Automatic Queuing Management Systems For Mobile Networks

1-Mobile queue, virtual queue, and online queue

Allowing customers to use their mobile phone to view real-time queue data and select a reason that they want to visit your service center. Customers are free to carry on their day and don't have to wait in a waiting area for to long. Customers can wait anywhere else while waiting for their turns. They can receive notifications via SMS, App or Emails informing them about there turn and when ready to be seen, they are called forward for service.

Mobile queues especially the online ones can also include real-time queue data statistics as well as real-time customer feedback. Mobile queues require the customer to install apps to their phone before getting into the queue. The time to install may extend the persons actual wait time for the first visit. There are many option of queuing app and not every business uses the same app, customers can end up with hundreds of apps on their device. The one stop app for many businesses and institutions could be a better option in customer point of view. Mobile queue apps with single business/institution are best for customers that visit the same place on a regular basis.

2-Automatic queue measurement systems

These use a variety of measurement technologies which predict and measure queue lengths and waiting times and provide management information to help service levels and resource deployment.

2.1-Automatic queue measurement systems for small structured queues

Automatic queue measurement systems are designed to help managers in two ways – first, through enhanced customer service; second by improving efficiency and reducing costs. They use of sensors at entrances and above checkout lanes/queue areas to accurately detect the number and behavior of people in the queue. Built-in predictive algorithms can provide advance notice on how many checkouts or service points will be needed to meet demand. Dashboards, available on a computer monitor or mobile device, are often used to provide a range of information, such as dynamic queue length, waiting time data, and checkout performance on the shop floor. In the event that performance falls towards a minimum service level, in supermarkets or banks management teams can be automatically alerted beforehand, allowing them time to proactively manage the situation. Key measurements produced are:

·        The number of people entering the store

·        Queue length

·        Average wait time

·        Till operator or bank teller idle time

·        Total wait time.

2.2-Automatic queue measurement systems for large and unstructured queues

Where queues form in unpredictable locations and/or extend beyond a relatively small queue area, overhead detector based queue measurement systems cannot be effectively used. Alternative technology solutions using wide area queue sampling are effective in these situations. One method is using Bluetooth detection from mobile telephones held by people in the queue. Although a sampling technique, as typically 10 – 30% of telephone have active Bluetooth at any one time, it gives a reasonably accurate measurement of average queue wait times where long queues are present. A precise but more expensive method is the use. Measuring and counting can be particularly useful in situations such as airport security where a large volume of people pass through an area in varying flow patterns and constantly varying physical locations.

3-Enterprise grade queue management system

With the improvement of network connectivity, the organizations are exploring for deployment of a centralized computerized queue management system suitable as enterprise grade solution. Computerized queue management system is becoming a part of IT projects within organizations for taking the initiative to use their existing hardware and database to reduce the cost of investment, taking leverage of using internal network connectivity within the branches for central system management and reporting on the customer flow data.

4-Automatic queue measurement systems for a complete reception solution

Reception management solutions allow managing flows and the purposes of visits from initial contact to the service given.

These intelligent management systems allow to increase productivity and sales and reduce operating costs by ensuring that customer is served by the staff that are the most qualified according to the request. Reception management solutions are above all a way of increasing customer satisfaction by reducing the perceived and actual waiting time, creating a pleasant environment and a fair reception. These innovative reception management solutions also contribute to the satisfaction of working teams by reducing the amount of stress and optimizing the processing of requests. Reception management solutions also enable to generate data about how customers wait and how staff can best serve them. This type of information assists in improving organization processes and in increasing the quality of customer service.

Reception management solutions cover 6 stages:

·        Information (can also be done by video, SMS, Internet ...)

·        Allocation & direction (can also be done by video, SMS, Internet ...)

·        Waiting & communication (can also be done by video, SMS, Internet ...)

·        Call (can also be done by video, SMS, Internet ...)

·        Reception

·        Management

Besides these stages, for a complete reception solution, it is useful and efficient to include appointments management, agenda planning and future flows and resources forecasting. These modular solutions, adaptable to various sectors (Retail, Health, Telecommunications, Finance, Transport, Public Sector...), can suit to the management of a simple queue to centralized multiple site organization.

Information / customer arrival

·        Inform customers of the expected waiting time (Video, SMS, Internet...)

·        Announce the customer's arrival if he/she has an appointment

·        Provide for the customer to be recognized by name, number, bar code, identity card etc., by a terminal or receptionist.

Allocation and direction

·        Dedicated terminals in a self-service area or reception that allows customers to take their place in the queue for a service

·        Registration can also be made using the Internet, Smart Phone...

·        Orientation in the virtual line corresponding to his/her request

Waiting time and communication

·        Adjust waiting time according to the importance of the service to be provided

·        Make waiting both active and interactive so that it is seen to be as pleasant as possible (Video, Interactive communication, Advertising...) and remove waiting with mobility tools (phone, Smartphone).

·        Allow visitors freedom of movement while keeping them informed about the expected waiting time or giving them a "guaranteed reception time".

·        Provide Mobile Customer Interface which is accessible via a mobile browser. URL of such interface is received via welcome SMS. Having such feature in place, customers can track the progress of the queue all the time and therefore it is not required to be physically in the shop all the time. Customers are informed about critical changes in the queue (i.e. the customer is at the 3rd position) via SMS and Mobile Interface so that customer comes back to the shop in case he/she is out. Feedback collection can also be done via such Mobile Interface.

Call/reception

Provide various options for establishing contact:

·        The salesperson/member of staff calls customers and recognizes them by a photo, name, symbol or sequence number etc.

·        Customers/visitors are called by name, number, code etc., on a video screen, display, voice synthesis etc. and go to the window or counter-indicated.

·        The call can be made to a mobile phone using a text message, a smartphone or by a beeper.

Real time management and data collection for statistical analysis

Managers have access to a tracking screen with warnings (visual, sound, text messages or e-mails) which enable overall monitoring and control of the reception system. Nevertheless, the system positions backups automatically, to ensure that the target waiting levels per service are respected, as a function of the allocation of salespersons/staff to the services and the forecasts and actual arrivals of customers/visitors.

In the centralized deployment in enterprise-grade queue management solution, the management console allows configuring all the parameter to run the token dispenser, a keypad for service desk, displays, Announcement and the user management.

Complete statistical reports enable tables and graphs of the following parameters and variables to be interlinked and presented: time periods, waiting times, handling times, times present, services provided, reasons for visits etc. These reports are configurable temporal documents for different needs, displaying functions with 1 or 2 variables. They can be consulted or personalized and sent directly to managers by e-mail.