Flow Through Queue Management

An efficient and well-managed queue is one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways a business can increase operational efficiencies and squeeze additional revenues from existing real estate. Queue management - the process of efficiently moving customers in, through, and out of waiting lines - is quickly becoming an essential element of best practices in many industries because of its proven ability to reduce customer walk-aways, increase revenues per square foot, stimulate impulse sales, and enhance the overall customer experience.

Linear Vs. Virtual Queuing

There are 2 basic queuing principles that are commonly used throughout business. Linear queuing consists of customers physically standing in lines formed with stanchions, usually retractable belt posts. Utilizing the "first come, first served" service rule, linear queues can feature multiple lines such as is typically found in grocery stores or single-lines such as is found in most banks and financial institutions. Linear queuing strategies ensure the fastest possible service by reducing the time wasted between each customer being served, thus are traditionally used where service processes are fairly short.

To enhance the effectiveness of linear queuing solutions, an electronic queuing system can be used to further improve customer flow. Some electronic queuing systems have proven to increase service efficiency by as much as 35%, thus decreasing average wait times. Additionally, powerful media capabilities available with some systems keep customers informed and entertained, reducing perceived wait times and further enhancing the customer experience.

Motivating Call Center agents

The latest generation of call center software allows organizations to monitor agent and department performance at a level that would have been impossible ten or twenty years ago. However these tools are not just for management use. Call center reports provide valuable motivators to agents, inspiring them to excel and boost the center's productivity.

Giving Agents Control

When agents become isolated, their performance suffers. A workday becomes an endless series of phone calls. There is no sense of progress other than the ticking of the clock, and the only goal is to get through the day. Morale drops. Service quality drops. Customers become unhappy. It's a death spiral.

Live call center reports allow agents to see how the department is performing in real time. Phone calls are no longer isolated incidents, but rather pieces of an overall flow of call volume. The agent is not alone, but part of a team. Employees can see how individual efforts affect hold times, queue lengths and other statistics. As the number of calls climb they can put in an extra effort, and as call volume falls agents can relax and take a breather.