Pugunes: Working Hard to Support Her Family Led to a Beautiful Career in Customer Service

Sentosa’s award-winning Lead Ticketing Host shares how her father’s passing shaped her career and life trajectory.

“I first visited Sentosa to celebrate my 27th birthday. I went on a two-day, one-night trip with friends and family in 2016. Sentosa used to have chalets run by Costa Sands, and I stayed in one of those huts at Siloso Beach. I’ll never forget those times.

I remember seeing the sunrise on our first morning – it was so beautiful. I also remember my surprise when I realised Sentosa was like its own country, with its own security and transport system. I never imagined there would be an island within the island of Singapore.

I’m from Perak, and before that trip, I had never travelled anywhere for a holiday. It was my first time as a tourist, and everything about Sentosa wowed me. I told myself I’d like to work here someday, and it came true. Today, I’m a Lead Ticketing Host at Sentosa.

I’ve been working full-time since I was 19. You can say I’m a workaholic. My very first job was in Singapore. I worked as a sales assistant at Mustafa Centre. I could have stayed in Perak and worked. You can survive in Malaysia, but I like the money and pace in Singapore.

I started working early because I needed to support my family. After I finished secondary school, my father passed away, and I never got the opportunity to continue my studies. As the oldest sibling, I went to work so that my siblings could further their education.

One of my sisters is an early childhood teacher who will soon be a principal. Another holds a leadership position in her company, and my youngest sibling is pursuing a degree. They’re all in a good place now.

At that time, I embraced my father’s role to support my family and ensure my mother’s well-being. It wasn’t a sacrifice – it was a choice to step up. As a young adult, the prospect of working overseas and earning my income was exciting and empowering, setting the foundation for my journey ahead.

So, I moved to Johor Bahru and worked at Mustafa Centre for six years. I took a one-year break and then worked at 7-Eleven for a year before joining Sentosa as a ticketing host in August 2016, a few months after my birthday celebration in Sentosa.

Empathy is the most important quality you should have in customer service. When you have empathy, you’ll be kind, polite, helpful and understanding. I have empathy because I can relate to what tourists and visitors feel when they’re in Singapore.

When I first started working in Singapore, everything felt new – the culture, the pace, the environment, and the way of communication. I felt alone and didn’t know who I could trust. That’s why I want to help people feel as comfortable as possible in my role as a ticketing host.

Every human wants to feel at ease, and feeling understood helps people feel safe. That’s why speaking many different languages has been very useful in my role. I can speak Tamil, Hindi, English, Mandarin, Malay and Bahasa Indonesia. I also know sign language.

I can speak many different languages because of my childhood in Malaysia. I went to a Tamil primary school – yes, I actually studied science and maths in Tamil – and then I went to a Malay secondary school where I suddenly had to learn everything in Malay.

Since I was a young girl, I had to adapt to new situations and learn new skills, which made surviving in Singapore easier. I didn’t go to any language courses; I picked up new languages myself. I learned Hindi from watching Bollywood movies and reading subtitles.

When Sentosa started getting huge crowds and tour groups from North India, I tried speaking more Hindi. Even though it was minimal, the guests were happy I could understand them. That motivated me to speak Hindi more, and now, I can speak Hindi fluently.

I always try to give my best at work, but I was not expecting to win at the Singapore Tourism Awards earlier this year. I won Customer Service Excellence for Attractions, and I was shocked because many people from other organisations were also nominated.

I use this award to inspire my team members. It is also a reminder to them that what we do is very important. Selling tickets and directing visitors to their destination might seem easy, but we are ambassadors of Sentosa.

If people have a bad encounter with us, they won’t say, ‘I had a bad experience with Pugu’. They’ll say, ‘I had a bad experience in Sentosa‘. For many tourists, it’s not only their first time in Sentosa but also their first time in Singapore, so we need to make sure that first impressions count.

When guests come to us, they need our help and are already frustrated. My task is to give them positive vibes. Not everyone can do it, but we can. We can improve people’s experiences.

This award gave me more confidence. I’ve been doing this job consistently for eight years, and the spotlight suddenly came to me. I think that if your core is pure and you do your best without any expectations, you can get recognition.

At 35, I’ve come to embrace the journey of continuous growth, regardless of where I started. Even without further education, I’ve learned to focus on my strengths and remind myself of my unique values. Staying positive and believing in my abilities have been essential in shaping my path forward.

I’m deeply grateful to my ticketing team, especially my senior staff, for their constant guidance and encouragement. Their advice has shaped my journey and helped me grow into the person I am today.

Starting as a Ticketing Host, I’ve worked my way up to Senior Ticketing Host in 2023, and now Lead Ticketing Host in 2024. These milestones wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of my incredible team.

Just remember that you are not less than anybody. Know that nobody can be you, like nobody can be me. It might come late, but just be patient, believe in yourself, and you will get recognition. Just do your best, and you will shine in time.” – Pugunes Visvanathan, Lead Ticketing Host

Interview by Arman Shah

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