Truly no-wrong door: ServiceSG brings WOG services to less digitally ready citizens

This is the first of a two-part story on ServiceSG that explores the inception of ServiceSG centres. The second part explores the challenges faced as a one-stop shop for government services, as well as its 4-in-1 CRM system that enables seamless operations. 

For citizens, navigating the labyrinth of public services can feel like knocking on countless wrong doors, with each visit ending in polite redirection and growing frustration. 

Throwing technology into the mix, the digital government may end up widening the gap between public services and less tech-savvy and vulnerable citizens. 

Like a beacon in the fog, ServiceSG under Singapore’s Public Service Division (PSD) has been weaving together the threads of over 25 government agencies, bringing a staggering 600 services under one roof (as of 2024). 

Speaking to GovInsider, ServiceSG’s Deputy Director (Centre Operations & Planning)’s Ted Wang, shares more about ServiceSG as a one-stop shop for citizens to access whole-of-government (WOG) services. 

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One-stop shop for government 

Since 2019, PSD launched its first physical centre pilot for integrated public services at Our Tampines Hub, Singapore, which initially covered about 150 services across six agencies.  

ServiceSG was subsequently formed in 2021 to ramp up efforts around integrated service delivery. 

As of 2024, the one-stop shop has since expanded to nine centres, expecting to launch another one in 2026. 

These centres cater to citizens who need help to access digital government services, guidance about a specific government product, and/or receive in-depth consultations with public officers for more complex transactions, Wang says. 

This is why centre officers are cross-trained across different services to be able to recommend adjacent services to citizens based on their needs, he notes. 

This also allows citizens to complete multiple transactions in a single visit, thereby reducing wait times and the need to contact different agencies repeatedly. 

One in four citizens are now able to complete multiple services in a single visit, he says. 

For more complex services like financial assistance application (ComCare) or job search, citizens may have to return to the centres for follow-up. 

According to Wang, more than 306,000 citizens (with 70 per cent of them being seniors who are 55 years old or older) were assisted with more than 450,000 transactions in 2024 alone. 

From 2019 to 2025, the customer satisfaction score had consistently remained at more than 90 per cent. 

Not only benefiting citizens, ServiceSG was also able to achieve systemic resource savings across the WOG, he says, as agencies can now maintain a scaled-down physical presence and deploy their frontline officers to more critical areas. 

ServiceSG as a feedback loop 

Additionally, ServiceSG centres serve as the “ears and eyes on the ground”, says Wang. 

Frontline officers, who work alongside their agency partners, are uniquely positioned to directly observe how citizens interact with public services and assess the impact of these services over time, he explains. 

“By conveying operational challenges to agencies, we hope we can effect upstream changes in policy, schemes and service delivery process design, reduction in service delivery pain points, and creating a measurable feedback loop of service improvements that benefits the entire public service.” 

He adds that the close partnerships and mutual trust built up with public agencies over the years allowed ServiceSG and agencies to collectively address citizen issues more effectively and holistically.  

Bundled services approach 

Rather than just being convenient, ServiceSG is working to integrate and transform the traditionally siloed approach to public service delivery. 

One example to illustrate this is through its specialised Life Planning Service. 

Having noticed a recurring pattern of seniors approaching with questions about various end-of-life planning matters, the team saw an opportunity to redesign its service approach. 

“Rather than simply directing these citizens to different agencies, ServiceSG recognised an opportunity to provide more comprehensive support,” says Wang. 

By bundling up related services, the team wanted to create a complete end-to-end experience for citizens. 

Senior officers would proactively identify and recommend services for citizens, guide them through this journey involving multiple agencies, and closely follow up with them to ensure planning aspects were addressed. 

To date, over 1,000 citizens have benefited from this initiative, and surveyed citizens reported better understanding of different life planning services, he said. 

ServiceSG as a testbed 

Wang notes an increasing interest among agency partners to pilot new service delivery models. 

“This ‘ripple effect’ across government agencies indicates broader systemic impact, showing how ServiceSG's innovations are helping to transform public service delivery across Singapore,” he adds. 

As for ServiceSG’s own mission to support less digitally ready citizens – who tend to be seniors, the team has recruited more than 30 retired seniors as their ambassadors (Community Kakis) to connect with peers to overcome barriers and drive adoption of digital services and upskilling. 

Moving ahead, Wang says the team hopes to gain a deeper understanding of citizen needs by closely tracking repeat visits and referrals, monitor citizens’ comfort in sharing sensitive data as well as digital service adoption, and measure the uptake of preventive and planning services that often rely on trust. 

The team would also like to increase their engagement with community partners and public agencies. 

“Through these approaches, we hope that we can continue to remain relevant as we evolve and improve our service delivery model, while maintaining focus on building lasting trust and engagement with citizens," he adds.

ServiceSG recently clinched a "Special Mention” for the Inter-Agency Award by GovInsider at the Festival of Innovation (FOI) 2025 awards. 

On what makes whole-of-government collaboration click, Wang says it "requires a delicate balance of people, processes, and technology, all aligned toward common goals and supported by strong communication frameworks."