How Virtual Queuing Can Improve Service Efficiency and the Customer Experience

The challenge of managing operational efficiency while improving the customer experience often feels like a daunting task with seemingly opposing goals to service providers. Pushing people through the line and completing the transaction within a targeted time frame is difficult, and can lead customers to feel neglected. Each customer needs to feel special and that their individual needs are being met because without customers, there is no business. The aim to serve customers more efficiently without sacrificing the quality of that service is not only a necessary goal, but achievable with the help of virtual queuing. Let’s consider a bank, an institution that faces these very concerns on a daily basis. Here’s how virtual queuing can help:

Identify the customer’s needs as early as possible

The better you know your customers, the better you are able to serve them. With a virtual queuing system, customers can register for service via a kiosk, tablet, or mobile application and in the process, identify why they have come into the bank.

Match the customer’s needs with the proper service agent

As soon as the virtual queuing system captures the reason your customer has walked into the bank, it can follow your rules to route the customer to the service agent who can best assist them. The information that was gathered through the registration process, whether through using the mobile application or in-bank kiosk, can be sent to the proper agent before the customer reaches the point of service. The more information the agent is able to obtain, the easier it will be for him to execute the transaction more efficiently.

Utilize text messaging

If the proper service agent is not currently available, your customer may have to wait for a short period of time. Virtual queuing systems can help wait time expectations by calculating and automatically notifying the patron of the estimated wait time. Then, your virtual queuing system can utilize text messaging to notify the customer of any changes in the wait time and when it is getting close to his turn. You can also notify the customer of the name of the agent that will be assisting him and perhaps even what qualifies that particular agent to best serve him with his transaction. The brilliance behind text messaging notifications is that they allow customers to do just about anything besides physically wait in line. Depending on how long the wait, patrons have the ability to do anything from reply to emails via their mobile device to getting a cup a coffee from the local coffee shop around the corner. Your customer’s experience will dramatically increase with this flexibility.

Guide the customer to the proper place of service

When the service agent is available to help your customer, guide the customer to the proper point of service as quickly as possible. Virtual queuing systems use clear and simple digital signage placed around the queuing area to guide customers to their assigned point of service. Or the customer can be directed via a text message on their mobile device. The goal is to have your customer reach his desired service agent efficiently and effortlessly. Proper planning and execution of processes that include identifying the customer’s needs as early as possible, matching the customer with the proper service agent, managing wait time expectations and efficiently guiding the customer to the proper agent when he is available ultimately drives down the cost of doing business and dramatically improves the customer experience. Learn more about the value of virtual queuing and its role in improving service efficiency and the customer experience. Watch the QtracVR® demo video.