Virtual Queuing Solutions: What to Look for When Evaluating

Not all virtual queuing solutions are made the same. The differences can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to evaluate your options efficiently.

But that’s a good thing. Think about it: Your business is unique.

You’re dealing with specific challenges. Your context may have some universal issues that need smoothing out, but you need more than a generalized one-size-fits-all solution.

Finding that perfect-for-you virtual queue solution amid all your options can be difficult.
That’s why we’re here to help. Below, we’ll review the factors we’d recommend checking out before selecting a check-in system for your business.

Virtual Queuing Systems 101: Your Selection Criteria

Why are you in the market for a high-quality virtual queuing solution?

Typically, when organizations are shopping for a way to circumvent traditional customer queues, they’re looking for:

• Methods for saving their business time.
• Solutions for saving money (and even increasing profit potential).
• Ways to level up the care they’re able to provide their customers.
• Data, information, and numbers to learn more about how their business works.
• A way to make their life easier!

Fortunately, many types of queuing systems can help you achieve some of those goals. But not all queuing systems are created equal—and not all tech marketed as a line-replacement system will get you the benefits you seek.

For example, many waiting number systems and appointment scheduling programs take one admin chore off your plate but add another. You may not have to make appointments manually, and your lobby could be clear of annoyed customers, but you’ll have to deal with:

• An incredibly complex onboarding and setup process or required system maintenance that takes hours out of your week
• Complicated user check-in and user experiences that your staff must take the time to support and resolve
• The need for customers to download a separate app to use your queuing system (which means they won’t use it at all)
• The lack of ability to customize your queue to meet your business’s unique needs
• A lack of flexibility (your business’s needs can change rapidly, after all, and you need to ensure a smooth customer experience no matter what’s happening)
• A lack of scalability or ability to grow with your business
• Unreliable tech support, so you’re left to troubleshoot on your own
• Limited or nonexistent security or data privacy measures (always a must when asking your customers to check in with online queuing tools!)

If you’re dealing with even one or two of these issues, your virtual queuing solution may not feel like much of a solution. Which begs the question: What type of virtual queuing solution will solve problems for your business and result in the smooth, reliable customer and company experiences you’ve been looking for?

What Does Your Ideal Virtual Queuing Solution Look Like?

So far, we’ve focused on what not to look for in a virtual queuing solution. Now, let’s pivot. What do you want to see in a solution that’s valuable for your business?

Your ideal virtual queuing solution should be:

• Easy for your staff to use. If you’re not saving your staff time and stress, they’re not likely to invest any effort in maintaining the solution.
• Easy for your customers to use. The energy and brainpower your customers expend to use your virtual queuing system should be comparable to the difficulty of simply standing in line. If you confront your customers with complex login processes and incomprehensible instructions, that’s not a workable solution.
• Practical for use in multiple locations. Even if you currently have just one location and one line, you don’t want to be held back by your tech.
• Able to use multiple types of check-in systems. From QR codes to text messaging to WhatsApp to kiosks to even a human greeter, your virtual queuing solution should leverage the systems your customers are already using.
• Able to help you learn more about your customers. You should be able to use your virtual queuing system to ask your customers value-adding questions about their experience with your business. This can help you provide even better customer service in the future.
• Able to provide multilingual support. This feature alone can help you support your customers and community more seamlessly.
• Capable of excellent reporting. With the time that virtual queuing solutions save you and your team, you should be able to take a minute to learn more about your business with your virtual queue data. The best queuing solutions make accessing this data a breeze.

Finding Your Ideal Virtual Queuing Solution in Four Easy Steps

Here’s a simple four-step process for finding your next favorite business-simplifying tool.

1. Identify your business’s unique needs. Take a few minutes to think about (exactly) how you’d use a virtual queue and the specific features of a queuing system you’d like to see (such as SMS notifications or compatibility with your existing tools).
2. Research virtual queuing vendors to compare prices, offerings, capabilities, and more. Evaluate what each of these vendors offers and compare features against your identified wishlist.
3. Request a demo to see how the virtual queuing solution works in action. The demo should help you understand how the system will handle customer requests, how customers receive notifications, and how you can customize the system to meet your unique needs. Make sure to ask how much time you’ll need to set aside for onboarding, how the provider’s customer support system works, and any other practical questions you may have.
4. Make sure the cost of your prospective virtual queuing solution works with your budget. Your ideal solution should save you time and money, and that’s certainly worth an investment, but you should feel like the investment is an accessible one for your business at this time. (If you’re managing a military base or a government office, it’s worthwhile to check and see whether your virtual queuing provider is on the GSA schedule for additional savings.)

BONUS PRO TIP: Read case studies and customer reviews as you hone in on your prospective provider. That’s the best way to see how a virtual queue solution can help you—and to gain confidence in a provider’s ability to simplify your daily operations.

Excited About Your Virtual Queuing Solution Search?

When looking for a tool that makes running your business and serving your customers easier, it’s easy to get lost in your options.

At Qtrac, we understand. Let us know how we can help you simplify your business operations by onboarding a powerful, practical virtual queuing system. Request a demo today, or chat with our team to ask any questions.

In the meantime, here’s a free resource for you to check out: How to Avoid the Hidden Costs of Queue Management Systems.