Enhancing Service with Optimism

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Building flourishing workplaces

According to the World Economic Forum, optimism is in short supply globally – this is unsurprising, given that the world is facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, from climate change and geopolitical conflict to the risks posed by artificial intelligence.

Rebuilding trust in the future is critical to humankind banding together to confront these challenges and ensure a sustainable future. Optimism, as President Tharman Shanmugaratnam pointed out at the Inaugural JY Pillay Lecture Series by SUSS, is key to galvanising action for the well-being of current and future generations, whether at a global, national, organisational, or individual level.

Post-COVID-19, local employers are increasingly prioritising workplace well-being, notes The Straits Times. This is a positive sign for Singapore employees who scored an overall wellbeing of 5.3 out of 10 in a study by The School of Positive Psychology (TSPP).

TSPP, whose vision is to help our world thrive through wellbeing-based education and thought leadership, has been working with organisations to positively influence workplace culture and keep employees engaged, guiding the company towards business success.

Within TSPP, its management practices what it preaches. In 2024, when the school faced considerable challenges following an increase in feedback on room for improvement from students and staff, TSPP took the challenge positively and decisively embarked on a four-month project with the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning at IAL (NACE@IAL) to co-create solutions to address their workplace challenges.

The growing pains of success

Established in 2007, TSPP, who prides itself as Asia’s pioneer positive psychology school, has been experiencing rapid growth after the COVID-19 pandemic. To cater to the surge in demand, TSPP swiftly doubled its headcount by hiring more staff in functions such as customer service and sales. However, this brought about new challenges in onboarding and training the new staff.

Over the same two-year period, TSPP saw a rise in negative learner feedback. The school also realised that its standard operating procedures (SOPs) for student enrolment was inadequate and did not cover critical issues such as handling feedback or customer interaction. Furthermore, there was no formal system to track complaints or compliments, or whether cases of complaints were followed up and closed.

Another challenge faced was that TSPP’s customers were predominantly professionals with working experience and higher expectations of service, while the school’s customer service team were younger and relatively unfamiliar with customer expectations across different age groups.

The increase in suboptimal customer interactions impacted staff morale as well, and TSPP observed an increase in staff frustration and dissatisfaction with their jobs. Chief Operating Officer Patricia Goh shared, “There was a gap in our customer service level, and we needed customer service training for the team. The situation was far from ideal and there was urgency to plug gaps in staff training and customer service. Like we always tell our corporate customers, ‘Be the leader you’d want to follow’. So, we need to live out this maxim and address this challenge.”

Walking the talk

As an institute dedicated to equipping professionals to enhance personal, group, and organisational wellbeing, TSPP understands the importance of reflecting these principles internally. The school wasted no time in reviewing its organisational wellbeing to ensure positive experiences for both staff and students.

Working closely with IAL’s consultant to conduct focus group discussions, TSPP’s management made sure that the workshops were safe spaces for the staff to have honest conversations about their work, challenges faced, and vision for the future. Armed with the data, IAL’s consultant and TSPP co-created detailed customer service blueprints, complete with roles and responsibilities, and comprehensive training materials for staff.

Academic Director Dr Jana Dawson recalled, “I am inspired by the energy generated by the team during the discussions. The process helped us clarify where we want to be and crystalised our vision. The project has also provided a safe space for courageous conversations that help us to improve both internal and external customer service. While this is still work in progress, we now have a solid starting point.”

With a solutioning blueprint in hand, IAL’s consultant conducted two customer service workshops to ensure that TSPP’s customer service team is aligned with the institution’s service standards and are equipped with the right skills to effectively handle customers and de-escalate potentially difficult situations.

Embedding positive experiences, both internally and externally

Today, TSPP is reaping the rewards of taking the bold step to confront its challenges. Since the training was conducted in March 2024, the school has not registered cases arising from customer dissatisfaction. Internally, staff frustration has also decreased as there is far more alignment on service standards and processes.

“It has been a fruitful and meaningful journey. The customer service blueprint is a culmination of our hard work and provides clarity on how we can consistently deliver exceptional service and support to our students,” said Student Experience and Communications Manager, Sylvia Tu.

Lessons in Optimism

TSPP’s journey demonstrates how optimism, paired with strategic action and collaboration with a right partner, can turn challenges into opportunities. By addressing service gaps with a focus on internal and external well-being, TSPP has elevated the student experience and set a new standard for organisational excellence.