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Tenants/Customers to pay 20 cents per tray issued at hawker centres


Mcf777
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But the problem is also less and less people wants to be cleaners.

 

AFAIK,  I never come across any article of the lack of cleaners for fast food places.  I only come across for hawker centres, can't recall for food court.

 

Allow me to rant.  [laugh]

 

IMHO.

a)  cost - employ less cleaner when more is needed

b)  cost - lack of desire to automate 

c)  seating arrangement  that maximizes seating capacity 

 

I just want to cite an example.  there is a food court at a MALL east part of Seng Kang.  

While they have trolleys to help the cleaners,  the aisle are very narrow, 

The cleaners have to walk here and there. 

 

Maybe we have to turn back the clock to see how it worked before.  

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why does it begin to sound like?... supermarkets don't hand out plastic bags, it's bad for the environment.

oh... but you can sell them.

Yea that's what's happening in Aust now, no single use bags but selling recycling bags for 15c. I don't mind such movement.

Just like the tray fiasco, I don't mind not taking a tray

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Yea that's what's happening in Aust now, no single use bags but selling recycling bags for 15c. I don't mind such movement.

Just like the tray fiasco, I don't mind not taking a tray

 

Or bring their own trolleys.

Good for those driving. 

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My reads is that social enterprises are business entities.

Businesses are commercial.

I don't know how to related business are not for profit.

 

IMHO, knowledge, to the extend of expertise would be required for some of the outsourcing to achieve a purpose like cost reduction. If outsourcing is for the purpose of solving an issue that one has little or no knowledge, then likely there will be more cost incurred.

Giving business to grass roots leaders and relatives also "social enterprise" right?

 

Actually AIM is a great example of "social enterprise" too.

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My reads is that social enterprises are business entities.

Businesses are commercial.

I don't know how to related business are not for profit.

 

IMHO, knowledge, to the extend of expertise would be required for some of the outsourcing to achieve a purpose like cost reduction. If outsourcing is for the purpose of solving an issue that one has little or no knowledge, then likely there will be more cost incurred.

The main problem is whenever government step in, there will be bound to have people that will lobby government as the backup. Like as if they are very powerful, not happy also have to Lan Lan as they have government backup and support. This is not healthy. See what the hacker centre mess?

 

Actually a lot of things government should get out of the way and let market decide, it will be good in long run. But well, now we are in the situation where government everything want to chap ji ka and then make things worst. Not only that the more they chap, the higher the expenditure and government will need to think of ways to get more money from us citizen. So it become a lose lose situation.

Edited by Yewheng
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New hawker centre model has failed

https://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/new-hawker-centre-model-has-failed

 

I disagree with the comments made by the National Environment Agency (NEA). The new hawker centre model has failed badly (New hawker centre model needs tweaks, time to evolve; Oct 22).

As it has been NEA's duty to manage hawker centres on a truly not-for-profit basis from the 1960s, it is incongruous to expect profit-oriented private enterprises operating food courts to change the character of hawker centres.

The NEA has the ability, expertise, manpower and resources to carry out improvements to hawker centres diligently.

However, this new hawker centre model has obviously failed if we recall the written reply by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli to a parliamentary question on food prices in July.

He said that his ministry would deploy productivity measures, such as centralised dishwashing, automated tray return, and e-payment to assist stall holders with rising manpower costs, and that these initiatives would reduce the workload of hawkers and allow them to focus on food preparation and cooking.

However, this has not kept food prices down.

He also said that the ministry is committed to upholding the role of hawker centres as community dining rooms in both mature and new estates so that Singaporeans from all walks of life can enjoy food at affordable prices.

It is unrealistic to expect neighbourhood hawker centres selling simple food to be as popular as nightlife spots like Clarke Quay, or to operate 24/7.

If we agree that hawker centres are community dining rooms that provide affordable food and a means to make a decent livelihood for hawkers, then NEA should scrap the experiment and do what Mr Masagos said.

The key to encouraging the young into "hawker-preneurship" is low-cost entry, favourable contractual obligations and having the freedom to develop their talents.

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Government decision and policies making are in degrading mode. Everytime they step in and so many problems, they make it even harder for business owner to operate.

 

Take a look at hawker centre saga. Instead of acknowledge the feedback and do a 360 degrees change, meaning remove middle man and go back old model but with some tweak to prevent bidders outbid each other. They sees it as nothing wrong and defend it, then worst is instead of admitting wrong, the middleman end up sees hey cannot charge this and that to hawker stalls, nevermind pass it to consumers with 20 cents extra only. Wtf man. These middleman management deep in their mind must be thinking (increase 20c only, consumer cant afford meh). I hope they lose their job and then become poor broke and then see whether they still think it this way.

 

 

post-14834-0-80304900-1540418491_thumb.png

 

This is what I saw in Facebook post comment by someone else. At least public people still get to use their econs knowledge on this. I bet these middleman management supposing have these econs knowledge and become rusty and forget all these economic stuffs. Get rid of them for the good of the hawker centre and consumers.

Edited by Yewheng
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Are there businesses who abuse the "social enterprise" label as a means to garner publicity and charity sales.

 

For example, claims that the handcrafted product they sold are sourced from 3rd world countries impoverished villages and a portion of the profit goes back to these villagers....who to determine how much of the profit sharing is considered "social enterprise"?

She is one of them. Social enterprise my 2 ding dong...

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/social-enterprise-hawker-centres-model-needs-tweaking-elim-chew-10860174

post-167240-0-88372100-1540469022_thumb.png

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Majority of self-pay machines at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre faulty

 

 

SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - Ci Yuan Hawker Centre in Hougang was the first in Singapore to have a self-payment facility at every stall when it opened in August 2015.

 

But a year later, the machines started to break down, and some have been out of order since, said hawkers.

 

The machine has an LCD screen that displays the customer's orders.

 

The customer inserts cash into the machine, which will dispense change if needed, eliminating the need for hawkers to handle cash, improving hygiene.

 

The machines can take notes up to $50 and coins of denominations starting from 10 cents.

 

But today, many of the bright red self-payment machines at Ci Yuan have white pieces of paper plastered over them, informing customers that they are out of order.

 

Customers now pay hawkers directly.

 

When The New Paper went to the hawker centre on Monday morning, 29 out of the 40 stalls that were open had faulty machines.

 

Some hawkers told TNP the machines have been down for six months, with some claiming several machines had not been working for almost two years.

 

Even when the machines were working, they were prone to breakdowns, they added.

 

The hawker centre is run by the Fei Siong Group, which declined to comment when approached.

 

When the machines were introduced in 2015, The Straits Times reported that the management did not want to reveal their cost, but said they were a "significant investment".

 

Other places that have self-payment facilities include the two-storey hawker centre at Jurong West Street 61, and supermarkets such as FairPrice.

 

TNP understands that the hawkers at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre are charged a monthly rent for the use of the machines.

 

Hawkers said the rent is up to $200 a month. But since the machines broke down, they have not been charged, they added.

 

Some hawkers also said the management told them that they did not have the spare parts for the machines, so they cannot be fixed.

 

A hawker, who did not want to be named, said: "My machine has been down for almost a year. They (management) said they were going to repair it soon, but we've been waiting and there have been no updates."

 

While many hawkers agree that the machines make it more hygienic as they do not have to handle money, their unreliability has been a bugbear.

 

A fish soup hawker, who wanted to be known only as Mr Wu, said: "I prefer not to use them because every time the customer puts in a folded note, the machine will get jammed and I have to call someone to come and fix it."

 

Another hawker, who wanted to be known only as Mr Zhang, said: "Since I took over the stall early this year, the machine has been down. The previous tenant told me it had not been working for a long time."

 

While a few hawkers said the machines are slated to be replaced by the end of this year, others said they had not been given any notice of when the machines would be replaced.

 

Mr Ben Low, 29, has been a customer at the hawker centre since 2015 as he lives in the area.

 

He said: "In the first few months, the machines were fine. But when they became faulty, it became a real pain.

 

"Now, the machines are down. It defeats the purpose if they are not fixed."

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/majority-of-self-pay-machines-at-ci-yuan-hawker-centre-faulty

 

wasted resources again ....  :a-no: 

 

 

 

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Twincharged
(edited)

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/stallholders-jurong-west-hawker-centre-be-relocated-after-operator-pulls-out-nea-enhance

 

Screenshot_20200506_074452_com.facebook.katana.thumb.jpg.5196c193dc0102ab85a0be4fbd9a901a.jpg

 

See this one come to also bite kofu lao.. Seriously, even hawker stall people who might not have good education also know better simple economics then the kofu management who manage this jurong West hawker Centre.. See la.. The comment says it all.. 

. If you want to do it (charge 20 cents and refund for each tray) can. However what's the attraction for people to come? If all else equal and other places no charge 20 cents and refund for each tray, then consumer will find it troublesome and go to other places instead. Worst is if the food quality is worst off then other place, the location and accessibility and then plus the extra inconvenience of pay 20 cents for tray and then refund later? It's a big turn off.. If the food is very good.. Yeah.. No problem.. People will be willing to do that coz the food is good.. There must have some form of attractiveness that attract people come before the management to implement this kind of refundable tray return thing that turn people off. The attractiveness must be greater then the implementation of turning people off.. If not the crowd will die down more.. 

Edited by Yewheng
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Supersonic

The article got mentioned the failed of Jurong West hc also due to location not near to any MRT. But many hc also not near any MRT and yet still have business?! Lol. Anyway, quite surprise that this hc no business since there are many housing around there?! And there is only foodcourt next to the hc.

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Twincharged
(edited)
41 minutes ago, 13177 said:

The article got mentioned the failed of Jurong West hc also due to location not near to any MRT. But many hc also not near any MRT and yet still have business?! Lol. Anyway, quite surprise that this hc no business since there are many housing around there?! And there is only foodcourt next to the hc.

When food is not that nice.. Then the price is also soso only. Other food court also sell around the same price.. Why should people go there eat or ta pao? Plus worst is like the article mentioned.. When customer base is not yet.. Go and implement the 20c tray return policy? It will make people do not want to go jurong West hawker centre even more. Basically there is no incentive for people to go there.. The incentive could be very nice food, it could be cheap food, if could be got aircon, it could be no need so troublesome of tray return policy and etc.. Basically jurong West hawker Centre management are killing the crowd due to there are totally zero incentives for people to go there where other place is so much better.. 

 

The incentives to attract crowd must be related to what people are looking for when it comes to food.. Not the anyhow organise what other thing that is not related.. Like people are looking for is.. Cheap, good food and hassle free, if got aircon it's an added bonus.. If don't have also nevermind if got good quality food.. Most important thing is not troublesome at all.. 

Edited by Yewheng
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Supersonic

The 20c tray return policy implemented in newly opened hc, maybe this is the norm in new hc if you want to go there to eat. But seems like dont know it is the management problem or the food problem, most of the newly opened hc business not say very good. Heard the yishun and pasir ris hc business no good?!

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Twincharged
12 hours ago, 13177 said:

The 20c tray return policy implemented in newly opened hc, maybe this is the norm in new hc if you want to go there to eat. But seems like dont know it is the management problem or the food problem, most of the newly opened hc business not say very good. Heard the yishun and pasir ris hc business no good?!

old HC is about paying for the food made by the hawkers... new HC is about paying for the shareholders of the big company behind running the place.

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Supersonic
13 hours ago, 13177 said:

The 20c tray return policy implemented in newly opened hc, maybe this is the norm in new hc if you want to go there to eat. But seems like dont know it is the management problem or the food problem, most of the newly opened hc business not say very good. Heard the yishun and pasir ris hc business no good?!

Well, I frequent yishun hc, so I can say this.

I think they started with $1 for tray.

Business was very bad, then they reduced it to 50 cent per tray, business start picking up. Still many people won't take the tray.

Hey, are we going to hc now for trays or for food ? [laugh]

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personal experience here, some elderly cleaners quite grouchy when tray is returned to their trolley.

so now I just head straight for the blue or green deposit stations. 

Edited by Blueray
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i would like to see them study the economics of the situation first to convince people.

when the "management" of the HCs install a auto tray system, how much does it cost?  Vs just paying a decent wage to the cleaner.

who pays for it... actually who profits from it?

somehow it feels like a profit maximising exercise for some connected operators' "social enterprise" project.

 

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