Review old practice, dun just stay put

As I had just shifted to my own place, I needed to apply for utilities and telephone line. Water and electricity supply being the more urgent matter, I applied for that immediately after getting the house key so that I can do my house renovation. SP services allows us to apply online so that we can quickly activate the essential utilities while the hardcopy of the application form is then mailed to us subsequently. We then have to complete the form, return to them (in the self-enclosed enveloped) with a photocopy of NRIC of the applicant. The initial deposit was billed later on.
In contrast, when I wanted to apply for a telephone line, there was no ‘online submission’ choice. At best, we could download a copy of the application form to fill in first. But we still had to apply for it in person through the postal offices. Why so? I thought it could be because they needed us to place a deposit before activating the line. However, after I made my telephone line application in person at a postal office, I discovered that they did not need me to pay any deposit (it will be billed subsequently). The only use of this ‘in-person application’ was so that the postal office employee can verify my NRIC details before they submit the application form. What a screwed up process. Why cant they follow SP services to let us submit a photocopy of NRIC? Even if they had wanted us to place deposit, they could have opted for credit card deposit. This arcane practice of submission in person has no value-add, and only waste my time and the postal office’s time. It is sad that Singtel did not bother to keep up with the times to review their system, and allow this old way to stay even though it is no longer needed. These days, even the application of TV licence can be done online with payment through credit card. Singapore must be the only place where the government is even more efficient and customer oriented than the private sector.

nb: I emailed them thru their website to feedback on this application process. Its been 2 weeks and I did not get any response. Not surprising. Navigating through their website, you dun get a sense of 'customer oriented' / userfriendliness kind of feeling..