SMU’s Institute of Service Excellence (ISE) released the 2017 third quarter (Q3) Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore results for the food & beverage (F&B) and tourism sectors. Both sectors registered statistically significant increases in customer satisfaction scores compared to Q3 2016. The tourism sector’s score improvement came mainly from the hotel sub-sector, which gained 1.88 points to hit 74.45 points – driven by the perceived higher service and product quality. The F&B sector saw the restaurants sub-sector progress the most in scoring 1.76 points more than last year to reach 71.5 points. The study, conducted between July and October, surveyed 6,900 people, comprising 3,035 locals and 3,865 tourists.

ISE Executive Director Neeta Lachmandas said, "While customers expect hotels to do well in ensuring comfortable rooms, excellent service and having well-designed processes remain as key differentiators in the hotel industry. This is especially so for luxury and upscale hotels."

When it comes to customer satisfaction in the attractions sub-sector, the improvement was only 0.43 points or 0.6 per cent to 74.3 points. "When considering local customers, attractions may wish to consider targeting this segment, given that this was the largest segment among locals, and the most loyal," said Chen Yongchang, ISE Head of Research and Consulting.