The majority of Singaporeans may know the Housing Development Board (HDB) as the public housing authority that provides affordable and quality homes, ensures vibrant towns, and builds cohesive communities within towns. In fact, on top of that, HDB is also acknowledged as a business-friendly agency that has made great improvements in its role to facilitate business.
HDB has climbed rapidly on the charts of the Pro-Enterprise Survey, commissioned by the Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) to encourage agencies to create a business-friendly environment in Singapore. In just four years, HDB moved from 23rd to 6th position, putting it in the top ten league of government agencies.
The survey looks at performance across five benchmarking indicators – Compliance Cost, Review of Rules and Regulations, Transparency, Customer Responsiveness and Pro-enterprise Orientation.
HDB’s greatest areas of improvement are in Pro-Enterprise Orientation, Review of Rules, Regulations and Cost Compliance.
1. Compliance Cost:
All costs associated with licensing, project-based fees and general compliance.
2. Review of Rules & Regulations:
How often the agency reviews its rules and whether it adopts the public consultancy approach for these revisions.
3. Transparency:
Clarity in administering the rules and regulations, in the decision-making process.
4. Customer Responsiveness:
Engaging customers to better understand their needs and expectations.
5. Pro-enterprise Orientation:
How friendly the policies of the agency are in nurturing new business ideas.
Transformational Framework
A very important factor contributing to HDB’s quick improvement is its enterprise excellence framework, which focuses on four areas of excellence. They include: to Enrich Customers’ Experience, Empower Staff, Engage Business, and Expand Pro-Business Opportunities.
The framework serves as a road map to help departments in HDB employ and share best pro-business practices and transform themselves into business champions in the process.
As part of HDB’s efforts to be more business friendly, it often engages in customer consultation, networking and communication. These have helped HDB better understand customers’ preferences and also secured validation for any changes that HDB intends to take.
For example, the renewal period of the Home Office Scheme was extended from three to five years, after receiving overwhelming support at the focus group discussions. HDB also uses these opportunities to invite speakers to share business tips and aids available to small business enterprises.
In addition, HDB is currently participating in a Business Licensing Consultancy Study with an external consultant, along with other Government regulatory agencies to review the licenses under its purview. This study aims at providing a one-stop license application experience for the customer, instead of having to wait long and travel to various agencies to obtain the relevant permits.
By regularly reviewing processes, HDB has helped to cut business cost for customers. After a review, there was the immediate approval and administrative fee waiver of $200 for Additions and Alterations, Outdoor Refreshment Area shelter and upgrading of electricity supply permit applications.
There is no doubt the framework has helped transform the departments that manage HDB’s commercial and industrial tenants from being passive landlords to active business facilitators. In addition to newsletters and dedicated websites, they have launched business and retail seminars.
They have also created e-shop directories to tap the more e-savvy younger customer market for HDB’s shops and shopping complexes. An example is the Where2Shop @ HDB initiative, which is a new website that provides comprehensive information about HDB shops in 148 Town/ Neighbourhood Centres and Neighbourhood Complexes.
Agencies were also becoming more open to feedback, and more consultative and pro-active, the survey discovered. Businesses involved in the survey saw the rules and regulations introduced as forward-looking and having achieved their intended purpose. Businesses also appreciated the quality of e-Services and agency websites, and new functions such as email notifications and automated reminders.
For example, customers interested in the Home Office Scheme would find the e-submission for the scheme accessible and easy to use, allowing them to rent a HDB unit as an office for a lower price and making it easy for anyone to start a business.
Responding to the positive results that HDB has achieved in the survey, HDB’s Chief Executive Officer Tay Kim Poh expressed his appreciation to staff for the hard work that they had put in.
“This is indeed an impressive achievement and due no doubt to the tremendous efforts and hard work put in by our staff to engage our customers, streamline our rules and provide better services to make HDB more business–friendly.”