Replacing legacy with automation and digitalisation
Published: Feb 2025
Best Transaction Management Solution
Highly Commended Winner
Singapore Pools
Photo of Wong Chun Fye, Singapore Pools and Melvyn Low, OCBC.
Ms Choo Jin
Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy
Singapore Pools was established by the Government on May 23rd 1968 to provide safe and trusted betting to counter illegal gambling.
in partnership with
The challenge
Singapore Pools wanted to provide a more convenient digital payment journey for its customers. It faced operational hurdles as its customers were unable to place bets through digital channels and had to place their bets over the counter or via tele-betting (via phone).
Heavy cash-handling over the counter was time-consuming and operationally costly. With over 300 outlets in Singapore, there were multiple transactions and high volumes of cash handling over the counter each day.
The process of setting up Direct Debit Authorisation (DDA) was manual and operationally tedious. The past DDA process required customers to download a paper form and mail it to Singapore Pools for manual processing, which could take up to two weeks. This was operationally heavy and did not provide a seamless customer experience.
Even with the setup of DDA, the withdrawals from Singapore Pools account wallet are based on a daily schedule and not instantaneous.
Before the solution
The solution
Singapore Pools achieved a seamless end-to-end digitalisation journey as it partnered with OCBC to implement a comprehensive solution suite. Customers can now place their bets instantly through digital channels, without human intervention. This automation reduces the rate of error, branch footfall and cash-handling, and improves overall customer satisfaction levels. The main solutions implemented are:
Bank account registration on the app – enabling instant DDA via Instant GIRO sign-up.
e-wallet top-up on the app – seamless, automated top-up into e-wallet by customers through FAST Direct Debit Collection.
Instantaneous withdrawal of funds from e-wallet – direct withdrawal of funds and prize winnings into customers’ bank accounts.
After solution
Best practice and innovation
Singapore Pools has improved operational efficiency through automation. Footfall to branches is reduced and the need for operational labour has decreased. There is also a lower error rate through automated reconciliation, payments and collections via H2H.
The seamless payment process keeps the end customers satisfied with service levels, retains older customers, while also staying relevant with the younger generation. By optimising the user journey for the end customer, the company has seen a sixfold increase in customers using DDA (bank account registration on the app) since the go-live date of the solution.
Key benefits
Headcount savings.
Process efficiencies.
Increased automation.
Errors reduced.
Manual intervention reduced.
Improved customer experience.
The Adam Smith Awards Asia are the industry benchmark for best practice and innovation in corporate treasury. The 2024 awards attracted 406 nominations. To find out more please visit treasurytoday.com/adam-smith-awards-asia
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