LTA’s announcement on SimplyGo “a big PR disaster”, says experts

Experts in investor relations and communications warned that Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) could face a potential “biggest PR disaster” due to the recent announcement about changes to public transport payment methods, excluding older cards by June 2024.

Last Tuesday, LTA announced that effective from 1 June 2024, older EZ-Link cards without the SimplyGo logo and Nets FlashPay cards will no longer be accepted as valid payment methods.

Netizens have pointed out significant shortcomings in SimplyGo, such as its inability to provide transaction details to commuters on buses or the MRT.

The online community questions why the previous system offered this feature and expresses concerns about LTA’s lack of initiatives to address and improve the situation before removing the existing system.

Roger Ng, an Investor Relations (IR) and Communications specialist with nearly two decades of experience has raised concerns about LTA’s SimplyGo announcement, calling it a potential “biggest PR disaster.”

In a LinkedIn post, he emphasized that the transition to SimplyGo cards lacks crucial features like displaying fare and balance at the gate, reflecting a disregard for commuters’ needs in the tech rollout.

While it may seem to be such a small issue on the surface, Mr Ng pointed out that it is a reflection of how authorities “pay so little attention to what commuters actually want or need when rolling out new tech.”

Last Friday, responding to media queries, LTA clarified that tapping a SimplyGo EZ-Link card would prompt fare gates and bus readers to take “a few seconds” to retrieve and display the card balance and deduction information from the backend system.

“While this is technically possible, it will slow down the entry and exit for commuters,” said LTA.

However, Mr Ng pointed out that the focus should be on customer experience rather than ease of backend management.

“After all, the point of new tech is supposed to make our lives better and not worse,” he added.

Separately, Mark Lee, a finance industry veteran and Managing Director for Asia Fund Space, voiced his concerns on LinkedIn, stating that the recent incident is a significant PR disaster for the Singapore government and LTA.

He further cautioned that if not addressed promptly, it could escalate into a major topic during the upcoming General Election (GE).

LinkedIn members stressing the need for tech to enhance, not hinder public convenience

Observing comments on both Mr Ng and Mr Lee’s LinkedIn posts, certain LinkedIn members highlighted that LTA seems to have overlooked a crucial principle when rolling out tech or policy changes—tech should aid convenience for the public, not the other way around.

One member commented that while commuters can check the balance on the SimplyGo app, the overlooked basic need is to ensure sufficient balance for the day’s work trip.

She shared her own experience, getting a scare on the app last Friday when her card showed a zero balance despite reloading $30 three days prior.

She also mentioned difficulties in reloading via the app due to high traffic, emphasizing the importance of addressing such fundamental needs in the system.

Challenges faced by non-tech-savvy elderly

A comment highlighted the hurdles faced by non-tech-savvy elderly individuals in embracing app usage.

“Features meant to help user, not against them”

A member emphasizes the importance of tech features aiding users rather than working against them.

In addition, a comment raised a valid concern about the risks of relying solely on mobile phones.

He questioned the wisdom of “putting all eggs into one basket”, emphasizing potential issues such as water damage, low battery, loss, misplacement, or theft.

“For safety/security, I will not add SimplyGo onto my mobile.. No difference from being totally cashless and relaying on PayNow..”

Responding to these comments, Mr Ng emphasized the challenges faced by the elderly, citing the example of his mom grappling with understanding and linking the app to her bank balance.

Another LinkedIn comment criticized the platform transition as a ‘white elephant,’ highlighting that it has caused more inconveniences than benefits.

The comment expressed frustration at the approach of implementing technological changes without first understanding the needs of end-users.