- National recognition of Singapore’s retail frontliners driving customer trust and experience
- MOU – Accelerating AI adoption and integration in retail
Singapore, 14 October 2025 The Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) today concluded the SRA Excellent Service Award (EXSA) 2025 presentation ceremony at Nanyang Polytechnic Auditorium, honouring Singapore’s retail professionals who exemplify the nation’s hallmark of service excellence. The event, graced by Guest of Honour, Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development, celebrated individuals who have consistently raised the bar for customer service and leadership across Singapore’s vibrant retail ecosystem.
Recognising the Retail’s Service SuperStars
This year’s EXSA 2025 (Retail) Service SuperStar Award spotlighted three outstanding finalists:
1. Ms Hazrena Hussein, Customer Service Specialist (Digital Service Ambassador), CapitaLand Investment Limited (Raffles City Singapore)
2. Mr Joseph Fung, Customer Relations Officer, IKANO Private Limited (IKEA Singapore)
3. Mr Reuben Goh, Senior Sales Executive, TC Acoustic (Sonos flagship store at Wheelock Place)
Among them, Mr Reuben Goh, Senior Sales Executive at TC Acoustic emerged as the winner of the coveted SRA EXSA 2025 Service SuperStar Award, recognised for exemplifying the highest standards of empathy, professionalism, and dedication that define Singapore’s retail service culture. All three finalists continue to inspire their peers across the retail sector – delivering warmth, attentiveness, and personalised service that create lasting customer relationships and strengthen Singapore’s reputation for service excellence.
In addition to the Service SuperStar category, hundreds of retail employees were recognised across Silver, Gold, and Star Award tiers, reflecting the industry’s collective drive to uphold Singapore’s standing as a world-class retail destination.
This year, SRA EXSA received nominations from 130 companies representing over 135 brands and concepts. In total, 4,465 recipients were honoured across four categories:
1. SRA EXSA Star Award: 743 recipients
2. SRA EXSA Gold Award: 1,502 recipients
3. SRA EXSA Silver Award: 2,220 recipients
4. SRA EXSA (Retail) Service SuperStar Award: 1 recipient
MOU Signing: Accelerating AI Integration in Retail
A landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between SRA and the Singapore Artificial Intelligence Association (SAIA) during the ceremony, witnessed by Guest of Honour, Minister of State, Mr Tan.
The partnership aims to accelerate AI adoption across two key areas of retail:
1. Customer Service: Using AI to analyse customer data and enhance personalised service.
2. Merchandising&Inventory Management: Leveraging predictive analytics to optimise inventory and forecast demand.
Together, SRA and SAIA seek to empower retailers with innovation that enhances operational excellence, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Training Innovation: RetailX App for On-Demand Learning
To address manpower challenges and enhance workforce capabilities, SRA has developed and piloted the SRA RetailX app. This asynchronous learning tool enables retail staff to learn and role-play with AI-driven scenarios during downtime, without leaving the shop floor.
This innovation marks Singapore’s first sector-wide initiative enabling large-scale, flexible training. With its successful pilot, SRA plans to leverage the app to roll out Progressive Wage Model (PWM) training industry-wide, ensuring that service staff remain skilled and competitive in an evolving retail environment.
Co-Developed Curriculum with Singapore Airlines Academy
In partnership with the Singapore Airlines Academy (SIAA), SRA has co-developed an EXSA Retail curriculum built on world-class service standards. This collaboration merges SIA’s internationally recognised service framework with SRA’s retail expertise to ensure Singapore’s retail workforce continues to deliver customer experiences on par with global benchmarks.
According to Mr Ernie Koh, President of the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), “Retail is fundamentally about people – our customers, and the professionals who serve them every day. Through EXSA, we honour the individuals whose empathy, dedication, and professionalism continue to define Singapore’s retail experience.” He added, “This year’s MOU with SAIA and our RetailX learning app mark a significant step forward in empowering our workforce with the tools and technology needed to thrive in an evolving landscape. Service excellence remains our industry’s strongest differentiator – one that strengthens resilience and sustains customer trust.”
About the Excellence Service Award (EXSA)
Launched in 1994, the Excellent Service Award (EXSA) is a national award that recognises individuals who have delivered quality service. It seeks to develop service models for staff to emulate and to create service champions. Organisations with EXSA staff are committed to achieving service excellence and delivering superior service through their service champions. The objectives of EXSA are to inspire service staff to scale new heights, identify service role models, encourage service champions, and recognise the efforts of service staff across industries.
EXSA nominees are distinguished by their commitment to going beyond the call of duty to exceed customer expectations and champion excellent service. They are prompt and proactive in anticipating and attending to customer needs, accurate and consistent in service delivery, and always ready to support team members without being asked. Knowledgeable and helpful in communicating service offerings, they use their skills and empathy to add value to customer experiences. With strong emotional intelligence and agility, they handle feedback effectively, exercise good judgement, and turn challenges into opportunities for service recovery – creating positive and memorable experiences for every customer interaction.
