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.
We can all appreciate the thrill of hitting the slopes on a blustery winter day, but the fun can sometimes be dampened by long ski lift lines or even in the lodge itself. All of that can change if you use QLess to switch to a digital line solution to benefit your patrons. Read on for some of the best reasons skiing is better with QLess.
A ski resort is more than just the slopes themselves; many locations also have fantastic lodges, as well as restaurants and other forms of entertainment that your guests will want to enjoy. Why not help them get the most out of their experience (and, by extension, encourage them to spend more at your property) by replacing your ski lift lines with a digital line that gives your guests the flexibility to explore the rest of your resort while they wait their turn to ski? A great vacation includes the ability for your patrons to get out everything they put in, and switching to a wait time app can make it so not a moment of their time is wasted on anything but having the most enjoyable time possible.
But taking advantage of this digital line technology will not just help your guests have a better time at your resort: it will allow your staff to service them better, too. As well as letting your patrons explore your grounds and make the most of their time, QLess also offers many resources that allow your staff to better coordinate with each other to serve your customers even more effectively. With a streamlined point of order system, accessible features for helping staff contact patrons directly when their turn at the ski lift line (or the bar) has come, and many other helpful user experience elements, switching to a digital line will help all your employees.
You can order a business demo free of charge if you want to see firsthand the transformation QLess can achieve on your customer satisfaction and employee efficiency. And if you have questions about our wait time app that we have not answered here, leave us a comment below or get in touch directly for more in-depth queries. Making the change to a digital ski lift line could be the best thing that ever happened to you and your customers, so avoid the banks and drifts that come with a traditional line and upgrade to QLess today.
It's voting season in the U.S. with election day only a few weeks away, on November 3rd, early voting has started in over 20 states. Unfortunately, long voting lines and hours-long wait times are creating delays, frustration and unsafe conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, postal service delays are causing issues with mail-in voting. With over 25 million ballots already cast, the November 3rd election day is expected to be busy, so what can governments do to help their citizens? They need to prioritize health and safety-including shelter from increasingly cold weather-and the ability to disseminate timely information to all voters. New technology investments can encourage, and allow, more citizens to exercise their right to vote safely and easily.
With winter rapidly approaching, COVID-19 and flu cases are on the rise. This makes waiting in long voting lines--sometimes as long as 11 hours-extremely dangerous, especially to the vulnerable population. Wearing masks and keeping 6 feet away from others is a start, but with the weather becoming colder, this can still be a major deterrent to voters. That's why queue management software is the perfect solution: it promotes physical distancing and safety while creating a better waiting experience.
With queue management software, the entire waiting process can be done from a personal device or, for those who lack access to an updated personal device, a kiosk.
With a personal device, voters join the voting line from an app, which will consistently send them notifications about wait times and their place in line. They can wait in their car at the polling station or could even wait at home, planning their trip based on remaining wait times. If someone doesn't have access to a personal device, kiosks can be set up at the polling station for self-serve check-ins. They will still be informed of approximate voting wait times and can receive text updates. Kiosks can also be used to print paper tickets, which can be used in conjunction with monitors at polling stations to announce whose turn it is to vote.
When someone reaches the front of the virtual queue, they can safely enter the building, accounting for physical distancing and capacity restrictions.
With fewer polling stations this year, many citizens will have questions on where and how to vote leading up to the election. Along with long voting lines, the increased volume of questions can lead to long calling queues for voter information. To manage this volume, government service offices need to find technology solutions that can manage citizen's calls quickly and efficiently. Luckily, call back queues can provide the support needed during this time, when entering a call back queue, callers receive information on their place in line and their estimated voting wait time. They can hang up and receive text updates about their progress, before finally receiving a call back when it's their turn, this decreases frustration, as there is constant communication with the caller. It also gives callers their freedom back, instead of waiting on hold for hours, they can hang up and monitor their notification, while simultaneously doing anything they want. With election day rapidly approaching, disseminating updated information will be increasingly important. Call back queues allow citizens to receive information and answers quickly, increasing their ability to vote.
Allowing citizens the ability to have a say and exercise their right to vote is at the core of democracy; unfortunately, COVID-19 is changing and challenging the election season. By investing in technology, citizens can be safe and informed during the voting process. QLess queue management solutions are quick to implement, with implementation taking less than a week. As election day rapidly approaches, governments need to be prepared for November 3rd with the proper systems in place to reduce voting lines and encourage voter participation.
Technology has transformed the world and done things that were previously never imagined to be possible. We've invented the mobile phone, connecting ourselves to other people a world away instantly. We've created rocket ships that transport humans to outer space, yet there are still problematic aspects of everyday life that we accept without realizing the revolutionary potential technology has for change. One of these aspects is the physical line. Physical lines are accepted as a necessary part of everyday life, whether you're at the doctor's office, the grocery store, the DMV, or even a university's academic advisement center, chances are you're in for a wait. According to Logistics at MGEPS, "The average person spends six months of their lives standing around waiting for a product or service."
Luckily for consumers and companies, innovation has opened the door to a world where this doesn't have to be the case. A virtual queue management system can eliminate the need for physical lines and transform how people wait to receive products or services. This digital solution can transform the customer experience and empower a service provider to be more flexible. A virtual queue is an online solution that lets customers check into a line remotely. They can enter a line using their cell phone simply by tapping check-in. From there, they can monitor wait times, communicate with staff, and wait for their appointment from wherever they want. A virtual queuing system creates a positive experience in place of the long, arduous lines customers have become all too familiar with. A virtual queue can become a game-changer for businesses. Software like QLess has been shown to reduce wait times by up to 97% and increase loyalty by up to 99%. Let's look at some of the unique benefits that virtual queue software provides.
One thing that technology has completely reshaped is consumers' expectations. People aren't just focused on receiving a product or service, they now expect to receive it quickly and in the most convenient way. If customers find that a business doesn't provide a convenient experience, there is an increased likelihood that they will move on and look elsewhere. The customer experience is king in business right now, and there are several different aspects of that experience that companies need to key in on. One of the biggest is customer convenience. According to PwC, "73% of customers point to experience as an essential factor in their purchasing decision. 43% of consumers would be willing to pay more for a more convenient experience."
If a customer enters your business, whether a restaurant, educational institution, or medical office, and is faced with a long, impersonal line, there's no guarantee they'll stick around to see it through. According to Retail Customer Experience, "86% of US consumers have left a store due to long wait times in the last 12 months." This has cost businesses across the country billions in lost revenue. What a virtual queue solution can do is make the waiting process drastically more convenient. Rather than make customers stand around in a physical queue, waiting line management software enables customers to enter lines from wherever they are. Customers can remotely check into a line, receive up-to-the-minute updates on the line's progress, and enter the store or office whenever it is time for their appointment. It is as if there is no actual line at all.
Software like QLess are customer service-oriented solutions that create a more convenient, customer-friendly waiting process. Customers wait from wherever they please, in an environment they choose, and don't have to spend time standing aimlessly in a crowd of strangers.
Many businesses are focused on customer acquisition. This is how a business grows and reaches new levels, but for that growth to actually mean something, customer retention is just as necessary. If a company is losing customers at the same rate they are acquiring, they are essentially just treading in place, employing strategies designed to improve customer retention is crucial. The data on the importance of customer retention makes it exceedingly clear just how seriously businesses need to take their retention strategies. According to HubSpot, "Acquiring a new customer is 6-7 times more expensive than retaining an existing one. Businesses that increase their retention rates by 5% can see revenue increase between 25-95%." A survey from Synqera revealed that "73% of customers state that waiting in line for check-out is their least favorite aspect of shopping." Removing something that is the least favorite aspect of shopping for nearly three-quarters of customers is a surefire way to improve your business's customer retention.
Virtual queue software programs have features designed to satisfy customers' demands. One of them is the call-back queuing feature which has queuing feature that allows customers to enter a line virtually and then do whatever they please. The line will be managed by smart queue technology, and when it is the customer's turn, they'll receive a call on their personal phone when it is time for their appointment.
Customer retention is one of the vital components of a successful business in today's world of increased competition. In every industry, you are not your customers' only option, they have a choice, if you aren't implementing products that make their lives easier, they'll look elsewhere. A virtual queue app is a high-value solution with a long list of features designed to make the entire appointment process smooth and efficient.
There was a time when every appointment would require a face-to-face meeting. This is no longer the case. We live in a world where a significant number of scheduled appointments will not require physical contact. However, even in these situations, a queue may be needed. Obviously, for a virtual appointment, a virtual queue is the answer. Finding a software solution that offers both queue management and video conferencing integration is a must. Take, for example, the medical industry. According to the Toronto Star, doctor's virtual visits jumped by 5,600% during the pandemic. Even as we adjust to a world where pandemic restrictions have eased up, many doctor appointments remain online. Walk-in clinics, primary care facilities, and specialists all have to juggle a virtual calendar now, which can include quick changes and walk-ins. Virtual waiting room management software is a prime solution.
With software like QLess, people waiting for appointments can check into a virtual queue, receive updates on their wait time, and get sent a link to a video conference through Zoom or Microsoft Teams when their appointment is ready. This has multiple benefits. Customers can have increased clarity on their appointment waits, and businesses can know when customers are in-line and on time for appointments.
This isn't just useful in the medical industry. QLess' video conferencing virtual queue is a solution that will help business owners in a significant variety of industries. Video conferencing is also crucial in the education sector. A virtual queue system is one of the solutions that is improving the student experience for academic meetings at education institutions, where many campuses remain highly COVID-cautious. This can help with advisory meetings or office hours and simplifies student communications to faculty.
Video meetings are not going away in the post-pandemic world. The convenience and simplicity are too valuable to all parties involved. With QLess, there is a solution integrated with the two primary video conferencing platforms that simplifies and organizes a virtual queue.
Improvement is a long-term project for most businesses and is never a straightforward, simple path. It is never easy to identify flaws in an operation that needs addressing because, most of the time, these are hidden and difficult to spot. One of the biggest assets businesses have to address their issues is data. Data allows enterprises to spot flaws in their processes and implement changes that solve them. However, many businesses struggle to collect straightforward and insightful data.
According to Dataprot, companies with CEOs that make data-driven decisions are 77% more likely to succeed than ones that don't. Yet despite this, only 26.5% of enterprises state they've created a data-driven organization. The biggest reason for this is likely that tools that provide useful business intelligence are hard to find. That is where a virtual queue app can be of assistance.
A virtual queue system can offer insights into your business in various areas where collecting data would've been incredibly difficult. QLess has business intelligence features that show businesses data on things like their median wait time, no-show percentage, and transaction time. This data is presented in visual formats like charts and graphs, so it is easy to spot micro-trends. It can also be segmented according to time of day, day of the week, appointment type, and the employee working the appointment.
QLess automatically collects this data and presents it in an easily digestible way. There is a lot of value in this for businesses of every kind. It allows them to spot bottlenecks they may have been unable to see before and implement necessary changes to address them. Many enterprises have built their entire business cultures leveraging data to address key issues. With virtual queue software, you can spot the issues causing long lines or an abundance of appointment no-shows and implement the necessary changes to correct them.
Focusing on the customer experience is critical. That's why enterprises worldwide invest so much into initiatives that drive growth in this area. But one thing that also can't be ignored is the value of the employee experience. Employees are incredibly important, and every business invests in their success through training and development. Providing a suboptimal employee experience increases the likelihood of employees leaving and businesses having to invest again. Engaged and satisfied employees are significantly better assets to the businesses they represent. According to Gallup's research, companies with a highly engaged workforce outperform their peers by 147%. The happier employees are, the likelier they are to stay, and the less businesses will have to spend on training. According to Tech Target, 60% of employees say well-being enhances their retention, and 61% say it improves their productivity.
Implementing tools that will lighten the workload for your employees is critical. A queue management software does this. Virtual lines are organized, can be adjusted, and help employees streamline their workflows. With easy-to-use tools, employees can structure the line into different categories, organizing it according to the appointment type or employee they are meeting with. This saves a lot of work. Employees can also collect information before the start of the appointment to move things along faster.
Another upside of virtual queue management solutions is that it improves the mood of the customers employees are interacting with. After a long line, people tend to be irritated, curt, and moody. Front-line employees are often the ones that have to deal with this. The general mood of customers will significantly improve if they are waiting in a virtual queue rather than a real one.
With a more structured workflow and positive customer interactions, your employees' lives will be much easier. This will increase their job satisfaction and lead to enhanced productivity.
For most businesses, customer communications are quite limited. That is because it is incredibly hard to maintain open communication with a large number of individuals. However, the importance of transparency and communication can't be ignored. Part of what is so dissatisfying about being in a line is that it is inherently not a communicative or transparent experience. Customers stand around, waiting their turn, with no clear end in sight. Communication is one of the most significant parts of good customer service. Whether through phone calls, chat messages, or emails, customers want to have their questions answered and their needs addressed. Providing the channels for them to communicate is crucial. Transparency is similarly vital. Being left in the dark leaves customers feeling disengaged and unwanted. That has a defined impact on retention.
Implementing a virtual queue is a way for businesses to enhance transparency and communication. The transparency aspect is simple. A virtual line provides customers with a defined wait time rather than some unknown wait. There is added clarity on what is going on, as customers can view the line, monitor the wait times, and track how quickly appointments are going. This makes it a much more transparent and open process.
For communication, bi-directional communication features enable businesses to message back and forth via a chat feature on a customer's mobile device. Customers can simply message through the chat feature if they need to add context to their appointment and provide updates. If a customer isn't present at the time of their appointment, employees can check in, learn the ETA of the customer, and adjust the line accordingly. The smooth communication benefits all parties involved.
Every customer wants an easier communication process and more transparency from the businesses they frequent. It adds to the feeling of a personalized experience, which is what the average consumer desires. According to Startup Bonsai, 71% of customers are frustrated by impersonal shopping experiences. A virtual queue solution allows businesses to easily message back and forth with their customers while providing a transparent waiting experience. This creates a more personalized, communicative relationship between enterprise and customer.
Long physical queues are agitating and always have been. But in the age of social distancing and airborne contagions, they take on a slightly more ominous feel. While many of the restrictions from the pandemic have been dropped and the world has returned to normal, implementing changes that can cut back on physical congestion is never a bad idea. Not only does removing physical congestion improve the accessibility of your store or office, but it also makes it a safer place to be.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, 8.1% of US adults reported anxiety symptoms in 2019, before the pandemic. That number has skyrocketed ever since. According to Statista, as of July 2022, that number is at 28.9%. This is down substantially from the pandemic's peak when rates hit 37%, but it is still an incredibly high rate. Many people are still dealing with the mental toll the pandemic took.
A large crowd in a store or office can be daunting for people with residual pandemic anxiety. Physical congestion is looked at as a cost of doing business by most companies, but virtual queuing is a way to limit the congestion in indoor environments. Businesses will find that by doing this, their customers are more at ease. Reducing congestion will also help businesses appeal to more consumers.
A virtual queue makes it so customers don't need to enter your establishment to wait for a product or service. Rather than standing around in a tightly bunched group of fellow customers, they can simply enter the line from their cell phone, monitor the wait in real time, and enter the building when it is their turn for an appointment. The physical component of the line is eliminated.
Anxiety is still rampant following a period unlike anything the modern world has seen before. Physical congestion in your store can add to this anxiety. Adding a feature that eliminates the congestion will lead to happier customers and better business outcomes.
Every business that relies on appointments is familiar with the nuisance that is a missed appointment. Staff block off parts of their days, wait for customers to show up, and they never do. This is a wasted opportunity that results in lost earnings for a business. It also will throw a lineup into flux as staff waits for a customer to arrive that never does. Missed appointments are a serious issue that appointment-based businesses need to combat.
The medical industry is one example of an industry where no-shows aren't just a minor concern but an endemic problem. According to Intrado, missed appointments are costing the healthcare industry in the United States $150 billion, with each no-show costing physicians, on average, a loss of $200. This is a genuine crisis, but most operations feel there is not much they can do about it.
Queue management software is a way to directly impact this issue because it empowers businesses with both communication and line management features. The communication features are a significant aspect in stopping no-shows, while the line management features help businesses bounce back faster.
Communicating with your customer on the day of their appointment will help businesses know whether they intend to show up or not. With QLess, businesses can send their customers an appointment reminder message early in the day and a customized chat directly to their personal device if they are running late. Enterprises can communicate with their customers back and forth in a more seamless way than email and in a less invasive way than a phone call.
The flexible line management allows staff to move the line around if customers are late or not showing up. These easy-to-use features don't require specific digital skills but are highly effective ways of mitigating the impact of a late customer or a no-show. Staff can simply move the customer out of the virtual queue and move up other customers or implement walk-ins with a hybrid queue to replace the customer no-show.
Physical queues are a nuisance. Nobody enjoys standing in a long, crowded line with an unknown wait time. It is a feeling that leaves people disenfranchised with the business and threatens customer retention. Luckily, technology has created a world where physical queues aren't necessary. An enterprise virtual queue management system can help businesses eliminate the need for an in-person wait.
There are a lot of upsides to a virtual queue. It is convenient for customers, improves the employee experience, makes collecting high-quality data on key processes easy, and cuts back on physical congestion. Every business is looking for a way to differentiate itself from the competition and gain the trust and loyalty of customers. A virtual queue management system is a customer-friendly solution that has the potential to significantly improve how a business performs.
In an era of fierce competition in the financial industry, service quality and customer experience are among the most important factors that can make or break your enterprise. Small financial institutions, such as credit unions, face an uphill battle in competing with big banks for new member acquisition. The provision of superior services helps credit unions attract big bank customers in order to grow their membership base. The adoption of new, innovative technologies supports credit unions in competing with big banks for new members by offering stellar customer service. Implementing the best appointment scheduling software solutions, such as QLess's scheduling app and queue management system for financial services, can help your cooperative grow and increase your market share.
Investing in innovative technologies to improve operations and customer satisfaction produces massive ROI for your institution. The generation of more revenue attracts more people, leading to an expansion of your member community. Finding and utilizing the best appointment scheduling software promotes operational efficiency, improves employee satisfaction, and enhances customer experience. Here are the main benefits of appointment apps and queue management software solutions to help credit unions grow and expand their membership base.
Appointment scheduling software enables your prospects and members to book appointments online with ease. Instead of calling and waiting on hold for ages to speak with a customer service representative, credit union prospects and members can access the software and schedule an appointment at any time and place of their convenience.
Credit union prospects and members are able to access the appointment scheduling software on your institution's website, a smartphone app, or an on-site kiosk installed on your premises. The appointment app allows users to reschedule or cancel their upcoming appointment at any time if they can't show up for the meeting. Empowering your current and future members to control their booking process enhances customer experience, contributing to the growth of your membership community.
Once the appointment has been scheduled, the online scheduling software enables your prospects and members to wait for their appointment in a remote queue. Virtual queuing allows your patrons to avoid wasting precious time in crowded lobbies to wait for their appointment. During remote queuing, your community members can spend their waiting time taking care of other important tasks outside your institution's premises while they wait for their turn. The appointment scheduling app's virtual queuing technology eliminates congested lobbies and waiting lines in your financial cooperative institution, leading to reduced customer stress and frustration. The provision of queue management technology helps your member community use their waiting time in a productive manner, improving customer satisfaction and experience at your organization.
Working in customer service is highly stressful for many employees. Taking dozens of calls and speaking on the phone with countless individuals to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments on a daily basis places a heavy strain on your team members. In addition, crowded lobbies of frustrated customers negatively impact your employees' work experience, contributing to job dissatisfaction. The implementation of an appointment app and queue management software relieves credit union employees of mundane office tasks and dealing with disgruntled customers throughout the day. Interacting with contented members and working in a more pleasant office environment enhances your employees' job satisfaction and reduces burnout in your workplace, resulting in a healthier and happier workforce.
Using the best appointment scheduling software solutions designed for financial services in your cooperative institution can help you provide better services to your current and future credit union members. Adopting advanced, modern technologies in the workplace allows your organization to provide a faster and more convenient way to communicate with customers in order to solve problems as quickly as possible.
QLess's appointment app and online scheduling software allow for real-time, interactive communication between customer service staff and community members to address client issues and concerns promptly. Using the platform, your employees can reach out to members waiting in the remote queue via text messages, voice calls, or video conferencing to solve their problem within minutes.
To promote a successful enterprise, you need a good reputation. Developing strategies to improve service quality and enhance customer experience can help your organization build a more prominent brand name, making your institution stand out from the rest of the competition. Using innovative solutions to improve services and customer satisfaction promotes your brand as a reputable service provider. Your institution's adoption of an appointment scheduling app makes your staff and members' lives easier by providing more efficient and convenient ways to accomplish their tasks. Using advanced technologies in your institution boosts your credit union's reputation in providing efficient services and stellar customer experience, helping you promote a more loyal membership community and drive new prospects to your organization.
When booking a meeting using QLess's appointment app and online scheduling software, your prospects and members specify the type of financial service they will be seeking during their visit. Consequently, your staff will be aware of each member's purpose for visiting long before the meeting begins. The credit union staff are able to use this time to prepare for the meeting instead of managing appointments. Your employees can analyze and determine which of the institution's services will best meet the needs of the current or future member. Your employees should use this time to prepare for upselling and cross-selling opportunities to increase revenue for the credit union. An increase in revenue will enable your institution to offer better rates on deposits and loans, helping you enlarge your membership base.
The QLess appointment app and online scheduling software provide a dashboard that displays live data and real-time metrics to streamline your day-to-day operations. Your management can use this data to acquire valuable information on staff productivity and member experience to help them develop new strategies for enhancing operational efficiency.
Other than data aggregation, online scheduling systems free up precious time for your employees to focus on performing higher value office tasks that generate better returns for your organization. An increase in staff productivity and operational efficiency helps your credit union thrive and attract new members to the organization.
Online appointment scheduling software boosts member satisfaction, improves staff productivity, and enhances your scheduling process, helping your credit union grow its membership base. If you want to attract new members to your cooperative, give us a call. Implementing the best QLess appointment scheduling software solution for financial services in your institution boosts operational efficiency, enhances member satisfaction, and generates higher ROI for your organization. Contact us now to get a free demo for your credit union today.
When your business draws crowds in the form of long lines or waiting times for appointments, there's bound to be issues that arise that slow down customer flow. From employees becoming overwhelmed, to customers needing special attention, to congestion and confusion, wait times can grow exponentially. With the QLess queue management and appointment scheduling software, you can reduce your average customer wait time and increase their overall satisfaction. This new technology is simple for customers and employees to use and easy to get set up in any type of business.
Long lines of customers can cause a rush that makes your employees feel overwhelmed and anxious. While some people can work just fine under these conditions, others feel too rushed and may not perform at their best. The quality and efficiency of their service may diminish, potentially leading to less courteous interactions with customers; consequently, this can contribute to increased average wait times for customers. The QLess system gives your employees a real-time dashboard that lets them see who is waiting and what type of service they need, they can even send direct text message communications to customers to alert them about service delays.
Your employees will no longer be confronted with a long line of frustrated customers. The QLess queue management software allows customers to wait anywhere, so there are no more intimidating crowds of people stuck in one spot. If your business mainly makes appointments for service like in the healthcare industry, then the QLess appointment scheduling software can free up your employees' time by letting customers book online or through the app. It also sends automated confirmations and reminders to customers so your employees can better focus on other office tasks.
How many times have you seen a take-a-number system where employees call for the next customer repeatedly, only to have a no-show? The same can be said for a crowded waiting room where an employee calls for a party that either isn't paying attention or has already walked out. No-shows and other customer issues in times of congestion can lengthen the average customer wait time.
Instead of relying solely on employees, the QLess systems work with customers' cell phones to deliver instant text or voice messages about their wait time and place in line. When it's their turn for service, the app directs them to the correct service location. QLess creates a steady flow of customers that are immediately responsive, reducing your average customer wait time.
Perception is everything to customers. A restaurant might have delicious food, but if it has a poor appearance, they may still lose customers. When customers are forced to wait for long periods with nothing to do, time will drag on, and they may become irritable and frustrated with their service experience. When you allow individuals to use their time as they wish, the average customer wait time will appear to pass more quickly, QLess software lets people occupy themselves until it's their turn. They might grab a bite to eat, run an extra errand, continue to shop, or anything else their wait time allows for. Customer satisfaction will shoot through the roof, and they will prefer your business over others that use old-school methods of queue management.
Get started reducing your average customer wait time today with the QLess queue management and appointment scheduling software. Contact us to discover the full range of features and benefits the system has to offer. We will provide you with a free demo so you can see exactly how this new technology works.
Throughout the pandemic, businesses have found innovative ways to help their customers shop and open their stores, all in order to service their customers better. With many shops forced to close for several months, the pandemic helped businesses realize the value of customer service and to promote positive experiences and create new ways to retain customers. Customer service should always be a priority, though, not just during hard times.
With access to products from across the globe, customers now have more choices than ever. And with shopping becoming more of an experience than a transaction, providing a positive customer experience can make or break a company. Below, we've outlined three reasons why businesses should place a high value on customer service post-COVID-19, even after your business has reopened.
We've all received offers from brands that we can immediately identify as disingenuous. Sales on unnecessary products, marketing emails from companies you haven't heard from in forever, or obligatory emails about how they're there for you -- whatever the subject, we know you've all encountered these, especially during the pandemic. Marketing during the pandemic can be a difficult job, but taking advantage of customers during hard times is ineffective and simply wrong.
Customers can immediately sense when brands are just trying to take their money and when they truly care. And they want to help support caring businesses, especially during tough times. This relationship starts from the first transaction and will follow the brand throughout the customer lifecycle. If the brand didn't show compassion and a high value for customer service during the first transaction by being polite, answering questions in a timely manner, or proactively offering assistance, then they will never be able to make up for the loss in confidence.
By teaching your company to treat customers as people, not dollar signs, you can create genuine experiences between them and your customer service representatives. Those that fail to understand the value of customer service are losing out on opportunities to build brand loyalty. And since maintaining existing customers costs less than attracting new ones, you genuinely should care about them.
Even before COVID-19 inspired exceptional customer service, 54 percent of consumers were already expecting more from customer service than they did a year ago. That means that traditional experiences are no longer going to satisfy customers or help you retain them. Brands need to create exceptional, unique experiences to help drive customer retention and profits.
With more ways to implement new innovations to fulfill customer service requests, brands can remain competitive by selecting solutions that meet their needs. Chatbots on social media and websites, virtual queue management software or call-back services are just a few technologies that have been popularized during the pandemic. As customers become increasingly tech savvy, deploying technology to exceed customer expectations will become necessary. Now is the time to think creatively about how to demonstrate to customers that you understand the value of customer service.
Customer service, whether positive or negative, will be how you'll be remembered. Friendly representatives or short wait times are not necessarily the norm in businesses and retail environments, even though they should be. By creating positive experiences, you'll stand out in the mind of the customer -- and among your competitors -- as a business that understands the value of customer service.
It's also how you'll be known to future customers. Whereas only 87 percent of customers share their good experiences, 95 percent of customers will tell others about their bad experiences. That means that bad customer service could not only cause you to lose current customers, it could make you lose potential ones. Word of mouth marketing is one of the most powerful tools for a brand, so it's important to make sure that what others are hearing is only positive.
It's also becoming increasingly easy for potential customers to see how brands operate. Social media has made it commonplace for customers to call out brands publicly for good or bad behavior. Ensure that anything that can be seen publicly is positive. If it's not, take the steps to rectify the situation. Customers and potential customers will see that your brand has a high value for customer service and will respect that you are trying to do better, not just ignoring their reviews.
With QLess queue management software, we've helped brands increase customer loyalty, improve customer satisfaction and raise revenues. If you're looking for an easy-to-implement COVID-19 customer service solution with immediate results, get in touch today!
Whether your business runs solely on online booking or you have a combination of booked appointments and walk-in customers, the QLess appointment scheduling app has an array of customizable features that can best accommodate your particular industry. From major industries like healthcare, government offices, logistics, DMVs, and higher education, to smaller operations like beauty salons and shooting galleries, QLess has the technology to handle it all. Our powerful software combines the use of your customers' cell phones to create a modern system that is easy to use and increases efficiency.
When you're looking for the best appointment scheduling software for your company, ease of use for your customers has to be a top priority. If customers become frustrated and can't easily book appointments, they will likely turn to your competitors for their services. To effectively upgrade your company's appointment scheduling system, you need to be sure your new software can be used through a computer or a mobile device, either on your company's website or through Android and iPhone apps. For Android users, QLess has a 4.6 out of 5 star rating over 3,800 reviews on Google Play. Not to be outdone, it totes an impressive 4.9 out of 5 star ranking in the App Store with over nine thousand rankings.
QLess provides your company with booking software that does just that. We brand our system with your company's name and logos so that customers can confidently book their appointments online or using an app. As you adjust your settings and preferences, customers can easily pick times and dates on the upcoming schedule. There's no need for customers to ever call in and speak to a receptionist about making an appointment, though should customers still want to do this, your staff can make manual adjustments to the schedule as needed.
In this day and age, your customers expect a level of automation with their appointments. They want appointment reminders that help keep them on track for attending their commitments. One of the best features of the QLess appointment scheduling app is its automated confirmations and reminders. Your staff no longer has to take time out of their busy schedule to manually call and email customers to confirm their appointments. With less scheduling hassle, they can focus more of their time on serving customers in person and fulfilling other needed office tasks.
The QLess booking software goes beyond clunky calls by sending text messages and email reminders directly to customers' cell phones. Customers can easily respond with a text to confirm. This is one of the best ways to communicate with the current generations--through an appointment scheduling app. You'll receive a higher response rate, and customers will be much more likely to be on time and not miss appointments due to lack of communication.
When your business includes scheduled appointments and walk-ins, FlexAppointment technology is a built-in feature of QLess' appointment scheduling app that allows you to seamlessly integrate both types of customers. FlexAppointments automatically fills gaps from canceled appointments with walk-in customers. This calendar sync condenses your schedule and makes the best use of your busy staff calendars. All customers are placed into a virtual queue together, but the ones who have a scheduled upcoming appointment will receive priority at that time.
As your customers' upcoming appointment approaches, they receive communications to remind them. They are also asked if they need additional time for any reason; for instance, if they are running late. If they do require extra time, the QLess system will push them back into the queue, allowing for an optimized customer flow. Your staff can also send direct communications to customers to notify them of office delays or other issues.
As a customer yourself, you have probably experienced situations when you have booked an appointment but are still made to wait in a waiting room for extended periods. You were conscientious enough to make an appointment, so why do you still need to wait in a crowded room? The QLess appointment scheduling app offers the best solution to this problem: giving the customer the option to wait anywhere they want to. While waiting in the virtual queue for their scheduled meeting or walk-in service, customers are free to roam as they receive timely updates and reminder emails on their cell phones.
There's no more need to stay glued to a lounge room waiting for your name to be called. Customers are completely free to wait in their vehicle, wait outside the building, visit local businesses, grab some lunch, or run other errands. When you give customers the power to wait anywhere, their satisfaction goes through the roof.
When you implement a new online scheduling software like an appointment scheduling app, the best way to tell if it is working is to analyze the data. The QLess system collects information like personal customer data, transaction types and times, walk-ins, walk-outs, no-shows, customer habits, and other important metrics that help you improve efficiency and business processes. You also have the option to send customers satisfaction surveys immediately after their service has been completed. You can use this feedback to gauge how effective the system is and find areas to make improvements. You and your staff have access to this downloadable data at any time in the form of easy-to-read graphs and reports.
If your business makes appointments, the QLess appointment scheduler is the best app solution to upgrade your processes with modern-day technology with essential features. The system requires no hardware and is easy to get set up and running. Our team of experts gives you lasting support throughout the entire process and as you continue to use our product. Contact us today to request a business demo and to learn more about the extensive features and benefits of the best appointment-scheduling tools available!
Believe it or not, the coronavirus pandemic has had some positive effects on our society. Because of the pandemic, our healthcare system has gone through radical changes to better fight the spread of disease between patients, staff, and healthcare providers. New policies and procedures promote the health and safety of all. And though COVID-19 may be declining in severity, we need to learn from these new policies to keep doctor's office waiting rooms safe.
In response to the pandemic, many healthcare facilities and doctor's offices have implemented "no waiting room" policies in which a patient call system is used. Instead of checking in at the front desk with a receptionist, patients can call in or use an app to let the facility know they have arrived for their appointment. They wait in their car until they receive a notification that the staff are ready to receive them. This way, patients don't have to wait in a crowded waiting room with potentially contagious people. Staff are also better protected by limited interaction with patients. These new methods are preferred by the majority of people, as concerns for one's own safety are still fresh in our minds. Some offices also limit the number of people who can attend a patient's appointments.
In addition to changes in doctor's office waiting rooms, telemedicine is a popular method for patients to get help from a doctor without ever having to step foot in a facility. Using an online appointment scheduler, patients can make appointments on the company's website to request a telemedicine appointment. Telemedicine enables patients to connect face-to-face with their healthcare provider via a platform like Skype, Zoom meetings, or FaceTime. Patients can often upload pictures of their issues, such as rashes or wounds, and doctors can write prescriptions virtually. Telemedicine can be used for routine visits, urgent care, wellness programs, and more.
The pandemic forced healthcare facilities to quickly revise their procedures to increase safety precautions. Even as coronavirus begins to wane, it isn't necessarily the best policy to revert to old ways. What we have learned from COVID-19 can continue to be applied to limit the spread of disease during the yearly flu season and to keep patients and staff safe from the spread of contagions everyday. New technologies like the QLess waiting room patient call system and appointment scheduler offer benefits and features that allow doctor's office waiting rooms to promote social distancing, while gaining valuable insights about their operations.
QLess is a system that can be applied to many other businesses in the healthcare industry as well. Hospitals, urgent care, wellness clinics, physical therapy offices, dental offices, veterinarian offices, and more can help keep their patients and staff safer with updated procedures. Contact QLess today for information about our free business demo. You can also read our success stories of how QLess has already helped healthcare offices improve their methods and patient experiences.
When you have a limited number of sales and service representatives in your car dealership, rushes during promotional sales or even just during ordinary business hours can make your customers wait for long periods. When shopping for a new car, they may even pass up your business if it's too busy and view cars at other dealerships, allowing your customers to get in line online using your company's website or a car appointment app on their phone lets them make better use of their wait time. It also reduces your number of walk-outs and raises customer satisfaction.
Take some of the pressure off of your sales team by letting customers get in line ahead of time with your company's website or app. Instead of managing customers in a waiting room that breeds frustration, and can cause unsafe crowding, your sales team will have a real-time dashboard that lets them see who is waiting and what services they are seeking. Customers who schedule an appointment or join the virtual queue are free to roam the lot or wait anywhere they choose while your sales reps take care of their current customer. This raises the satisfaction level for customers who are waiting and allows your sales team to better focus on the individual customer needs of whom they are interacting with at the time.
Many car dealerships also run a service department for vehicle maintenance, this is another area that can often cause long wait times for customers, especially when they can't simply drop their vehicle off for service. The QLess app lets customers schedule their service appointments online with a car appointment app, and they can get in line using their cell phone once they arrive at your car dealership. The app sends notifications straight to their cell phones to let them know approximate wait times, then alerts them when their vehicle is ready for pickup. Simple oil changes and routine maintenance will no longer have your customers clogging up the waiting room. Instead, they can kill time at local restaurants or retail shops, even just keeping your customer in the loop with alerts makes for better online reviews and more positive exposure for your business.
Using a technology that lets your customers get in line online has modern benefits and features that old-school wait lines can't produce. From capabilities to send alerts about current promotions and customer satisfaction surveys to recording important metrics about customer habits and staff productivity, QLess' car appointment app lets you assess your business operations and improve your marketing efforts. You'll also learn about customer demographics, customer return rates, wait and fulfillment times, and much more.
Contact us to learn more about how the QLess car appointment app can improve efficiency in your car dealership or request a free demo today. Let your customers get in line online to improve their experience and satisfaction.
Once thought of as the financial institution for your parents, or even your grandparents, credit unions have remained relatively overlooked for a long time. They've been slow to implement technology or online banking solutions, and haven't traditionally marketed their services to younger generations the way modern banking institutes have. But in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, credit unions are now modernizing faster than ever. By implementing innovative technology solutions, they've helped to reinvent their status, increase loyalty and customer safety, and appeal to younger members. Below, we've highlighted some of the top credit union technology trends coming out of the pandemic.
In most cases, when you schedule a credit union appointment, you're still expected to wait for the appointment. Although it is expected, it can still be frustrating. And during the pandemic, as waiting rooms fill up, it can become dangerous.
Considered an essential service, credit unions have remained open throughout pandemic closures. And as more businesses close and lay off employees, financial institutes have become increasingly important. To keep their customers safe, many have implemented appointment scheduling solutions. Using an appointment scheduling app, customers can receive updates about the wait time for the appointment at their credit union. They'll even be notified if their financial advisor is running behind. This allows them to wait at a distance for their appointment--outside, in their cars, or in their homes--instead of in a crowded waiting room. This credit union technology trend can help keep customers and employees safe, making it a pivotal solution for any business, not just credit unions.
In another effort to combat busy waiting rooms and long wait times, credit unions have been implementing line management systems. Instead of relying on people to adhere to physical distancing requirements while waiting, line management systems allow customers to virtually queue up from their mobile devices. They receive notifications about their wait times and place in line and, when it's their turn, they receive a notification to enter the building. Instead of relying on line managers to manage customers or forcing customers into crowded waiting rooms, these apps let customers wait at a safe distance and encourage physical distancing requirements. For ATMs or seeing bank tellers, this technology trend can be extremely helpful for managing credit union customers' health and safety.
Credit unions have long been known for their personal and friendly service to set them apart from larger financial institutes. When the pandemic hit, they needed new ways to support their customers -- especially those considered vulnerable or high risk. Two of the latest credit union technology trends that have provided them with that opportunity are video banking and conferencing solutions. Replacing any transaction where customers would usually interact with an employee, such as wire transfers or account inquiries, customers are given a personal and unique experience. In many cases, customers have developed a relationship with their credit union, and being able to see their faces and interact with them on a more personal level, while maintaining safety, can help them increase customer loyalty. There are even video conferencing apps that help with appointment scheduling. When a customer schedules a video banking appointment, they'll receive notifications about potential delays and reminders about when the appointment is happening.
Wondering how your credit union can modernize? There are plenty of technology trends that can help. These solutions manage customer health and safety during the pandemic but are also increasingly crucial to help with customer satisfaction and loyalty. Upgrade credit union appointment scheduling and more with QLess.
In the logistics industry, many companies still live in the past, with outdated processes that cost the staff time and the business money. It's time to move into a new era that takes full advantage of new software technologies and hardware that everyone has on hand: their cell phone. The QLess truck booking software is an automated system that declutters your staff's filing cabinets, makes receiving instructions a breeze for employees and contractors, and gives you important data and metrics that provide insights about your business operations.
Whether your employees and contractors need to book their own appointments or your managing staff needs to send personalized instructions to members on your delivery team, the QLess truck booking software can handle it all. Contractors can easily log in on your website or app to request documents. Your staff also has access to real-time dashboards that let them send documents and communications directly to employees' cell phones. Employees no longer have to wait in a line to receive outdated written instructions. Bottlenecks are dispersed, and your staff can function with better efficiency.
Digital logging of tasks using the QLess truck booking software also creates a much smoother digital filing system that can easily be accessed by staff as needed. All of the data is recorded into downloadable files in the form of graphs and reports. You and your staff will be able to see specific details about assignments, processing times, travel times, costs, and other information about your team's productivity. All of these analytics allow you to monitor what business processes are working, which need improvements, and where resources could be better optimized. An interactive platform lets you utilize a lean management approach to continuously improve on efficiency.
Whether you run a small delivery company or a large, full-scale logistics operation with multiple branches, several fleets, hundreds of employees and contractors, and manage manufacturing operations, QLess is a system that can handle your complex requirements. The larger a logistics company is, the greater the need for a centralized truck appointment system that will streamline and simplify processes. QLess can even collect feedback from your team with surveys that are sent directly to their cell phones.
QLess technology can help increase your efficiency in operations, saving you time and money and even giving you an edge over the competition. You'll see an increase in good ratings from your employees and contractors as you implement a new system that will make their job easier. QLess has incredible success stories in the logistics industry and can work wonders for your business, too. Contact us today to request a free demo and learn more about the QLess truck booking software's features and benefits.
Not all states and cities have fully legalized recreational marijuana, but those that have draw crowds from near and far away. Even the dispensaries that only sell medical marijuana pull in the crowds, especially when they restock with new varieties. Owners of marijuana dispensaries are used to having to manage crowded lobbies and long lines. However, what if there was a better way than just "dealing with it"? QLess dispensary management software offers waiting room solutions for marijuana dispensaries that give them a modern edge against the competition.
QLess dispensary management software is a simple waiting room solution that needs no hardware or lengthy installations. It works on major browsers and your customers' cell phones. It's so easy to implement and get operational that your staff will only need about two hours of training to learn all the details. Before your customers even arrive at your location, they can join a virtual line using your company's website or an app on their cell phone. They receive text or voice message updates about their approximate wait time, place in line, and they can even request additional time if they need it. Once it's their turn for service, the app gives them directions on which desk to approach.
With this modern technology, your customers no longer have to stand in a line or wait in a crowded room together. The QLess app gives them the freedom to wait wherever they wish, whether that's in the parking lot, in their car, or at nearby restaurants and retail shops. They can even join the virtual queue from the comfort of their home and decide on the appropriate time to leave from there. Because customers have this freedom, they are empowered to make better use of their wait time. They have higher levels of satisfaction, and they will be more likely to return to your business rather than another dispensary that hasn't discovered QLess waiting room solutions. You can also expect more great online reviews from customers once they are introduced to this modern technology. We all know that positive online reviews equal increased reach with more potential customers!
QLess waiting room solutions provide your staff with a live dashboard and features that allow them to easily manage customers. They can even send direct communications straight to customers' cell phones. The dispensary management software also gives your business the opportunity to send alerts about current promotions and requests to complete satisfaction surveys. On the back end, owners receive important data about their customers' habits, transaction types and times, feedback, and other metrics. This information is available to download in easy to read graphs and reports so that owners can use them to improve operations and keep staff on track.
Contact QLess today to request a free business demo of our waiting room solutions. We've already helped countless businesses in many industries gain a competitive edge with this modern technology that gets rid of the lines and wait times.
As a customer yourself, have you ever walked into a store, seen dozens of people waiting in a queue, and immediately walked right back out? Even the sight of a long line can turn your customers away from purchasing items in your store. Time is a precious thing when you have a full schedule, and not everyone has hours to spend shopping. The solution is modern technology that disperses lines and reduces this disadvantage of shopping in-store. QLess’ queue management app keeps customers from waiting in a queue, when they could be continuing to shop.
The QLess app utilizes software that works with all major web browsers and your customers’ cell phones. There is no hardware required, though some stores may choose to use additional kiosks and tablets for their customers’ convenience. When a customer decides to shop at your store, they can join the virtual queue for check-out or other services by using the company’s website, an app on their phone, or onsite kiosks. In order to further reduce the disadvantages of shopping in-store, the system sends text or voice message alerts directly to their cell phones, letting them know their place in line, it even asks if they need more time. Instead of starting them at the back of the line when additional time is requested, it simply pushes them back a little bit in the waiting queue. When it’s their turn for service, the app directs them to the correct location.
An app that cuts out waiting in a queue can be applied to so many different types of retail businesses. From high volume service stores like cell phone companies, print and copy centers, electronics stores, big-box grocery stores, and beauty salons, to more specialized stores like jewelers, car dealerships, shooting ranges, and high-end clothing and shoe stores, QLess can easily manage large queues and schedule appointments. Some of our best business success stories with the QLess system are based in retail settings. If your business frequently has customers waiting in a queue, QLess can help reduce this disadvantage of shopping in-store.
When your customers are happy, they return to your store and tell others about their positive experiences giving your business a huge edge over the competition with good online reviews and word-of-mouth exposure to new potential customers. When you use the QLess app, it’s easy for business owners to see an increase in customer satisfaction using surveys that are sent to customers’ cell phones directly after service is completed. These surveys gain a much higher completion rate than those distributed by email or mail.
Aside from collecting this customer feedback, the app lets you record other pertinent metrics and data that can be used to improve operations and create custom-tailored promotions. These features also let you send notifications about current promos to your customers who are virtually waiting in a queue while they continue shopping.
To learn more about the features and benefits of the QLess app for retail businesses, contact us today. We would be happy to set up a free business demo for you and your team.
Recently, the QLess queue management system software has been implemented in over 600 Office Depot and OfficeMax stores in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, and other areas. Office Depot has focused the queue management tools on their copy and print centers to alleviate long wait times and lines. You may remember hitting the print center at a busy time and having to hang around the service desk for what seemed like forever. Now, customers can virtually save their spot in line and receive status updates right on their cell phones.
Instead of being chained to a waiting line for service, Office Depot customers can now kill time any way they please while they receive alerts on their phones. They can roam the store to shop for items, visit local restaurants or retail shops, or simply wait outside or in their vehicle. Customers can also use the QLess queue management system software to schedule a 30-minute appointment with an Office Depot associate to receive advice about their computer, laptop, or cell phone. This way, customers can show up to the store right when the QLess app alerts them that it's time for their appointment.
The Chain Store Age (CSA) reports that Kevin Moffitt, Executive VP and Chief Retail Officer for Office Depot, explained, "It's never been easier and more efficient for our customers to use print and copy services. Whether you're preparing signage for your store grand opening or need to print new business cards, we know time is valuable, that's why our new queuing technology lets customers wait where they want and helps our trusted print and copy advisors provide an excellent customer experience."
With such a successful implementation of the queue management tools, it's easy to see why customers love the new, modern system. Who wouldn't want the freedom to make better use of your wait time and the option to make a pre-scheduled appointment for service? The QLess queue management system software also allows Office Depot to send customers satisfaction surveys and to record this data in reports. These features let management track how well the system is working and discover areas in their operations that could use improvements.
The QLess system also reduces the workload for Office Depot print and copy center employees. Workers have the use of a real-time dashboard that lets them see who is waiting and what kind of services they need, staff can also send text or voice messages directly to customers with specific directions or other communications. Employees no longer have to get the stare down by customers waiting around the service desk for their turn. Overall, the QLess system makes for happier Office Depot staff and customers.
The QLess queue management system software works for so many different industries. Contact us today to request a free QLess demo and learn how you can gain an edge over the competition with our modern technology.
Winter is upon us, and people are looking for ways to enjoy the season without being shut in by COVID-19. Ski resorts, like most other businesses, will likely take a hit this year, so it's important to enact social distancing measures promptly and make the most of this profitable time of year. Virtual lines make customers feel safer and let them wait where they choose. The QLess client scheduling app can thin out the crowds safely so customers can throw on their ski gear and hit the slopes without worry.
Weekends are the busiest times for ski resorts, and customer lines for tickets and rental equipment can get lengthy. The QLess online scheduling program lets customers join a virtual queue and gives them alerts about wait times. This frees them from waiting in lines in close proximity so they can enjoy other amenities at the resort while they wait. Customers can relax at the bar or watch the pros on the half-pipe.
Lift lines can also get clustered for ski resort customers. While they usually go pretty fast, it's still not a safe option when we need to be social distancing. Virtual lift lines when using the QLess client scheduling app make it safer for everyone involved, including the staff.
If you run a big resort, you know that the hotel check-in can be a hectic process, especially when you have large groups and onsite events happening. An online scheduling program is an ideal technology that lets customers wait anywhere they want. You no longer need to have a crowded lobby. Your employees will also be able to directly communicate with patrons using text or voice messages sent straight to their cell phones.
If you've been thinking about beeper and pager systems for your bars and restaurants, that method is now outdated. A client scheduling app on customers' cell phones is the way to go. Customers are given updated approximate wait times and they can wait anywhere inside or outside of the resort. They can choose to wait in their hotel rooms, view the sights of the beautiful mountain slopes, or socialize with friends. The QLess client scheduling app is a diverse system that works for large, complex resorts for many applications. It uses the common technology that every one of your customers possesses: a cell phone. You can also employ the use of onsite kiosks to help the virtual check-in process run even more smoothly. Your employees will love the real-time dashboard that lets them manage customers with ease. In these times, it's more important than ever to find ways to social distance and stay as profitable as possible. Contact us today to request a free business demo.