How to improve service operational efficiency
The constant search to improve service operational efficiency and reduce costs often takes priority over the budget needed to offer a better customer experience. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re facing budget pressure while trying to provide superior customer experience, the solution to achieve both is virtual queue management.
How queue management improves operational efficiency
At its core, queue management is about reducing wait times for your customers and providing better and faster customer service. However, when you get to that point where the queue system implementation streamlines the flow of customers in and out of your facilities, you'll be surprised at the breadth of operational efficiencies popping up at every stage of the customer journey.
1. Repurpose waiting space.
Real-time notifications allow the customer to walk into the service location in time and not wait for long. Reduced customer waiting time directly translates into more space for service locations, which again helps more customers.
2. Improve service efficiency.
Alerts can be used by staff and supervisors to streamline operations. Real-time SLA notifications at the branch level tell you what’s happening on the floor, live. Customer identification allows your staff to prepare and be ready to provide personalized service to each customer who is on the way in.
3. Eliminate the need for onsite administrators.
Live floor views for each branch will help you monitor your operations securely from your command centre. Reduce the need and costs of placing onsite administrators at every location.
4. Use existing hardware.
Use a queuing solution that is compatible with all your standard equipment and systems, and requires no additional hardware helps you continue using standard supplies and locally available components. One can even set up and launch standalone queue systems out of the box with a tablet.
5. Branch and employee service reports.
Company culture and work ethics flow from the top, and the decisions you make require micro-data about performance at the branch level. Extract reports on-demand, or in batch, for deep insights on staff and branch performance. Use this data, real-time SLA alerts, and the live floor view to find out what happened with every customer, and how your staff are coping on a day to day basis.
6. Alternative branch recommendations.
Knowing the customer's location enables you to make intelligent recommendations that will further reduce wait times. For instance, the appointment scheduling software can intelligently recommend alternative branches with the least waiting time based on the customer’s location and the number of people ahead of you in the queue at each branch. You can just as well provide customers with the luxury of automatic delay in tickets based on their location and estimated arrival time at their preferred branch.
When operational efficiency decisions are based on cost cuts, they will take away options from your customer experience. But with a queue management solution, the cost reduction comes along with enhanced customer experience. Your employees are able to serve customers better, and you don't have many customers waiting and administrators taking all their time.