Organization in higher education is incredibly important for both students and administrators. For students, there are a lot of responsibilities associated with higher education. Many students must juggle academics, extracurriculars, and financing their studies. Administrators must focus on admissions, enrollment, and ensuring students are up-to-date on tuition. Both parties can feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities, and a lack of organization can deeply impair the higher education experience. An efficient waitlist software can be the solution to improving the student and staff experience.The offices higher education institutes use to help students with organization include:
While these resources can be very helpful for students during their time in college, accessing them can be difficult. Higher education institutes often have administrative offices that offer long waits and difficulty getting in contact with staff. For students with a packed calendar, it can often be easier to just skip using these important services. This is something that can negatively impact both the institution and students.
Students deserve a well-organized, well-structured administration where their needs are catered to. One of the ways that many institutions are helping to provide this is by offering waitlist software.Waitlist software is a digital solution that helps colleges and universities digitize their appointment scheduling and queuing. It is software designed to improve the student experience and ensure students receive the easy access to resources they deserve. QLess is the leading waitlist software that will help each student stay atop their academic calendar and ensure a more efficient, organized school system. Below, we will offer a deep dive into waitlist software. We'll explore the problems it is addressing, the benefits, and how it aligns with the needs of the students.
While universities aim to educate the next generation of leaders, they are ultimately businesses. Even if many universities are not-for-profit, they still seek to expand their funding and reinvest resources to improve the school. That means the importance of the student experience is significant. Student tuitions are how schools stay afloat, and keeping students happy is a must.
Students can leave if they are unhappy, and many do. That is why it is pivotal that universities give their students an academic experience they enjoy. Long waits for academic offices are something students hate that universities should be wary of.Long waits are a roadblock to customer satisfaction, as they can feel impersonal and frustrating. In a higher education environment, where students invest a lot to be there, these waits can feel downright dispiriting.
The results of this survey should concern administrators.Administrators don’t just schedule appointments for fun. Running a school is complicated, and having students fully informed and up-to-date with their academic calendars and payments is pivotal. These meetings are an important part of organizing a higher education institute. If students skip these appointments, that is a problem for the school. Long wait times are a common complaint in nearly every industry and can be difficult to cut into, some US schools have 50,000+ students, and managing the demands of such a large student population makes waits nearly unavoidable. But if students are willingly missing appointments due to extended waits, accepting this is a mistake. Students attending their appointments makes administrating much easier, as they are more informed and up-to-date.
Understanding your student body is incredibly important. Students' preferences define the services universities offer. So if schools can’t adapt to the wants and needs of the current generation of students, they will fall behind. Currently, most college students are Gen Z, so they are the demographic to pay attention to for university administrators. Many students prefer a tech-centric experience from their school's administrative branches.
Students also prefer mobile communication from their schools. When asked what the best way for their higher-education institution to get in touch with them was, the QLess survey showed that the most common response was by text message, receiving 35.20% of the vote.One trend that universities have been leaning into recently is virtual appointments. This was born of necessity when the pandemic shut down campuses worldwide, but the increased ease of access that virtual appointments brought may have changed students’ perspectives. The QLess survey showed that "51.23% of students prefer to attend an academic appointment virtually rather than in person."
Today’s students are technology-driven and want tech integrated into their administrative processes. This is something that universities need to be aware of because it is beneficial for both parties. With that in mind, waitlist software is a high-impact way for higher education institutes to combat the problem of long waits. It also aligns with the tech preferences of the students they serve.
We’ve been talking about waitlist software's benefits, but what does it do? The QLess software has a suite of core features designed to transform how students schedule and wait for their appointments. It also aids in how universities manage them. The QLess has several aspects that make it an ideal tool for higher education institutes.
With the queue management software, students can virtually enter a lineup at an academic office and wait for their appointment in a digital queue. The students receive real-time updates on their wait times and can arrive at the office when it is time for their appointment. Staff can sort students into different lines according to:
The appointment scheduling features allow students to schedule appointments independently from their devices. They can book appointments through their phone or desktop, and the appointment platform is available 24/7. Students can pick the appointment type they want and manage it through their phones. Then, they can either reschedule or cancel if something arises. The purpose of this software is to digitize academic offices to become easier for students to use. Rather than scheduling through a legacy appointment scheduling system that is filled with flaws, students can use the flexible appointment scheduling software of QLess. Rather than sitting in a crowded waiting room hoping to hear their name called, students can remotely enter a virtual queue on the QLess waitlist software. It makes it easier and more enjoyable for students to attend their meetings. It also gives administrators a tool to control student flow and better oversee their calendars.
Major educational institutions, from Texas A&M to Broward College, have adopted waitlist software. It is a major trend in higher education that is continuing to expand for schools of all sizes. We’ve discussed how this software works, so let’s uncover some of the core benefits of waitlist software that have led to it becoming a key part of the future of higher education.
In every industry, the better you understand your operation, the more efficiently you can run it. That has made business intelligence a $24 billion global industry. The more businesses know about their processes, the more they can refine them. Collecting data on your higher education administrative meetings is very difficult without the right tools. Many businesses don’t get the opportunity to use data to optimize their student experience. But with the QLess waitlist software, schools can get objective numbers that showcase how their academic offices perform and the type of experience they offer students.Business intelligence has many benefits for enterprises that deploy it correctly. With good data, businesses can make better decisions and increase their efficiency.
With the QLess business intelligence software, higher education institutions can gain access to valuable data that will allow them to create a more efficient and student-friendly campus experience. QLess data tools provide important insights that can be segmented and broken down into categories based on:
The data reporting features showcase the information in charts and graphs where administrators can spot trends and outliers. The software collects information on median wait time, appointment no-show percentage, employee utilization, number of customers served, and transaction time. It helps paint an accurate picture of how each academic office is performing. Every student, from a graduate student to a freshman, deserves a seamless, efficient process, and business intelligence from QLess helps schools provide this. They can monitor how their offices are performing and spot flaws. Students can also see whether certain appointment types exceed limits or certain offices struggle with student demand. Implementing these changes and tracking improvements creates better end-to-end results.
University administrative staff don’t have an easy job. They oversee and organize campuses that often have tens of thousands of students, each with individual needs. From the undergraduate program office to the financial registrar, staff is often overburdened with a deluge of student requests. At many higher education institutions, staff are not helped by the outdated appointment systems that their offices have implemented. The QLess waitlist software is designed to help increase staff productivity and efficiency by providing organization features in the form of advanced calendar management solutions. Staff also face incredible stress levels as they are overburdened with an intensive workload.
Higher education institutions need to find a way to decrease the workload of staff and improve their stress levels. Waitlist software is a natural solution. With the QLess waitlist software, administrators now have a tool that helps manage their busy appointment calendars. This solution is an all-in-one hub where staff can view their appointment calendars, edit them, and connect with students. The calendar feature provides staff with a highly organized smart calendar that can be altered and changed. It can be organized so it is specific to the employee using it and color-coded according to appointment type. Staff can tap on their appointment to see which student they are meeting with. Then, they can message the student to ask for information or updates. The calendar management features of the QLess waitlist software also help staff adjust to changes. If students are late for an appointment, staff can message them to see if they are still coming. If students don’t answer, staff can move other appointments up and notify those whose appointments have been moved forward. This will help create a more flexible, efficient appointment calendar with heightened administrative control over the day-to-day. This reduces the burden on staff and increases the efficiency of the office.
The reality of student life is that it is often incredibly busy and draining. Students tend to have jam-packed schedules as they navigate school, extracurriculars, a social life, and often jobs that fund their education. It is no wonder that 88% of higher education students reported their school life to be stressful, with 45% reporting high-stress levels. Students are busy, anxious, and often experiencing independence for the first time. Long waits to access school resources are a problem that many students are unwilling to stomach.
Instead of sitting in a crowded office waiting to hear their name called, they can remotely join a lineup from a phone or computer or enter a virtual line through an on-site kiosk. The remote join features include real-time updates on the student’s spot in line. It also provides updates periodically sent to them via text message. Students only enter the office when their appointment is set to begin, this saves them the nuisance of waiting in an office’s waiting area. This is a substantial change for students that are sure to appreciate their newfound freedom, they can wait in the library or a nearby cafe. It allows them to dip into their workload away from a crowded waiting area where working is difficult. Giving students an improved waiting experience will help remove the burden and increase attendance for appointments. We’ve already discussed how students will skip appointments if the wait is too long. The QLess waitlist software eliminates this problem. Students can wait wherever they want, whether in their apartment or favorite study hall. The time impact of the appointment is greatly reduced as students get to go about their daily lives until the appointment is set to begin.
When the pandemic hit North America’s higher education institutions in the winter of 2020, it was unlike anything the system had ever seen. Degree requirements and financial costs were pushed to the back burner. Schools had to navigate surviving in a new world of social distancing and highly transmissible viruses. Most schools emptied their campuses and moved their resources online. While the average higher education institute has returned to in-person learning, the need for social distancing remains. Many students still feel anxious about the pandemic, and schools hope to curb outbreaks. The pandemic had a massive mental health impact on students, and the repercussions of that are still being felt today.
Schools should aim to eliminate students’ stress by removing congestion from academic offices where possible. The QLess waitlist software is an impactful way for schools to reduce congestion. It can also make students feel more at ease on campus. With QLess, crowded waiting areas are a thing of the past. The waiting room for appointments used to consist of students gathered around in an academic office, but now it is all done through digital means. The education queue system places students in virtual lines where they can wait for their turn from wherever they choose. This will be an excellent option for COVID-cautious students who don’t feel comfortable in crowded areas. In a time where many have lingering stress and anxiety after years of social distancing and crowd caution, the QLess waitlist software enables remote waiting, away from crowds and physical queues. The pandemic remains a significant cause of stress for college students, and the QLess software counters this problem.
Universities are instruments of education, and that requires evolution on their part. How one generation of students learns, or how they want to interact with the administration, doesn’t necessarily carry over to the next generation. Currently, the student population is a technology-dependent group that expects the schools they attend to accommodate their technology preferences. Most schools have failed to do that in their administrative offerings, particularly regarding communication. That is because schools overlook the benefits of using technology to communicate with their students. Higher education institutes typically send emails to students rather than focus on mobile communication.
The aforementioned QLess research showed that "35.20% of students would choose text messages as the ideal way for schools to communicate appointment information with them, while 20.53% of students would prefer phone calls." That means most of your students would rather be contacted through their phones than by any other form of communication, but many schools don’t consider the degree of personalization and communication that students have come to expect. Gen Z, which will make up the vast majority of the typical higher education institution’s student body, expect personalization and communication from the businesses they interact with. This generation heavily expects to be treated as an individual, not just a number.
For academic offices, customized digital communications with students is a must. The QLess waitlist software has bi-directional communication features that allow schools and students to stay in touch. These communication features allow staff to custom-write messages to individual students. They can also send out mass messages to a large group of students at once. This will make it easier for colleges and universities to scale their digital communication to meet the needs of their large student body. Communication and personalization are two things Gen Z students want from their schools. With QLess, schools have a tool that helps them provide this.
No matter what academic program students are involved in, the importance of them attending their appointments can’t be overstated. This is where schools can ensure their students abide by education requirements and get the most out of their time. But getting students to show up for their meetings can be difficult. Appointment no-shows are a serious problem for school offices. They block off appointment times for their student, invest time and energy to prepare for the appointment, and the student doesn’t show up. This is a waste of time and resources and is something schools should move promptly to address. There are two ways the QLess waitlist software helps schools combat missed appointments. The first, we’ve already touched on. QLess helps academic offices reduce waits dramatically.
With the waitlist software, schools don’t have to worry about their students seeing long waits in the academic office and deciding the appointment is not worth the wait. The second way QLess helps enterprises cut into appointment no-shows is by providing an appointment reminder tool to schools. With the QLess waitlist software’s communication features, schools can schedule appointment reminders to be sent to students via SMS. Schools can set it up, so these appointments are sent once on the day of the appointment or multiple times on the days leading up to the appointment, with confirmation from students required. Appointment reminders are a straightforward solution to a serious problem.
Text reminders will ensure that staff is getting the most out of their time and not wasting resources on appointment no-shows. The QLess software also tracks the no-show percentage, so offices can identify if they have a problem in this area and see if their appointment reminder solution is helping to fix it.
One of the biggest changes the pandemic brought has lasting power. Even in a pandemic, students needed to maintain their academic standing and stay in contact. So virtual meetings became the norm. Students and staff would meet up through Microsoft Teams or Zoom and have their appointments without ever needing to meet up face-to-face. Schools are now seeing the trend of virtual meetings isn’t going anywhere, and with the QLess waitlist software, they can integrate virtual appointments into their calendar. QLess has virtual features designed to allow staff to run virtual appointments alongside their in-person appointments, at same time QLess can be integrated with video conferencing platforms like Teams and Zoom. Customers that have virtual appointments or want to walk in virtually are placed in the digital queue and moved through until it is their turn. Once their appointment is set to begin, they are sent a link to a meeting and are directly connected to the staff. This removes the need for students to come into the academic office at all. The early indicators of the value that virtual appointments can provide are exciting.
And not only do they schedule these appointments more, but they actually attend them. The same study showed that virtual appointments at a community college helped them reduce their no-show rate from 15% to 5%.There are certain truths the pandemic revealed that couldn’t be ignored. One of the biggest is that technology has removed the necessity to be physically present for many different things. Academic appointments are just as effective if done virtually, and students favor this option. The QLess waitlist software helps schools manage virtual appointments and blend them with in-person ones. It is a solution designed to give students options and help staff manage the confusion of switching between a physical and virtual schedule.
The ultimate purpose of waitlist software is to help schools transform their academic appointment processes to create a better system for students and staff. This will help lead to a higher education institution with higher student satisfaction rates and better engagement from the people they cater their business toward. Upping student satisfaction is incredibly important for universities, as many schools across the country are dealing with a disengaged student population that is unsatisfied with their school.
According to the Student Research Foundation’s survey of hundreds of thousands of higher education students, "56% of students at private or public four-year institutions said they were satisfied overall with their college experience." While this is still a majority, it also means that nearly half of the respondents in four-year institutions were not satisfied with their college experience. This is unacceptable, particularly considering the price students pay to attend these schools. Waitlist software won’t magically fix all students' issues with the academic experience, but it can make a tangible impact on an important problem. Students can grow disenfranchised with their education when accessing resources. They should have an easy time connecting with the appointments and resources they are paying significantly for, and waitlist software makes that possible.
Convenience and ease of access are two things your students crave, particularly with their busy schedules. Waitlist software gives students more time in their day by removing the difficulty of accessing school resources and ensures that students feel more positively about their college experience.
Higher education institutions cater to a very broad population. Many schools across the country have tens of thousands of students who rely on their universities to offer excellent education and services that meet their needs. Many of these students will require accommodations to make services more accessible. Waitlist software is one way schools make accessing resources easier for students with disabilities, as these tech solutions come with embedded accommodation features.
This is a substantial portion of the entire higher education population, which schools need to be aware of. Most schools take the necessary steps to meet the requirements of students with disabilities, and waitlist software like QLess is another important step for schools to take. QLess has accommodation features designed to make it more accessible for people of all backgrounds. These features are crafted to help users adjust their experience with the waitlist software to meet their unique needs. The QLess software includes:
These features will ensure that a more substantial portion of the student body can see the benefits of the QLess technology. Every student on campus should have no problem accessing the resources to help them navigate higher education. Outdated legacy appointment systems that many schools have implemented do nothing to help students that require accommodations. With the QLess accommodation features, schools can integrate a system that takes the necessary steps to provide students with the customizable, personalized service they deserve. This will ensure a more substantial portion of the student population can receive the help they need.
Students and staff often struggle with the bureaucracy of higher education. It can be exhausting navigating red tape, switching from system to system, to solve a problem that should be simple. Figures have shown that the hiring of managers and administrators has increased dramatically in recent years as schools try to keep up with their bureaucracy. Extra bureaucracy does not benefit anyone in the higher education system, which is why the addition of technology that helps reduce this issue can be a major solution. The QLess waitlist software is one way schools can centralize their processes in an all-in-one hub. Students using this software can handle everything from appointment scheduling and messaging advisors to waiting in a queue. For staff, QLess helps limit the number of solutions they need to focus on.
The QLess software lets staff manage their appointments, view their calendar, connect with students, and analyze their performance. It is a central administrative platform that will help schools ensure a more straightforward appointment scheduling and management process. Bureaucracy has its place, and schools must have systems for checks and balances; however, too much bureaucratic bloating can only be looked at as a bad thing. If students have to switch through different solutions just to access their appointments and handle advisory meetings, many won’t make the effort. The QLess waitlist software is a primary hub where students can schedule and control appointments without too much red tape. For staff, the platform's key features will ensure they have all they need for their appointment calendars in one place.
Implementing a new system is a major undertaking that many enterprises choose to avoid. It can seem easier to not make any drastic changes at all than to make a significant change like altering your appointment scheduling system and queue management process. But schools that choose not to make changes because of perceived difficulties overlook the simplicity of implementing the QLess software and its impact on streamlining systems. QLess was specifically designed with schools in mind and can be customized according to the office using it. Administrators can set different policy configurations for each office and have a single flexible platform capable of handling the various needs of different offices. It has API integrations meaning that it can be connected to a huge array of different software solutions, so schools won’t have to trim their tech stacks to get the most out of the QLess waitlist software. The QLess software is easy to implement for schools and has integrations with technology like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, which the average school uses consistently. QLess is a straightforward, easy-to-implement solution that can be customized for different offices. It is a more flexible waitlist software that will provide schools with appointment software that is easy to use and efficient.
Students need help from start to finish in university, from the admissions process through graduation. Staff and administrators must help ensure that students receive the guidance necessary to put them on the path to academic success. That is why advisement appointments are crucial. From appointments with the financial registrar's office to academic advisement meetings, these important collaborations are a necessary part of the college experience. That is why it is concerning that many students are content to skip these appointments due to inconvenience or long waits. Higher education institutions have many students with loaded schedules, from school and work to social lives and extracurriculars. Advisement appointments feel inconvenient to students, particularly when they are marred by long waits and difficulty with appointment scheduling.
Implementing waitlist software is one of the crucial ways schools can offer improved academic appointments that meet the needs of their student body and improve the workflow for staff.Waitlist software provides various useful solutions to schools, from online queue management software to a virtual appointment scheduling system. The software helps automate the queue experience, so students don’t have to spend their time waiting in a physical line or waiting room. It uses mobile technology to enhance communication and transparency with students and also helps make virtual appointment scheduling a straightforward, simple process.
University students attend higher education institutions with the hopes of expanding their minds and preparing for their future. Unfortunately, all too often they got lost in a system that doesn't cater to individual student experience. Instead of feeling that the administration exists for the students, attendees quickly realize that they must conform to the needs of administrators in order to be successful. Scheduling appointments, registering for classes, even asking advisors for help all become nightmarish experiences filled with long lines, tired and impatient staff, and inadequate information.
Oftentimes, students will enter university fresh-faced, excited, and ready for success. Over time, however, ineffective university resources begin to take their toll. When simple tasks like registering for classes or dealing with financial aid eat up so much of their time, their desire to continue with their education slowly decreases. Students struggle to gain support from on-campus systems, which explains why consistently negative experiences with campus resources are one of the main sources of attrition; unfortunately, universities struggle to increase student satisfaction with limited resources. While student experience often ranks as a top priority for administrators, improving on-campus systems seems like an insurmountable task. A large student population means long lines--there doesn't seem to be a way around the problem. Fortunately, online appointment booking tools and an effective scheduling application both provide a modern solution to a large problem in higher education.
By using an electronic scheduling application like the one from QLess, academic institutions solve the problem of impatient students before it starts. Instead of expecting students to show up, wait in a line, and hope for the best, scheduling applications allow students to book an appointment ahead of time, eliminating the need for physical queues. In an age of ever-evolving technology, an electronic solution like a scheduling application can simultaneously push academic institutions into the modern age and improve the student experience.
Perhaps the most instantaneous result of an effective scheduling application is the elimination of physical lines, without an electronic tool, students often run into long lines at every on-campus location. While long queues are frustrating at any juncture, they're particularly irritating during key points in the year. When students struggle to register for class, change programs, or ask advice about their courses due to long lines, attrition begins to develop. Instead of forcing long queues that lead to general frustration and discontent, a scheduling application assigns students a specific time with which they can complete their necessary necessary business. When each student knows the time and date they can sign up for new courses, registering for classes becomes a breeze. Even signing up to see an advisor becomes a stress-free task--each person is assigned an appointment time, eliminating the pressure on both the student and the administrator. By bypassing lines and allowing individuals to address their issues at a specified time, students no longer waste their time waiting for help. They gain more time to study, hang out with friends, or even just relax, all of which will contribute to higher student satisfaction.
While a scheduling application gives students more free time, it also tailors the university experience to a new generation. Current and incoming university students have grown up with technology. They're well-versed in mobile applications, and they actually prefer to handle most of their business electronically. Academic institutions, like any business, attract the most customers when they know their audience and tailor their services accordingly, for a mobile generation, mobile scheduling applications should be the norm.
The QLess scheduling application not only provides a mobile platform for students to access information from anywhere, it also sends text alerts to inform students of their appointment times. By creating a smartphone-friendly design, this scheduling application speaks to a main tenet of a new generation--consistent and reliable mobile communication. It ensures that students have simplified access to important academic information, and it lessens the possibility that they'll forget their appointment time and fail to show up.
While human error always stands as a distinct possibility, electronic scheduling applications allow students to feel comfortable an at-ease in their academic environments. By using technology they are already experts in, academic institutions create easy communication and connections between administrators and students. Students who feel comfortable in their academic environment are more likely to complete their university education, rather than cave to the pressures of campus life.
When students are constantly filtered into long lines and told to wait their turn, the personal element of higher education disappears. Students want to feel like their individual needs have significance, especially in an institution with the social weight of a college or university, many students accrue heavy debt in order to gain their degree. For instance, the desire to feel like their individual experience matters isn't misplaced. Difficulty gaining access to basic information and meeting essential needs for the future of their education is understandably frustrating.
Although electronic scheduling applications simply increase the organization and staff productivity on college campuses, they also allow each student to feel like they're receiving personalized attention. A specific appointment time communicates that each individual is important enough to receive focused attention, in which only their specific questions and needs matter. Simple as it may sound, a scheduling application can make all the difference in creating what feels like an individualized learning environment, despite the fact that each student receives the same time and attention to discuss their needs.
If students have a problem with campus systems, they want to make their opinions known; unfortunately, when it's difficult to even get a meeting in the first place, students don't feel that their concerns are being heard. Even if every individual problem can't be addressed immediately, allowing students to provide feedback on their experience can greatly improve student satisfaction with on-campus life. University processes may not change immediately, but allowing students to feel heard and appreciated subtly communicates that their opinion matters.
A scheduling application allows students the opportunity to address their concerns, without eating up the essential time of administrators. Instead of sitting in an office and listing off every complaint, students can fill out electronic surveys, effectively and quickly communicating the elements of the campus system that don't work for them. Feedback provides a two-fold opportunity for growth within the university. First, administrators hear student concerns quickly and easily, allowing them to adjust future processes to fix the most common problems. Second, students get their frustrations off their chest, lessening their irritation and providing hope that things will change in the future. A scheduling application allows universities to listen and react to the needs of their students, without decreasing the productivity of their staff. Students have a hand in the improvement of their education, and it doesn't come at a cost to either students or administrators.
Academic institutions are designed to push students towards graduation; unfortunately, the decision to leave university altogether is a common one. While each individual leaves their academic institution for their own reasons, dissatisfaction with campus resources often appears as one of the major sources behind drop-outs. Although it sounds like a no-brainer, it's worth stating that students who are satisfied with their college experience are far more likely to stay in school and eventually graduate.
An effective scheduling application increases student satisfaction with on-campus services. Students express their concerns, gain personalized attention, and generally improve their ability to function within a university setting. With a scheduling application, graduation seems like an achievable goal, rather than a faraway possibility. When students believe that they can graduate, they're much more likely to work towards that goal. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the work in front of them, students see a clear path towards reaching their degree. Sometimes a little hope and a plan is all it takes. Happy students who believe they can graduate are more likely to graduate. A scheduling application brings that goal to the forefront of their minds, encouraging students to stay in school and earn their degrees.
Using a QLess scheduling application can change the life of university students everywhere. By eliminating physical lines and cutting down waiting times, scheduling applications allow students to feel like they're experiencing the personalized education they deserve; in addition, the mobile platform results in easy use for a tech-savvy generation and an opportunity for instantaneous feedback on campus services. Happy students are much more likely to stay in school, and to spread positivity about their academic institution, both online and in their personal life. If you want to increase your graduation rates, you need to learn more about QLess systems today. If you think our system might be the right fit for you, contact us now. We'll answer all your questions about QLess solutions. For more on improving campus operations and retention rates, read about how we've created college campuses without lines.
A well-developed workflow management system simplifies business processes at colleges and universities tremendously. As a business, these institutions provide education and degrees to their customers, also known as their students. Although colleges and universities stand as one of the most essential business organizations in young adult life, technological systems on-campus are often not on par with the fast-paced, technology-driven environment of the day. As incoming students reflect more expertise in current technology, so should their places of education. A workflow management system can change life at your university, both for your students and for your administrators.
In a school environment, multiple departments and individuals work together to contribute to the larger education machine. While some units identify prospective students, review applications, and send out offers of admissions, other divisions focus on registering current students for classes, organizing appointments with advisors, and assisting students with on-campus problems. Each of these individual systems work together to contribute to the overall goal of the organization--educating students and pushing them towards graduation, hence the need for workflow management.
A workflow management system simplifies all these processes. It's a software that automates some elements of your workflow management, taking the pressure off of your staff members and increasing the happiness of your students. By creating a streamlined network for all your most essential campus processes, a workflow management system allows each student to feel valued and supported, and each staff member to increase their productivity and efficiency.
A workflow management system creates an at-ease campus environment; not only that, it also brings your institution into the future. Easy-to-navigate education processes attract students, allowing your campus to continue running like the well-oiled machine that it is. Keeping your campus in the dark ages of technology not only hurts your students, it hurts your entire business. A high-tech workflow management system is a necessity your school can no longer do without.
Whether fair or unfair, students expect a lot of of their colleges and universities. An individualized learning experience is the standard, but most students would settle for consistent help from their on-campus systems. Unfortunately, high enrollment rates, a limited amount of resources, an overworked staff, and a surplus of tasks to complete often leave students feeling confused and overlooked. The more difficulty students experience navigating their education process, the more impatient they become. If enough time passes, the decision to leave school altogether becomes an easy one.
They're not getting the help they need to prepare for their future, why would they stay?
Consistently negative experiences with student services are one of the primary sources of attrition among college students. When students don't get the help or services they need, they drop out of classes, refrain from attending courses, or even leave the school altogether. As an organization that seeks to prepare young adults for their future, the current attrition rates are unacceptable.
Thankfully, a workflow management system presents a wonderful solution. By simplifying student access to on-campus services, a workflow management system decreases frustration and confusion among the student body. With a system like the one from QLess, you can decrease attrition rates by as much as 50%. A workflow management system improves student satisfaction and increases retention rates by allowing each student to feel like their needs are being met.
While a workflow management system improves the lives of your students, it also leads to increased productivity of your staff. A higher education environment already deals with a lack of resources, but a larger problem presents itself in an ineffective use of the resources that do exist. Oftentimes, staff stretch themselves far too thin trying to meet the needs of all students, despite the lack of time or effective organization systems to do so. Advisors overbook themselves attempting to sort out class schedules, and the Registrar and Admissions offices are overrun with impatient students. While it's undeniably unfair to the students, it's equally as frustrating for the staff.
Workflow management systems streamline campus processes and effectively allocate your staff resources. By eliminating the need for physical lines and relying on technology-based systems for organization, workflow management systems allow your administrators to gain a clear view of the tasks they need to be completed. Instead of surprise assignments and a frustrating amount of work for staff members, each administrator focuses on their assigned tasks, increasing their overall productivity. Not only does it result in increased happiness for your employees, it also ensures that all your resources are used effectively, lowering operational costs and saving money in the long run.
In our technologically advanced world, physical lines and in-person wait times just aren't practical anymore. Many of the problems that develop in university settings stem from a general lack of organization. Without a workflow management system, students are forced to go to an office, wait in line, and generally waste their time in an attempt to progress in their college experience. At the same time, administrators have little control over the time and attention needed to help each individual student. With a finite amount of resources and an infinite amount of potential questions, administrators are unable to prioritize and organize accordingly. With that lack of organization, both staff and students waste their time, and neither leaves feeling happy.
A workflow management system sorts through the chaos in your offices and eliminates the inconveniences of poor organization. Instead of arriving at an unspecified time in a physical office, students are assigned an appointment time with which they can ask all their questions. Interactive virtual queuing simplifies the process if your student does need unexpected help, and mobile reminders ensure that each student arrives at their specified appointment time. Most importantly, all these processes are completed inside the system, without assistance from your staff, allowing them to save their abilities to actually help students and bypass the errors that often accompany in-person scheduling.
An effective workflow management system changes your on-campus life immediately. Improved allocation of resources, clear processes for students, and increased organization all lead to instantaneous changes in your business systems. However, workflow management systems also provide information on what needs to change in the future. As a completely automated process, workflow management systems collect valuable information on your student and staff patterns. Student wait times, staff efficiency, student needs--all these and more can be found within your workflow management system.
With QLess systems specifically, we provide a real-time dashboard that consolidates data from multiple offices. At a glance, you have a general idea of what's happening in all areas of your campus. In addition, surveys within the system provide even more information about student satisfaction and necessary changes. Improving your business is a constantly evolving process, workflow management systems provide valuable insights to ensure that you can provide the best resources to your students for years to come.
We don't need to tell you that colleges and universities need students to stay afloat. Enrollment and retention present a major challenge for higher education institutions. That explains why many student administrators list student retention and student experience as their top priorities. While students may drop out when dissatisfied with their education, the ripple effect extends much farther than a single loss. Unhappy students spread information online and within their communities about the ineffectiveness of the school, giving other individuals the message that your institution isn't worth attending. While an individual drop-out can already present a hefty loss, consistent dropouts can negatively affect your application and enrollment rates over time.
An effective workflow management system leads to increased student happiness and higher retention rates over time, but it also allows your students to talk positively about your institution. Not only are you saving money on attrition, you're also building a strong reputation that will draw more students to your school over time. Reputation matters, both for the present and for the future. Workflow management systems support your ability to meet your student's needs, building a strong reputation as an institution that cares. With a reputation like that, who wouldn't want to apply?
Workflow management systems are a necessity in the modern age. It increases the happiness of your students and staff, leading to higher productivity and increased retention rates. In addition, it organizes your office with little effort from your staff and provides valuable insights into how you can improve your processes in the future. If you're ready to build a strong reputation, meet your students' needs, and save money for your business, you need to take the QLess approach. Learn more about how our electronic queuing system can enhance your education systems today. Please contact us for more information about our system.
Waiting rooms have been an essential aspect of hospitals, doctor's offices, and other healthcare facilities. But it doesn’t take much thought to realize the idea is counterintuitive. Crowding individuals with ailments in congested areas while they wait for assistance is not ideal. This was only further emphasized as a person-to-person airborne pandemic struck the world. Patient queue management software can be the solution to remedy this.This experience caused many healthcare professionals to have to re-evaluate their waiting procedures. There were concerns about pandemic transmission in waiting rooms and the overall healthcare experience. Amid virus anxiety, would patients sit with others even with a mask on?For a while, there were no true means of eliminating the waiting room. But in recent years, to address these concerns, many healthcare providers have been implementing patient queue software like QLess. This software aims to help reduce patients’ anxiety and create a waiting room experience that meets customers' expectations. The healthcare industry is crowded, and consumers abandon providers that can't meet their needs. According to Medical Economics, 69% of patients would switch providers for better services. Patient queue management software is an impactful solution that can de-congest waiting rooms and provide a safer, more patient-friendly experience. In a time where consumers easily switch businesses, the patient experience is vital. Below, we will break down what patient queue management is, how a virtual queue management system creates safer spaces, and why this is so important for patients and healthcare organizations.
Before we go any further, it is important to fully understand what patient queue management software is. The idea is relatively straightforward, and it has changed the healthcare sector. Why not have a virtual waiting room to manage customer flow instead of a physical one? Patients can access this virtual waiting room from their phones, computers, or on-site kiosks.With key features that enable customers to track the actual wait times for appointments, monitor the progress of the line they’re in, and communicate with staff, patients have a drastically changed experience when using healthcare services. Some organizations still hesitate to embrace and implement digital technology into the patient experience. But data indicates that customers already rely on digital technology and expect organizations to accommodate that reliance. According to a poll from Healthfully, 80% of consumers want the ability to use technology to manage their healthcare experience. Furthermore, the average consumer uses tech constantly throughout their daily lives. The average U.S. adult spends more than seven hours a day on screens, according to Exploding Topics. Healthcare organizations should prioritize implementing helpful tech solutions like patient queue management to avoid customer alienation. Patient queue management software has substantial benefits that enterprises should not overlook. With features that allow customers to enter virtual queues from their phones, patients can remotely wait in the virtual waiting room and monitor their queue times. Implementing virtual queues doesn't mean healthcare organizations need to eliminate waiting rooms. It simply gives patients the ability to choose.
The million-dollar question that healthcare organizations might have is whether or not waiting rooms are such a bad thing. Waiting rooms were the only option for healthcare services before technology advanced enough to make them less necessary. So how bad could it be? By implementing software to eliminate waiting rooms, might healthcare organizations solve a problem that doesn’t exist? The answer to this question is a firm no. Waiting rooms pose a genuine risk to older patients' well-being. A 2012 study of elderly residents of long-term care facilities published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal showed that a visit to an emergency department is associated with more than a threefold increased risk of acute infection. While this vindicates the need for patient queue software, it is also common sense. Requiring sick and injured people to share a room for extended periods increases patient risk. The pandemic highlighted that the prior waiting room model is untenable during an airborne virus outbreak among those visiting emergency rooms and doctors' offices. Healthcare providers adapted by spacing chairs, having customers wait outside, and mandating masks. While they may have curbed the virus from spreading, they reduced operational efficiency and didn't enhance patient satisfaction. It is not insignificant that waiting rooms also have extremely long patient wait times. The longer customers are cramped in a waiting area, even if socially distanced, the more at-risk they are. Similarly, the more unhappy they will be. This is why it is incredibly important for enterprises to be very conscious of the state of their waiting rooms.
We’ve established that waiting rooms might inadvertently put customers at risk, but what do your patients think of them? Customer satisfaction is vital in healthcare, as it's still a business, and unhappy customers can easily switch providers. The waiting room is a defining step in the patient's journey before receiving service. So it is worth asking if increasing patient satisfaction in the waiting room experience is necessary or if customers are okay with the current status quo. Data shows that consumers distrust crowded waiting rooms and dislike the experience they provide. A QLess survey of 250 U.S. adults showed that 59.4% of consumers associate congested waiting areas with unsafe conditions. If customers feel unsafe in the waiting room, chances are they will not enjoy their overall experience. A contributing factor in this situation is that the average waiting room is just not a pleasant place to be. Typical healthcare waiting rooms present sterile environments with white walls, fluorescent lighting, outdated magazines, and a T.V. This is hardly a positive environment, and according to Fierce Healthcare, unpleasant waiting rooms are a bigger issue for customers than long wait times. Rather than investing in more comfortable chairs or a higher-definition television, enterprises should focus on the real problem. Customers just don’t like waiting rooms either way. Patients prefer waiting from home or nearby cafes to congested waiting areas. Giving the consumer the option to skip the waiting room altogether is the best solution to a longstanding problem.
The healthcare industry is about more than just improving patients’ well-being, although that is the primary objective. The modern consumer isn’t satisfied with just receiving excellent quality of care. The experience for patients along the way is not nearly as important. Healthcare organizations that want to survive in this new age of experience-centric care will do well to improve their waiting room. According to Forbes, 60% of Americans have had a negative healthcare experience in the past year, and 52% of those people will tell others about their negative experiences. Curating a positive waiting experience without risk and discomfort is important in building a patient-friendly healthcare organization. This will help create loyal customers and position healthcare companies to succeed.
It is clear that there is a need for change in the waiting room experience. Customers don’t feel safe, and there is an established correlation between emergency waiting room visits and further infections. The problem has only gotten worse in recent years. A 2022 study by Yale showed that emergency room crowds had reached crisis levels and posed significant patient safety risks. The same is true across Canada. The crowding is due to an overstressed system, not necessarily management failure. De-congesting the waiting room is incredibly important for both safety and satisfaction. Let’s explore how patient queue management software can lead to less crowded waiting rooms while providing efficient patient flow.
The primary feature that QLess offers that is designed to help de-crowd the waiting room is its remote check-in software. In a typical waiting room without a patient queue management solution, individuals have to check-in in person. They arrive at the front desk, inform staff they’ve arrived, fill in a form, and take a seat, waiting to hear their name called. This requires physical presence throughout the waiting process. Remote check-in software lets customers wait for their appointment without physically arriving until it begins. How this works is that customers will receive a link when they register for an appointment. They can access this link via mobile devices, computers, or an on-site kiosk. When their appointment is scheduled, they can tap the link and check in. Once they’ve checked into their appointment, the patient is automatically placed in a virtual queue. The queue displays the number of customers ahead and the projected wait time based on data tracking and machine learning, accounting for the line's size and wait times at different parts of the day. Customers can be queued based on appointment type or healthcare professional they're meeting. They can track their progress through an app or website and know when to be there. This means lines can move smoothly without customers needing to be in the waiting room until the end. This also lines up with what customers prefer. In a QLess survey of 250 consumers, 57.2% of respondents indicated they are likelier to patronize a business if they have early insights into wait times. QLess virtual queuing system's remote check-in feature eliminates the need for customers to enter waiting rooms until their appointment begins. They can choose whether they are comfortable in that environment and wait on their own terms.
Long wait times in healthcare have been a persistent issue and seem unavoidable due to the nature of the industry. Demand often exceeds the ability of facilities to provide efficient service due to the need for proper care and attention for each patient. This is why patients wait an average of over 18 minutes at physicians’ offices, according to PartnerMD, and 145 minutes at the average emergency room, according to Autoinsurance.org. Patient queue management software can’t entirely solve the issue of long waits that are endemic to the healthcare industry. However, it can provide organizations with a tool to increase staff productivity, manage customer flow, and improve overall efficiency, positively impacting wait times.
There are two key ways this software helps with this. Firstly, the patient queue management system completely automates the queue process, so enterprises don’t need to oversee it themselves. The software has configurable policies, like no walk-ins or a maximum 5-minute late policy for appointments. Then, the lineup can be completely automated, with the artificial intelligence-based system drastically more efficient and organized than a standard physical queue. QLess’s patient queue management software also has smart calendar features that give staff a better sense of their day. The entire appointment calendar is displayed for them, showing the customer, appointment type, and more. The calendar is color-coded and organized and can be segmented, so employees have a heightened understanding of their daily workflow, increasing overall efficiency. By reducing wait times, healthcare organizations can reduce the time people need to spend waiting for appointments. The remote check-in features allow customers to wait from wherever they please, but inevitably there will still be some customers that prefer to wait for appointments in waiting rooms. With automated queue management and smart calendar features, the QLess patient queue management system ensures waiting times are trimmed, resulting in less crowded waiting areas.
Communication in the healthcare process is incredibly important. Customers strongly desire communication from end-to-end in the healthcare process, and having better communication can lead to safer waiting rooms. With better communication, enterprises can create safer waiting rooms in several ways. Having customers that indicate they might be contagious wait remotely will reduce infection risk, and enabling customers to message staff if they are running slightly behind but still keep their appointment will lead to fewer delays. While this type of communication could lead to a safer, less crowded waiting area, many enterprises are ill-equipped to offer this level of communication. Customers expect communication, particularly through digital methods. According to Forbes, 80% of consumers surveyed said they prefer to use digital communications with their healthcare providers, and 43% said they want to engage digitally with their healthcare providers before, after, and during their visits. But many enterprises lack the digital infrastructure to provide this level of communication that customers are hoping for, even if it can make customers happier and lead to safer waiting rooms. The QLess patient queue management system empowers healthcare organizations with bi-directional communication features that improve the connection between customers and staff. With the QLess features, organizations can drive a more communicative approach to healthcare. They can individually message customers and receive responses, schedule messages to entire groups of customers, and create automated messages triggered at different parts of the patient journey. Better communication means less confusion, as late customers or no-shows often trigger chain reactions that lead to extended delays. With better communication, there are fewer bottlenecks, which means lines move faster and waiting rooms are less crowded. This also improves the patient experience, as enterprises can answer patients' questions digitally during busy times when they might not have the time to respond face-to-face.
One of the most significant ways healthcare organizations have pivoted away from the standard waiting room model is by leaning into virtual healthcare. The pandemic made face-to-face appointments a near-impossibility at many practices, and to combat this, many organizations pivoted to virtual healthcare options like telehealth. Providing medical care virtually remains important even after the peak days of the pandemic. According to McKinsey, virtual healthcare remains hugely impactful, with 46% of consumers using telehealth now compared to 11% in 2019.Telehealth leads to less congested, safer waiting rooms for obvious reasons. With the option to schedule remote healthcare appointments, customers don’t need to visit healthcare offices at all. If customers have a mild but contagious illness, healthcare organizations can schedule virtual appointments to ensure they don’t spread their illness. Ultimately, the fewer in-person visits, the less crowded waiting rooms will be. But many organizations might buckle under the weight of managing an entire virtual calendar without the proper digital solution.
QLess has virtual service features that enable healthcare organizations to provide a positive patient experience remotely. QLess is integrated with Zoom and Microsoft Teams, two popular video meeting platforms, and enables organizations to put customers in mixed queues that accommodate in-person and remote patients. How this works for remote patients is they would schedule an appointment online and select a virtual appointment. They will then receive a QLess link and be placed into a virtual queue when they check in for their appointment. They will then be able to monitor their wait time, see who is in front of them, and receive a Zoom or Teams link when their appointment is ready to begin. Virtual appointments are a crucial part of the post-pandemic world. The QLess patient queue management platform enables enterprises to integrate remote patients into their virtual queues and digital calendar, creating a smooth appointment process and easier virtual appointment management.
The waiting room is a longstanding problem in the healthcare industry that most organizations have neglected to address. The concept of making ill or injured patients wait for long periods in a congested room is one that doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, although there haven’t been other options for organizations until recently. Now that QLess for healthcare and other patient queue management systems exist, the need for waiting rooms has been drastically reduced. These digital solutions enable enterprises to create a virtual queue where customers don’t have to be physically present to wait in line or in the waiting room. The customer can check in, monitor their status in line, and communicate updates with staff, all from their phones or computers. This means they can wait outside the office, from their home, at a nearby park, or wherever else they’d prefer. Customers can still wait in waiting rooms if they want to, but QLess allows them to wait remotely, helping to drastically reduce congestion in healthcare offices. Reducing risk in the waiting experience should be an important objective for all healthcare organizations, and it resonates with customers. Consumers strongly dislike the typical waiting room process that has been the norm in healthcare for ages. With QLess’s queue software, healthcare businesses can meet the needs of the experience-oriented patient while creating a safer, more positive waiting process.