Queue management is a critical component of customer service delivery, particularly as customer expectations increase along with the pace of life. In addition to that, organisations need to be able to monitor and track speed of delivery to ensure continuous improvement on delivery.
It is therefore crucial that organisations use technology to not only drive down the cost to serve, but also deliver a seamless customer experience.
“A robust queue management solution will not only streamline your service delivery by managing customer flow, but will also provide you with valuable data to improve your processes,” says Darren Reid, MD of Laxton Technologies SA.
Laxton Group is one of the world’s largest self-service terminal, digital signage, digital music equipment and e-government jump kit manufacturers. Founded in 2000 in South Africa, the company has a presence in China, USA, Poland, Russia and locally.
“Queues are inevitable in many environments, therefore it is essential that organisations make the process as simple and painless as possible for the customer,” says Reid. “A queue management solution allows the customer to pre-select what service they require, which means they will immediately be directed to the correct customer service representative. Each customer is issued with a unique number, which will be called out when the representative is available to handle their query or transaction.”
He says that while queue management plays an important role in managing the customer experience on the day, it also provides valuable data to the organisation to improve service delivery. “The software monitors employee work performance in realtime, providing valuable data around speed of resolution, individual performance and provides trends around slow and peak times to allow for better resource planning,” says Reid.
“This allows the organisation to make informed decisions on how best to approach customer service issues.” It also allows for more consistent customer service delivery.
Reid believes the benefits of queue management extends even beyond streamlining customer service and employee performance. “A customisable queue management solution provides you with additional opportunities to gain more insight into the customer and extend your brand air time with them,” he says.
“By customising the content on the tickets you print, you are able to extend your engagement with your customer, allowing for cross-selling or the sharing of additional valuable information. You are also able to gain valuable insights into each individual customer, tracking their areas of interest within your business.”
He adds that flexibility is key in making sure you service your customer effectively, while deriving the most value for your business.
“Customers are becoming more comfortable engaging with their service providers through various touch points in addition to kiosks, therefore it would be prudent to consider a solution that integrates various means of engagement,” says Reid.
“By incorporating a smart phone app for example, you can allow customers to track their queue position even if they are not in the actual store or branch, giving them the flexibility to do other things. In doing this you are not only saving them time, but you are giving them choice – something which is of great value to them,” he concludes.
