Virtual Queuing in Banks: Deliver More Without the Line

Despite the rise of digital banking, in-person banking remains prevalent: 52% of banking clients visited a branch an average of 1.5 times a month in 2020.  And with digital-only customers having the lowest levels of satisfaction, it is in the interest of bank managers to make the in-person banking experience a positive one.

Virtual queuing is one way for banks to improve the experience by removing the physical waiting line and freeing customers to wait in a more relaxed way.

Here are four specific ways virtual queuing can improve the banking experience:

1. Provide a higher level of personalized service.

Using in-branch kiosks or an online signup, customers can identify the purpose of their visit. Based on information provided during the check-in process, the virtual queuing system can automatically route customers to the best associate to meet their needs. Additionally, associates have visibility to any information collected upon signup before servicing the customer, enabling them to be better prepared and offer a more efficient and relevant service experience.

2. Create a more relaxed environment for customers.

Rather than waiting in a physical line, a customer can either be seen directly by a representative if they’ve pre-scheduled an appointment, wait from the comfort of a lounge area, or run nearby errands while they wait for an SMS message to alert them to service. Consider offering water, coffee, or tea to customers as they wait in order to provide a relaxed, inviting visit.

3. Give bank tellers and other representatives more service control.

Virtual queuing can make it easier for bank tellers or other representatives to stay in control over the level of service they provide. It becomes much easier to identify how best to serve each customer. For example, VIP customers will likely require a different amount of attention than a client coming in for a quick visit. Virtual queuing allows bank employees to identity and address these different needs, as well as easily re-route or transfer customers to a different service agent based on their changing needs.

4. Offer insight to managers to anticipate customer traffic and address wait time or service efficiency issues in real time.

While virtual queuing allows bank employees to know client needs ahead of time, it also makes it possible to address service efficiency issues in real time. Banks can set alerts based on preset thresholds to stay on top of wait times and staffing. This process makes the customer experience more visible, therefore making it easier to address potential problem areas before they escalate.

For example, perhaps wait times are getting out of hand due to a customer needing more time than expected. With virtual queuing, you have the data to know how many customers are next in line, and roughly how long it will take to serve those customers. With this data, you can mitigate these service interruptions by being transparent to customers—perhaps texting a free or discounted beverage coupon for the local coffeehouse while they extend their wait.