SINGAPORE will introduce two measures early next year to further improve service standards.

One is an annual index to measure and track customer satisfaction here.

The other is a quality accreditation scheme that will recognise and promote businesses that deliver good service consistently.

The imminent implementation of these moves was announced in Parliament yesterday by the Minister of State (Manpower and Education) Gan Kim Yong.

He was replying to Madam Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC), who had asked for an assessment of the Go the Extra Mile for Service (Gems) movement, launched two years ago to raise service standards.

The new Singapore Consumer Satisfaction Index, which is being drawn up, will show service levels in more than 50 companies in these industries: retail, tourism, food and beverage, telecommunications, transport, logistics, education and health care.

In drawing it up, about 20,000 Singaporeans and permanent residents, as well as 2,200 foreigners, were polled, a spokesman for the Workforce Development Agency told The Straits Times yesterday.

The index is being worked out by the Institute of Service Excellence at the Singapore Management University.

It is modelled after the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index, introduced in 1994.

The accreditation scheme is being set up by the Singapore Tourism Board.

Mr Gan also said that chief executive officers will be the target of a series of TV commercials next year on service excellence.