2023 CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE TRENDS
One of the most impactful trends of the past several years of commerce has been a pivot towards businesses managing - and prioritizing - the customer journey. While businesses have always emphasized trying to offer a great experience, that emphasis has moved into the foreground for many companies and is now the key factor that guides many of the decisions most businesses make. Companies worldwide are focusing on integrating solutions that improve customer journey management and create a more convenient and comfortable process. These solutions ensure businesses stand out from competitors and align with the ever-changing demands of their customers.
HEALTHCARE
Audience: U.S., Men & Women, 45+
The world of healthcare is changing rapidly. Progress in technology and a global pandemic have drastically impacted the industry, changing how medical offices do business and what consumers expect from their healthcare experience. There is a newfound focus on the patient journey and a digital-driven experience. Rather than sit in crowded waiting rooms, book appointments through outdated and inflexible systems, then navigate an impersonal healthcare experience, the average consumer seeks out businesses catered toward their unique needs. That is why customer journey management software has become an important trend in the healthcare industry.
The use of customer journey management systems enables healthcare offices to structure their patient journey digitally and reduce bottlenecks contributing to dissatisfaction. In an industry inundated with long wait times and crowded waiting rooms that might pose health hazards, there are many areas to target for improvement. Choosing a customer journey software gives healthcare offices the tools to create a more seamless end-to-end patient experience.
QLess is a customer journey management platform with features that can dramatically impact the healthcare experience by aligning with modern consumers’ tendencies and behaviors. It is mobile and allows customers to schedule appointments, receive appointment reminders, and connect with staff through their smartphones. QLess also helps create virtual queues, where customers can remotely join lines through their phones; which decongests the waiting room and allows patients to wait wherever they please. This leads to a refined and enhanced patient journey that is more independent and free from constraints.
In an industry where businesses must quickly evolve to meet the changing demands of consumers, QLess is a high-impact solution that streamlines the experience patients have with your office. Below are statistics we’ve collected from a survey of Americans aged 45+ that show the preferences and habits of consumers that spotlight the value a customer journey system can provide.
OVER 50% PREFER TO SCHEDULE A HEALTH CARE APPOINTMENT OVER THE PHONE
55.6% PREFER TO RECEIVE APPOINTMENT REMINDERS VIA TEXT MESSAGES
ALMOST 60% ASSOCIATE CONGESTED WAITING AREAS AND LONG LINES WITH POTENTIALLY UNSAFE CONDITIONS
ALMOST 80% PREFER AN IN-PERSON HEALTH CARE APPOINTMENT
Virtual Services
U.S., Men & Women, 25+
We live in a world increasingly dominated by virtual technology. Technology has been integrated into every aspect of our lives, and for consumers, there is no going back from the changes it has brought. Your customers now have a completely different set of expectations than they would have had ten years ago and they are more empowered than ever. They expect shorter waits, technology integrated into key processes, and an experience centered around convenience. Speed and personalization are core components of the modern customer's desired experience. Integrating a customer journey management platform into your virtual services helps your business create more modern, friction-free waiting processes.
Today’s consumers have little to no patience for waiting. In a world where there are so many options for customers to choose from in every industry, they will often pick the one that requires the least amount of waiting. Convenience and ease-of-access are becoming larger priorities, which is why many businesses implement customer journey software into their virtual services to trim wait times and make their offerings more accessible.
QLess’s customer journey management platform is designed to create a more efficient business with waits that are more palatable to today’s customers. While customers hate long waits (with many more than willing to leave a business and head to a competitor if times exceed their expectations) businesses want to look at the overall waiting experience. Crowded physical queues cause dissatisfaction, and QLess reduces the need for these. With virtual queues, which customers can check into remotely, and call-back phone queues, which make waiting on hold redundant, QLess is a virtual service integration that is changing waits forever.
Below are the results of a survey of US adults age 25+ that show the modern consumers’ attitude toward waits and underscore the importance of a high-quality customer journey management system that changes the waiting experience.
of people consider 5-15 minutes a long time to wait in line for a business
of people would be willing to wait 2-5 minutes in line for something non-essential
of people have abandoned a purchase, appointment, reservation, etc. and went elsewhere due to a long wait
of people prefer to be placed in a call-back queue
of people patronize a competitor's business if it had notably shorter wait times
QLess’ customer journey system and queue management software give consumers control and convenience; enabling a smoother, more efficient appointment process. Your customers are mobile-driven, as evidenced by the results of our healthcare survey. They want businesses to communicate with them through text and allow them to schedule appointments through their phone. This shows that most consumers prioritize a mobile component to their appointment process, particularly with communication. The average customer most businesses will be targeting is someone that uses their smartphone constantly and expects it to play a role in their shopping experiences.
The queue management features allow businesses to reduce the need for physical queues and de-congest their physical business spaces. In a time of uncertainty, crowded waiting rooms are something your customers find hazardous. They are also a common cause of dissatisfaction and walkaways. Long waits are something customers sincerely dislike, and the bar for a long wait is lower than many would guess. Our research indicates that 5-15 minutes is considered a long wait time by a significant percentage of customers, and many would only be willing to wait 2-5 minutes for something non-essential. Using a virtual queue, customers can check in ahead of time. This limits the need to be physically present in a store or office, cuts wait times, and ensures that businesses meet customers' expectations for a seamless waiting experience.
The customer journey is constantly evolving as the customer evolves. Whether in healthcare, education, or retail industries: focusing on removing bottlenecks from the experience will lead to happier customers and more efficient business operations. Implementing a customer journey management solution like QLess is a proven way of driving better results. Your customers expect mobile communications and reminders, dislike long waits, and are uncomfortable with crowded waiting areas. With QLess, businesses can add a mobile-friendly solution that cuts wait times and removes congestion. This aligns with the habits and preferences of the modern consumer, allowing you to move your business forward as you manage the customer journey.
*Survey results were collected in August of 2022 using Google Surveys. Each Survey had 250 participants.