Retail Customers and Queue Management Technology

woman holding shopping bags

Entering the digital age means that retail customer service is in constant flux. With new trends appearing frequently, brick-and-mortar stores sometimes struggle to adapt to each new stage. So, what’s the next move for you? Addressing the needs of retail customers in this type of setting means being open-minded and willing to experiment with different strategies to keep your customers coming back for more.

Queue management technology is just one way shops are taking the next step in retail. With customer satisfaction in the spotlight, eliminating inconvenience for shoppers is at the forefront. The days of long wait times, walkaways and frustration are finally at an end. Read on and see how QLess technology has already changed the face of popular brands worldwide – and make it work for you.

What is Queue Management?

Queue management is a solution to an age-old problem: the line up. Luckily technology now exists that creates remote retail customer queues and advance appointments alongside typical “walk-ins.” So, how does that work in retail? First, picture any of these possible situations where a line up is bound to occur:

  • Customers waiting to pay for an item
  • Shoppers waiting for sales assistance or appointments
  • Waiting for requested items 
  • Waiting to return an item at the store

In the context of a retail establishment, a line up can occur for a plethora of reasons and cause your customers to dash before they buy. All of these situations can and do easily happen despite your staff’s best efforts and that’s where queue management solutions can fill the gap. Using cloud-based technology that your staff and customers already have on hand is the easiest way to boost sales and keep a retail customer coming back again. 

Omni-Channel Approach

Add legs to your brand and show shoppers that you are working hard to increase their convenience by allowing them to enter a virtual line no matter where they are right from a mobile phone. In certain retail settings, this is crucial to success. Here’s how it works:

  • Customers can use mobile technology to enter a line up remotely before they even leave home
  • Once they are in the remote line up, they can choose to wait from anywhere
  • Text or voice messages keep customers updated on wait time and allow them to request extra time as needed

A retail customer expects top-notch service. In some settings, this means entering a store and joining a remote check-out queue as soon as they walk in the store. Instead of waiting in a long check-out line, customers shop and make their selections while waiting for notification that their time to pay has arrived. In other settings, this could mean setting an appointment for a fitting or assistance ahead of time to beat the crowds. It all adds up to an exceptional experience.

Improving the Retail Customer Experience

Clothing rack

So, customers no longer have to wait around for an item or retail appointment but what does that mean for their overall experience? QLess data shows a strong link between empowering customers and enhancing their satisfaction. Here are the numbers:

  • Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty by up to 99%
  • Reduce customer walk-aways by 75%
  • Increase revenues and service flow by up to 50%
  • Boost staff positivity by up to 90%

Queue management technology allows you to efficiently schedule and manage appointments in a variety of retail settings. Not only that, your team can now use key data to optimize workflow and lower your overall operating costs.

Reduce Complaints

Your customers have the ultimate power to read or create reviews immediately. Not only can they search for feedback from others on a mobile device from your shop, they can very quickly and publicly provide feedback to other potential customers for better or worse. Here are some ways that you can use queue management technology to avoid being left behind and boost retail customer satisfaction as well as your reputation:

  • Customers using QLess report a 100% increase in satisfaction, enhancing your brand
  • Your company targets problem areas with surveys that report to management right away to resolve complaints
  • By eliminating physical line-ups you’ll gain more positive reviews

Reputation is everything. Discover how queue management for retail is reviving brick-and-mortar shopping. QLess software is one key component to creating a lasting brand in your community.

Tracking and Reporting

person writing on white paper

Queue management technology helps your establishment jump forward in providing excellent retail customer service. Another massive benefit to your team is the ability to monitor key areas of service that need improvement. Here are a few features you can target using QLess software:

  • Access real-time data for each queue location 
  • Analyse no-show rates, return rates and wait time from anywhere
  • See the service duration
  • Analyze customer surveys for immediate feedback to your team

Equipping your business with the data needed to make improvements is just one component of moving ahead in retail customer service. 

Get Started Today

There is no ‘one way’ to roll out queue management software. Our experts are on standby to assist you in creating a logical plan for implementation. Here are a few approaches our customers have taken to get started with QLess software and ease their staff and customers into a new phase:

  • Pilot the software at one flagship location and use it as a training model for the future of retail customer service
  • Establish a virtual line alongside the old walk-in format your customers are used to, giving them optimal choice
  • Provide a kiosk on-site for easy customer check in

Perhaps one of the best components of queue management software is the ability to customize it to each setting. Let our experts guide you through the next steps and use our website to request a demo and see how Omni-Channel queuing can work for you.