Overall customer satisfaction in the retail sector dipped this year, falling 3.5 per cent from last year to score 69.6 points out of 100. Meanwhile, department and furniture stores were the worst performers among the retail sub-sectors, with drops of 9.1 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. ISES Director Caroline Lim said that changing tourist expectations could be a reason for the drop in satisfaction. “There are many factors that influence tourist expectations, including the country they came from, the past experiences they have had here and in other tourist destinations,” she added. Service standards in traditional retailers have to improve, said SMU Assistant Professor of Marketing and ISES Academic Director Marcus Lee, who noted that customers are becoming savvier, finding out alternatives on the Internet before buying what they want.
https://www.smu.edu.sg/sites/default/files/smu/news_room/smu_in_the_news/2014/sources/june27/Today_20140627_3.pdf