been in the industry for 12 years and has experienced different types of treatment.
In his 15 years of working in the Food and Beverage industry (F&B), Natchitket, has one particular experience that has scarred him until now.
“I went back out with her omelette for the third time, she said ‘I requested with chilli padi, why did you serve the one without the chilli padi omelette. After changing for her again, she was finally satisfied. In the end, she did not pay for the omelettes that she ate.”
Customers like that can be rather frustrating to handle but being in the service line, a lot of patience is needed to ensure the situation does not go out of hand.
Looked Down Upon
According to our survey, 32% of Singaporeans who are working in the service line feel that they are being looked down on while 55% feel like that sometimes.
It is not a nice feeling to be looked down upon based on your position or job especially when you have the passion for it.
“We have frontline workers who have high education levels, but they chose to work at the frontlines because of their passion. Sometimes, it is not about their education level, it’s their passion to serve. Without us, you won’t get service or ticket admissions or guide you,” said Siti Nurbayah, 32, who is better known as Aya.
Frontliners are always facing discrimination, be it face to face or even through the phone. Aya recalled another instance where she used to work at a call centre:
“He kept mentioning that he was trying to save my job, that I was a small fly and that he needed to talk to the big fly. So, I was quite angry. I thought to myself, who are you to define and determine that I will get a job or lose my job. I told him, if you are unhappy, you may email the higher management and I will pass you the email address. After that, he just hung up. “
'Customers are always right'
Perhaps, many may argue that this mindset is not prevalent in Singapore and its society.
Based on a survey that we conducted, 51.1% believe that this mindset is evident in Singapore. It says a lot about how we treat our frontline workers in our society. We might feel that as residents in Singapore, we have a certain privilege in comparison to the tourists.
Nur Asyifa recalls: "Yes it is. I can really say that 90% of my guest issues are based on this. Even though they know what they are asking for is against our regulations, they love to play the victim and use this trump card."
Aligning her views to this mindset, Thyra Juhari mentions:
"I feel that Singaporeans are entitled, they think they have the right to everything. Just because they can't be told that they are wrong or that they can't always have their ways."
Their Expectations
As frontline workers, many of them share the same sentiments, to be respected and understood. To them, it really does not take much to just be patient and understanding wherever and whenever you can. Each job entails something different, something not easily understood by the naked eye to us, layman.
Aya said: "It's not fair for all of us frontliners. Treat everyone with respect and understand the situation. Don't think that our job is easy, it really isn't."
It truly does not hurt to treat them with the utmost respect. For without them, we wouldn't be able to access the many things we take for granted. As a whole, each and every individual is contributing to the society no matter your occupation or your status in the society. Everyone is important.
Due to Thyra’s (the one in the middle) line of work, she has her colleagues to provide emotional support when faced with difficult callers.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF: THYRA BINTE JUHARI)
When we asked Thyra Juhari, 19, how she felt about her expectations for the society in the years to come, she needed no time to think:
"It comes with understanding how the job works. I think they will understand that frontliners don't have the authority to give you what you want, as we have our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to adhere to. The younger generations do understand. Hence, with generations to come, the society will change and advocate for this issue. With time, they will learn to be kind to us."
RESPECT.
Comments