Singapore, 29 November 2017 (Wednesday) – The Institute for Service Excellence (ISE) at Singapore Management University, in conjunction with SMU Academy, has today announced the launch of the SMU Advanced Certificate in Service Excellence and Innovation. Designed for middle to senior management executives, the Advanced Certificate is a modular programme that focuses on building a culture of service excellence through leadership, process planning, service innovation, data-driven insights and a customer-centric strategy.

As the business landscape changes to accommodate for technological disruption and innovation, it is imperative that the backbone of any organisation remains resilient. Service is a key differentiator and customer satisfaction has been proven to be linked to the financial performance and the long-term competitiveness of a business.

“As the economy shifts towards an era of flux and systemic transformation, soft skills and the ability to deal with ambiguity and connect opportunities across multiple subjects will become increasingly important. By introducing interdisciplinary programmes, we hope to accelerate learning for time-starved professionals and equip them with the skills to navigate the challenges of the new economy,” said Dr Lim Lai Cheng, Executive Director of SMU Academy.

“The SMU Advanced Certificate in Service Excellence and Innovation complements existing efforts aimed at professionalising the service industry in Singapore. The face of service is evolving against a backdrop of structural changes. To help professionals deal with this multifaceted subject, the programme employs an integrated approach that encourages leaders to think laterally about current and emerging issues through a combination of academic frameworks and industry expertise,” said Ms Neeta Lachmadas, Executive Director of ISE.

The curriculum of the Advanced Certificate will draw upon insights gleaned from the Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG), a national benchmarking study undertaken by ISE that has computed customer satisfaction scores at the national, sector, sub-sector, and company level since 2007. The Advanced Certificate will also benefit from the unique SMU instructional approach which involves case illustrations and an interactive pedagogy aimed at imparting relevant skills that can be applied to workplace challenges. All modules will feature a combination of faculty and practitioner teaching.

The Advanced Certificate will be awarded upon the successful completion of six 2-day modules and the passing of an assessment which will be administered at the end of the last module. As this is an open-enrollment programme on a rolling admission basis, participants will have the latitude to complete both components within three years of taking the first module. The six subject areas that underpin the Advanced Certificate include Service Leadership, People Management, Service Operations, Customer Analytics, Customer Experience and Service Innovation.

Participants who have taken 2-day courses in the abovementioned subject areas offered by ISE prior to the launch of the Advanced Certificate will have the opportunity to count their participation towards the certification process. ISE and SMU Academy will maintain a database of participants who qualify for retrospective crediting towards the Advanced Certificate. 

For media queries, please contact:

Ms Serene Ashley Chen

Assistant Director, Partnerships and Programme Development

Institute of Service Excellence (ISE) at Singapore Management University

DID: (65) 6808 5103

Mobile: (65) 9151 9030

Email: serenechen [at] smu.edu.sg

Mr Teo Chang Ching

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

Office of Corporate Communications and Marketing

DID: (65) 6828 0451

Mobile: (65) 9431 8353

Email: ccteo [at] smu.edu.sg