Today's colleges and universities are immensely complex systems, from admissions departments to class registration, every college is an expansive network sustained by hundreds of moving parts; as a result, efficiency is crucial. In the coming decade, colleges that do not adopt virtual queue systems are in danger of disappearing. Although there are many ways to increase campus efficiency, the complexity of college infrastructure necessitates easily-implemented solutions that are minimally disruptive to a college's day-to-day operations.
Thankfully, electronic queuing systems provide colleges and universities with the tools they need to seamlessly increase campus efficiency without overhauling their existing systems of infrastructure. By streamlining queuing, enhancing communication, and boosting performance, colleges can use these systems to dramatically improve their campus experience for both students and staff.
Streamline Student Services with Digital Queuing
On most college campuses, students frequently encounter lengthy queues and long wait times. During peak periods, lines for document submissions often extend down hallways, and advisory appointments are near-inaccessible. While occasional instances of waiting are inevitable within institutions that service hundreds of students on a daily basis, excessive wait times are often indicative of larger, systemic inefficiencies; fortunately, electronic queuing systems are designed to dramatically reduce wait times by relying on digital self-service rather than manual queuing.
With software like QLESS, students can queue for various campus services online, from their mobile device, or via an on-site kiosk. Upon joining a queue, students will receive an automatic SMS text or phone message notifying them when their position in line approaches, allowing them to wait wherever they'd like. Because digital queuing liberates students from being required to wait in long lines, campus congestion is dramatically reduced. Meanwhile, staff also benefit from the improved efficiency of electronic queuing systems. By relegating the burden of queue management to software like QLESS, college staff are able to devote more of their time and energy to servicing students and spend less time manually managing queues. However, when staff members do need to monitor their queue performance, digital queue systems ensure that all the data is right at their fingertips. In just a few clicks, college staff and administrators can access meaningful queue statistics directly from their electronic queuing systems dashboard, such as:
Analyze Queue Metrics and Boost Performance
On college campuses, every second is a precious resource, many students are tasked with balancing the responsibilities of full course loads, while staff work around-the-clock to provide students with timely solutions to address their academic, financial, and personal needs. For these busy students and staff, time lost to inefficiencies is time that could have been better spent elsewhere. Fortunately, most colleges are highly invested in increasing efficiency around campus, but without real-world metrics, tracking performance and identifying areas of improvement can be challenging.
Thankfully, electronic queuing systems like QLESS include robust built-in data reporting features that allow staff and administrators to gauge queue performance with ease. Because digital queue systems automatically collect and archive all relevant queue data, staff can analyze their performance across multiple queues in seconds through an intuitive, web-based interface. In just a few clicks, staff can view:
Because data never expires, electronic queuing systems also allow staff to compare and contrast queue performance across days, weeks, or years. With full access to hundreds of data reports, college staff can gather broader insights and drive targeted improvements to queues with greater accuracy. After browsing and filtering through data to one's satisfaction, the option to export data as Microsoft Excel, Access, or CSV files is never more than a few clicks away.
Enhance your Queue Experience with Notifications and Improved Communication
A lack of communication is a significant source of inefficiency on college campuses. Without sufficient transparency between staff and students, appointment negligence is more common, and queue service disruptions/delays are more disruptive to students.
Thankfully, electronic queuing systems like QLESS include built-in features that facilitate productive communication between staff and students. Aside from appointment reminders, QLESS supports bi-directional messaging via SMS text or voice, allowing students and staff to easily exchange messages and share pertinent information while in-queue.
The potential applications of QLESS's bi-directional messaging are near-limitless. Staff can use the platform to inform students of queue delays and interruptions, ensuring that students receive minute-to-minute updates on service availability. Meanwhile, students can request more time if they're running late to their appointment, ask questions about relevant services, and confirm that their documents are properly prepared before they're summoned for service. To maximize the efficiency of the platform and promote transparency, all messages are sent in real-time without delay.
Many electronic queuing systems also foster communication well after an appointment or service has concluded. With QLESS, staff can opt to send serviced students a survey link via SMS text to gauge their experience and collect meaningful feedback. For students, completing a survey takes no more than a few minutes, and responses can be entered directly from a mobile device. Due to the ease of use, colleges can collect more insightful feedback in less time when compared to traditional email or phone-based surveys.
Staff can choose to send surveys selectively or automatically, but regardless of their preferences, all survey responses are contextualized. As a result, colleges can use electronic queuing systems to assess the performance of specific queues or employees, helping them drive targeted, efficiency-boosting enhancements to campus services.
Optimize your College Queues with QLESS
With countless installations in the United States and elsewhere, QLESS is the definitive digital queuing system for colleges and universities. From the University of Texas at Dallas to Santa Monica College, QLESS has helped colleges across the globe implement productive solutions and boost campus efficiency.
To learn how to improve campus operations and retention rates, read our whitepaper, Campus Without Lines.
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