How to Improve Customer Flow with a Queue Management System

 

In its most basic form, customer flow is your customers’ or clients’ movement as they interact with your business. The moment a consumer touches base with your business, their customer flow begins, and how they experience it can mean the difference between retaining them and welcoming the family and friends they tell about you and losing them and the potential revenue from their subsequent purchases as well as those from anyone they would have referred to you.

A number of factors negatively impact customer flow. In almost every case, a queue management system can help you create stellar experiences for every customer.

What Factors Affect Customer Flow?

Whether visiting your location, using your website, or calling your organization, the easier it is for your customer to do business with you, the better. How effectively are you communicating the process of working with you and what they can expect?

Signage that clearly tells buyers where they can find products, a main navigation bar that gets visitors where they need to go in minimal clicks, and clear menu options that direct callers to the right department are all examples of things you can use to positively impact customer flow.

Your customers will also appreciate not having to wait for service as they make their way through the customer flow. Because a customer’s perception of their wait time is their reality regardless of how many minutes actually pass, eliminating long lines—both virtually and physically—and providing updates about when they can expect to receive service goes a long way in creating exceptional customer experiences.

Why Does Customer Flow Matter?

In short, good customer flow typically means a positive experience, and the power of a good review cannot be overstated. Happy customers want to keep doing business with organizations that provide excellent service. Almost 45 percent of customers surveyed by PWC in 2021 said they would pay more for greater convenience and for a welcome experience.

On the flip side, customers will leave a brand they love after a bad customer experience. A 2020 survey from Forbes found that 96 percent of respondents said bad customer service will prompt them to take their money elsewhere. A further breakdown of that number roughly divides evenly into thirds those who would be extremely, very, or somewhat willing to switch service because of a negative experience.

How Does a Queue Management System Improve Customer Flow?

The old adage of working smarter, not harder fits perfectly with a digital queue management solution, starting with remote check-in. Customers use their smartphone, computer, or tablet to let you know they’re on their way and what service they need. A smarter experience includes real-time queue updates while they wait wherever is most convenient for them.

A great customer experience starts with smart customer flow, and virtual queue management can help get you there. Customers who are in charge of their wait time are happier. By not wasting their time, you demonstrate how much you value their business.

Additionally, a queue management system enables your workers to deliver more efficient service. Customers are routed to the person/area best suited for needs, and staff is empowered with tools that enable them to be more productive in addressing those needs.

Virtually queued customers buy more. Based on their interaction with the software, you provide relevant and useful deals and information for the stuff they need, want, or already use. If you have a physical location, shoppers can browse while they wait, increasing the chance they’ll take advantage of point-of-sale purchases and boosting their average order value.

Which Industries Benefit Most from Digital Queue Solutions?

There are very few industries that can’t benefit from the use of a virtual queue system. If your business falls into one of these categories, here are some specific examples of how digital queuing can help:

Retail

Buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) is an increasingly popular option for busy shoppers. They appreciate the convenience of buying items online and letting you know their estimated time of arrival. With that information, you can move your employees around to better handle high-traffic times by staffing the pick-up area with extra people or having additional workers on hand for curbside pick-up, substantially reducing wait time.

Banking/Financial Services

The remote check-in feature of a virtual queue solution routes bank customers to the service they need so they aren’t waiting in the teller line when they need a personal banker. Walk-ins are also effectively managed; after they check in upon arrival, you can provide accurate wait times or direct them to another location where someone can help them more quickly.

Amusement Parks

Instead of waiting in long lines while their feet get sore, customers receive an accurate time to return to their rides of choice. This frees them to wander around the park to play games, purchase souvenirs, and indulge in concessions, all of which add to the park’s bottom line.

Museums

When an exhibit is only available to the public for a short time—for example, some paintings are on loan temporarily from another museum or a special family-friendly exhibit is in place for the summer—utilizing timed entries and providing an estimate for how long visitors can expect to spend walking through it keeps crowd sizes manageable. You can space entry for 15 or 30 minutes apart depending on demand and capacity, and a digital queue system’s centralized management helps monitor both.

The Bottom Line for Your Bottom Line

Happy customers have the potential to positively impact your business in a myriad of ways. Not only do they buy more, but their average order value increases over time as well. Even better? They tell their family and friends to shop with you because you consistently deliver excellent service and an overall great customer experience. Your new customers buy more and tell their families and friends, so the cycle continues.

Introducing a virtual queue management solution brings together all the points that define good customer flow, excellent customer service, and a great customer experience. If you’re ready to make a lasting, positive impact on your business’s bottom line, reach out to one of Qtrac’s queue management experts or request a demo.