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Queue Management & Customer Flow | Retail Case Studies

75% Faster Service Times and Improved Customer Satisfaction at Steamboat Sports

75%
Faster Service Times
Wait times reduced from two hours to 20-30 minutes. During peak times, customers now spend a maximum of 30 minutes in the shop.
9.3
Overall Customer Satisfaction
After implementing QLESS, the Overall Customer Satisfaction (SAT) score increased to 9.3. Customers reported higher satisfaction with speed-of-service, convenience, cleanliness, and quality of equipment.
75%
Improved Capacity & Productivity
The number of pre-bookings reached 75%, with 90% of customers using their rental reservation number to make an appointment. This streamlined check-in process has reduced the need for cashiers by half.

The Challenge

If you’ve ever rented skis, you know the rule: Get to the rental shop early or wait in line—sometimes for hours. The same was true at Steamboat Sports, where most of the shop’s rental customers would arrive between 8 and 9am, followed by another rush after the slopes closed.But in 2019, Covid changed everything. “We could no longer operate as we were,” says Cody Lechner, senior manager of rental operations for Steamboat Sports. “With social distancing rules, we needed to limit the number of people inside the store at all times.”Steamboat Sports decided to reimagine their approach to customer service. “We needed to streamline service procedures and spread out customer arrivals through the day,” he says. “It was really an opportunity to improve operations in ways that would benefit our customers and our business.”Guests that wait in long lines are less likely to use the service again, to recommend the business in online reviews, or to respond positively in satisfaction surveys.And unhappy customers made it more difficult to retain experienced technicians, which translated into increased hiring and training costs.The company needed an online queue management system that would meet customer expectations of speed and service, help the business run more efficiently, improve productivity via better capacity management, and create a better work environment that employees would return to year after year.

The Solution

After an online search, the company conducted a preliminary evaluation of appointment booking software solutions.“A key factor in our evaluation was the amount of work required on our end to implement, customize, and configure the solution,” says Lechner. “We selected QLESS for its ease of implementation and ease of use by both employees and customers.While it was clear QLESS would solve the social distancing problem, several other features stood out:

  • Walk-ins could use QR codes posted around the shop to automatically be joined to the queue.
  • Customers could cancel or rebook easily using a link in the confirmation email.
  • Customers that couldn't reserve a desired time in one location, could search for availability at other locations.
  • Employees could use the system to block appointment times to accommodate large groups.
Capabilities and Results

"I can't stress enough how much QLESS has helped us improved our business." - CODY LECHNER

QR Code Queue Joining

Walk-in customers could join the queue using QR codes posted around the shop.

Easy Cancellation & Rebooking

Customers could easily cancel or rebook appointments using a link in the confirmation email.

Location Availability Search

Customers could search for availability at other locations if their desired time was not available at one location.
What our clients say
The QLESS support team has helped us tweak and customize the system in ways that maximize its value for our specific business. Looking back, it’s clear we made the right choice.
Cody Lechner
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