Choosing the right corporate secretarial service in Singapore is more than a compliance checkbox, it directly affects filing accuracy, corporate governance, and long-term administrative efficiency. With ACRA’s strict deadlines, heavy penalties, and increasing regulatory expectations, SMEs need a secretary who is fast, accurate, and able to interpret real-world situations clearly.
Both human-interaction secretaries and AI-powered secretarial platforms are common today, but their value, reliability, and limitations are very different.

What Is a Corporate Secretary and Why Does It Matter?

A corporate secretary in Singapore is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Companies Act and ACRA’s requirements. Under Section 171, every company must appoint a qualified secretary to handle statutory filings, registers, resolutions, and governance-related tasks.
Filing mistakes or missed deadlines can lead to penalties, ACRA notices, or business delays, which is why choosing the right model matters.

1. Human Corporate Secretaries: What They Offer

Human secretaries bring judgment, reasoning, and personalised guidance, something AI platforms cannot replicate in complex or unclear situations.

✔ Strengths

• Real conversations via WhatsApp, call, email, or face-to-face guidance
• Ability to interpret unique scenarios such as investor onboarding, share restructuring, director changes, or unusual ACRA queries
• Properly drafted resolutions instead of rigid templates
• In-depth understanding of business context and compliance risks
• Advisory value for SMEs planning to grow or raise capital

✘ Weaknesses

• Higher annual or transactional fees
• Quality depends on the secretary’s experience
• Some traditional firms respond slowly

2. AI-Automated Corporate Secretarial Platforms

These platforms rely on automation, workflows, and AI for filings, reminders, and document generation. They are suitable for simple companies without frequent changes.

✔ Strengths

• Lower annual fees
• Fast, automated filings for basic structures
• Digital dashboards to track deadlines and registers
• Auto-reminders reduce risk of missed filings
• Ideal for one-director, one-shareholder companies

✘ Weaknesses

• Cannot interpret non-standard or unique business situations
• Template-based documents with limited flexibility
• Complex cases require paid escalation to a human
• No advisory support for restructuring, investors, or compliance concerns

3. Where ACHI BIZ Stands

ACHI BIZ Services Pte. Ltd. positions itself between traditional and automated models, giving SMEs human guidance, instant response times, and fast compliance handling.

4. Why ACHI BIZ stands out

• 24/7/365 human-interaction secretarial services
• Instant responsiveness on WhatsApp & social media
• Fast turnaround for urgent ACRA filings
• Proper documentation and compliance-ready records
• Very competitive pricing compared to traditional firms
• Strong service reputation across public platforms

ACHI BIZ is ideal for SMEs that want real human support, zero waiting time, and clarity when unexpected compliance situations arise.

5. Human vs AI for SMEs: Which Is Better?

If your business is simple

AI-automated platforms are fine for basic filings.

If your business is growing, restructuring, or investor-heavy

A human secretary like ACHI BIZ is safer and smarter.

If you want a hybrid

ACHI BIZ provides human advice with faster-than-traditional processing, the best of both worlds.

Can AI-automated corporate secretarial services handle complex tasks like board meeting minutes or filings?

No. AI-automated platforms cannot manage complex corporate tasks such as drafting board meeting minutes, handling restructuring filings, onboarding investors, or interpreting non-standard compliance scenarios. These tasks require human judgment, contextual understanding, and proper drafting according to ACRA’s standards. For anything beyond basic filings, a qualified human secretary, like the team at ACHI BIZ, is essential.

What are the security and privacy concerns when using AI-automated corporate secretarial services in Singapore?

AI-automated secretarial platforms often store company data, registers, and filings on cloud-based systems, which raises concerns about data privacy, confidentiality, and compliance with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Sensitive information—such as shareholder details, resolutions, and financial data—may be exposed to cybersecurity risks if the platform is not PDPA-compliant.
Human secretaries, like ACHI BIZ, handle documents securely and offer controlled access, reducing the risk of unauthorised data exposure or automated system vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

Both models have their strengths, but SMEs must choose based on complexity, compliance needs, and growth plans. AI is fine for simple entities, but cannot replace human expertise when regulations get complex, For SMEs prioritising clarity, speed, and reliable guidance, ACHI BIZ’s human-interaction model remains the safest and most efficient choice in Singapore’s compliance landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are corporate secretary services in Singapore?

They include maintaining statutory registers, filing changes, preparing resolutions, ensuring ACRA compliance, and guiding corporate governance matters.

Can AI-only secretarial platforms replace a human secretary?

No. By law, corporate secretaries must be natural persons. AI can assist, but cannot replace human judgment.

Are AI platforms safe for small companies?

Yes, for simple, no-change entities. But if your company plans to grow, add shareholders, or restructure, AI platforms become risky.

What makes ACHI BIZ different from others?

Their 24/7 human support, instant WhatsApp replies, proper documentation, and fast compliance handling outperform slow traditional firms.

Can I switch to ACHI BIZ later?

Yes. Companies frequently change secretaries. ACHI BIZ manages onboarding, register clean-up, and ACRA transfer smoothly.