Virtual Mobile Queuing App Archives - RSI Concepts - Top IT Solution Provider Company in Dubai, UAE

October 10, 2021October 17, 2021

How to Set Up SMS based Queue Management System?

A queue management system (QMS) is used to minimize the customer wait time and to enhance customer experience at your business. No one likes waiting, customers hate waiting in long queues or sitting in crowded waiting areas, most of the customers are willing to abandon their purchase if they had to wait for a long time. In fact businesses have witnessing a higher rate of customers who have been leaving without getting the service due to long wait time. Long wait time will repel your customers and divert them to a more efficient competitor. It is extremely important that a business take serious steps to reduce the customer wait time. The customer wait time have huge impact on customer experience and customer happiness. The very first thing that can impact your customers is the waiting time, rest of everything comes later, so if you have failed them or couldn’t meet their expectation at the very first stage of the customer journey, the chances are you will end up with an unhappy customer.

Here in Dubai and all around the UAE customers always have too many options, it is extremely crucial for a business to satisfy its customers, else they will switch instantly. The traditional queue management systems are used by most of the businesses since many years now, but things have changed now, now a days the customer are less tolerant to the waiting than ever before. This gives the rise to the virtual queuing methods, SMS enabled queue management system is also a kind of virtual queuing. Here is how a business can setup SMS enabled queue management system:

What is SMS Based Queue Management System?

The SMS based queue management system is almost similar to a conventional queuing system the only difference is that it have virtual queues and it also support virtual sign-ups or remote sign-ups for those queues. The SMS enabled queue management system allows the customers and visitors to sign-up using any remote channel, such as SMS, Email, Phone Call, Online/Web, and also traditional sign-up methods such as a touch screen interactive kiosks or a ticket dispensing terminal. Whatever the method the customer use to sign-up for the queues, the business can provide them with the updates, queuing information and their status via SMS. The queue management system can communicate with the customers via automated pre-defined text messages or an agent/server can also send personalized messages to communicate with the customers.

The SMS enabled queue management system is slightly different than the ordinary QMS as it has additional SMS gateway integration and it also have additional features for the agent dashboard. The SMS gateway is basically a technology that allows a computer to send and receive SMS text messages to and from the regular telecommunication networks. The SMS gateway is integrated with the queue management system using the APIs. The APIs enable the SMS gateway and the queue management system to utilize each other’s features and technology. The queue management system can send SMS through the SMS gateway and the SMS gateway return the delivery report or status and vice versa. The queue management system can also conduct customer surveys to collect customer feedback and suggestions which is also a great source of business intelligence.

In UAE businesses can easily acquire SMS gateways along with their unique sender ID. The sender ID will be the name of the sender that will appear in the phones of the recipient. Usually businesses use their brand name as the sender ID. The SMS that are sent using a branded sender ID have higher open rates. When the customers receive and SMS from their favorite brand with the brand name as sender ID it also build a sense of trust and credibility. The biggest advantage of SMS enabled queue management system is that it offers freedom of waiting anywhere, the customers are no longer required to be physically present to sign-up or to be in the queue. They can sign-up from anywhere they want and they can get regular updates with estimated time to their turn and other queuing information which allow them to arrive only when their ticket is called so they could serve instantly without waiting at all.

What are the Advantages of SMS Based Queue Management System?

The queue management systems are being used by business and organizations in Dubai and all around the UAE, more and more businesses are adopting the technology to transform their customer journey and to obtain higher customer satisfactions. The SMS text messages is a great tool for a queue management system, it provide greater flexibility and convenience to the customers as well as to the business itself. The customer service agents can communicate easily via SMS with their customers and the queue management system can provide instant updates, notifications, alerts and information to the customers by automated SMS text messages. Here are some key advantages of a SMS based queue management systems:

Simple and Easy Virtual Queuing Experience

The virtual queuing is gaining popularity especially since the mid 2020 businesses have started embracing the technology. The virtual queuing allows the businesses to manage the queues virtually and it also enable them to offer customers with additional facilities such as remote sing-up process and waiting in virtual queues which can significantly reduce the wait time. The SMS based queue management system can further take the convenience to the next step by offering the customers a facility to sign-up through SMS text messages. The virtual queue management system can also offer other remote or contactless sign-up methods too. The SMS enabled queuing is the simplest and most convenient form of queue management and it can enhance the customer experience as well as it can help business to manage the customer flow and queues with more flexibility and control.

Reduce Queues

The SMS based queue management system’s biggest advantage is that it can significantly reduce the queues and prevent crowd formation at the waiting areas and lobbies. As the customers and visitors are sign-up using SMS or any other remote sign-up process which doesn’t require them to be physically present in the business premises, hence the number of people who are present in the premises is always low. On top of that the queue management system is providing all the updates and notifications/alerts through SMS text messages along with the estimated time to their turn so most of the customers and visitors prefer to arrive only closer to their expected calling time. This also prevents crowd formation and reduce the size of the actual physical queues. Which reduces wait time and also reduce the workload of the staff and help improving their performance.

Improve Customer Satisfaction

The customer satisfaction is impacted most by the waiting time and long queues. With a SMS based queue management system both can be minimized. In fact the remote sign-up facility and continuous communication via SMS the customer wait time can be reduced to literally nothing. The customers will get alerts and notification along with the information about their estimated time to turn. Before customer calling the queue management system send them multiple alerts on different time intervals to make sure the customer wouldn’t miss it and it also provide them enough space to manage to reach the business in time. The physical queues also reduce the customer hustle and make the customer journey smoother and quicker. Thus the customer don’t have complaints and don’t face any trouble during their visit. This boost customer satisfaction. As the customers don’t have to wait much so they arrive at the counter with fresh mind and are tend to be more cooperative with the agents/server. The staff is also having no difficulties in managing the queues and customer flow so they are more focused on their primary tasks and can easily deliver an excellent customer experience. This also boost customer satisfaction.

Boost Staff Efficiency and Staff Satisfaction

With manual queuing the major problem each business faces is the overburdened staff. In fact with digital queue management systems the employees could sometime get overburdened, especially during the busy hours of the day when a crowed forms in the waiting areas and the lobbies the staff will also have to divert their attentions and efforts to manage the crowed and to keep everything in order. However, with an SMS enabled queue management system the business have full control over the number of customers and visitors they will allow to enter into the premises. On top of that the customers and visitors also prefer to arrive only when their turn is near or when their number is called which also prevent crowed formation or rush in the waiting areas. When the employee work under a balanced workload their efficiency and quality of service automatically get improved and the employee feel more satisfied and comfortable.

Improve Communication and Customer Engagements

The SMS based queue management system enables a direct communication channel between the customers/visitors and the staff. The staff can send them personalized messages through their agent dashboard interface and they staff can also receive their responses/replies in the same dashboard. In case if any change happens, the agent can immediately update the customers and visitors. The customers and visitors can also ask instant questions to the agents as well. This improves the customers experience and keep them connected and engaged with the business. The studies have shown that by increasing customer engagement and improving communication the business can reduce the customer churn rate by up to 25%. That is very significant and huge. Moreover the businesses can also utilize the SMS to collect customer feedback and suggestion which provide them a deeper insight of customer behavior, their needs and expectation. Business can conduct direct surveys to measure net promoter score or customer satisfaction rate and other relevant matrices.

How to Deploy SMS based Queue Management System?

The deployment of SMS based queue management system is not different than any other ordinary queuing solution. If a business doesn’t have any prior queue management system they can deploy a complete set up. Like any other queuing system the SMS based queue management system also comes with a server application, sign-up interface, agent dashboard and some hardware devices such as ticket dispensing touch screen kiosk, digital signage and counter displays. All these components are deployed as per the size and needs of the business. If a business already have a queue management system, then it can be upgraded. Mostly only the software upgrade would be enough as the rest of the hardware can be repurposed to be part of the new SMS based queue management system.

Integration with SMS Gateway

The SMS gateway is provided by the telecommunication companies and also by some third-party service providers. The business will have to acquire a SMS gateway which will be integrated with their SMS based queue management systems.

Integration with Third-Party Systems

The third-party system integration is done by APIs and secure web services. The third-party integration allows the SMS based queue management system to communicate and synchronize data with third-party business tools and systems, such as ERP, Customer Database, Sales System, CLM Tool, etc.

Hardware Deployment

The SMS based queue management system requires standard hardware components such as interactive ticket dispensing kiosk, digital signage screens and the counter plates. A multi-lingual audio-visual announcement system is also required for customer calling. No additional hardware is required.

QMS Server Deployment

The SMS based queue management system also have a server application which is being deployed at an online hosting, or a cloud or it can also be deployed at in-premises data centers. The server perform all the logics and processes and enables the customer, agent and administrative interfaces.

Conclusion

Business and organizations in Dubai and all around the UAE are using various types of queue management systems to streamline their customer flow and to improve customer satisfaction and customer experience. The main objective of a queue management system is to improve customer journey and customer experience. Along with that a queue management system also boost productivity, operational capabilities, staff efficiency and profitability of a business by enabling their staff to deliver quality service to more customers in a single shift and by reducing the per service delivery cost. The enhanced customer experience ensures the customer satisfaction and improve customer loyalty which improves brand reputation and result in good conversion rates. An SMS based queue management system is many time more efficient on achieving all those objectives. It can literally eliminate the need of waiting inside the business premises and it can significantly boost the employee performance. Altogether these factors contributes to an ultimate customer experience and enable business to obtain higher customer satisfaction rates.

Higher customer satisfaction lead to higher customer loyalty and lower customer churn rate, which boost productivity and profitability. The customer feedback collection, statistical and analytical reports, KPIs, and other business intelligence data enables the business to make informed decisions and improve their future strategy. In long term a SMS based queue management system could be a great tool to sustain steady growth and higher profitability with a loyal customer base. RSI Concepts is a leading queue management system provider in Dubai, UAE. If you need an SMS based queue management system or if you want to learn more about it, feel free to reach us through our Contact Us page or leave a comment in the comment box below and we will get in touch with you soon.

Check out this blog: What Is Virtual Queuing? A Guide to Virtual Queues

August 22, 2021August 22, 2021

Why Business Need Mobile Apps along with Classic Queue Management System?

A classic queue management system is a system that enables businesses to manage and control the customer journey at their stores, branches, and customer support centers. The queue management system is a great tool to manage customer flow and is very popular in Dubai and all around the UAE. If you have ever visited a bank or a telecom service provider or any government department, you would have noticed queuing systems there, they are everywhere. That is why whenever someone is visiting a business or organization, they are expecting a queue management system rather than long lines managed by the staff manually. Another most impactful event happened in 2020, yes the pandemic, and it changes everything, it also had changed the general behavior and expectation of the customers as well. Nowadays, customers prefer a fully or partially contactless customer journey along with a bit more digitalized customer experience. On top of that, social distancing has become a new norm. Businesses have to limit the visitors and customers to a certain number, depending upon their facility’s capacity. For example, earlier if you could accommodate 100 customers at a time, now you should have only 40 or so.

The social distancing, strict policies, and changed customer behavior demanded an innovative and high-tech solution to manage customer flow and customer journey. In Dubai and all around the UAE more than 90 percent of the population owns a smartphone and also have access to the internet. The government is offering tons of services digitally via smartphone applications. And smartphone usage is also higher in the country as compared to the other regions. People tend to spend hours on their smartphones on daily basis. This makes the smartphone a very powerful and effective platform for communication and customer services. The flexibility of smartphones and technological advancements lead to an entirely new era of digitalization. The queue management system is not different, businesses often ask about the mobile app for their queue management systems. When a mobile app is integrated with a classic queue management system it can offer a variety of features such as:

Improved Customer Experience and Customer Journey

The mobile apps are very convenient and easy to use. Everyone loves them these days. People tend to rely on mobile apps more than on websites for acquiring digital solutions. Several surveys and data suggest that if given a choice between a website and a smartphone app for digital services most of the customers will prefer mobile apps. The mobile apps don’t always require you to sign in, the customers can leave a process in the middle, and as soon as they will open the mobile app next time the process can be continued from there. Smartphone apps are easier to perform tasks, people tend to spend more time on different types of mobile apps rather than surfing the websites. This is why people prefer mobile apps over traditional websites. For example, when it comes to online banking, almost 90% of the times customers prefer to use smartphone apps rather than the website. This is why mobile apps are very important and can be more efficient. The customer journey is improved with mobile apps, and people feel more comfortable with the mobile apps.

In the case of a classic queue management system, the mobile app can provide various features which can improve customer experience and customer journey. Such as:

Enables Smart Mobile Queuing

When a classic queue management system mobile app is used the businesses can offer their customers and visitors to have a facility to issue mobile tickets. These are also like the regular paper tickets but the only difference is the mobile ticket are digital and are stored inside the mobile app. This allows the customers to have freedom of waiting anywhere whether outside or inside the branch. Those kinds of features and flexibilities can significantly improve customer experience and customer journey. This also reduces the workload of the staff and employees and improves their efficiency. When the wait time is reduced and the customer has a great experience prior to reaching the counter, it is easier to satisfy them as well. If a customer had a bad waiting experience or they will have to wait for so long at the end when they reach to the counter they are already frustrated and annoyed, it becomes far more difficult to please them at that time and more customers end up leaving unhappy.

Less Wait Time More Customer Happiness

The wait time is very crucial for customer happiness. The studies have shown that an average customer can wait for up to 13 minutes and wait time any longer than that start impacting their mood and as much as the wait time extends it keeps bothering the customers and the customers start getting annoyed, anxious, or stressed. Long wait times completely ruin the customer experience. No matter how hard an agent/server tries to please them they will not be happy. Another important factor about the wait time is if the wait time is known or not. The fear of the unknown is in human nature, the studies have shown that if the wait time is known to the customers they feel better and the waiting is also less stressful, but it the wait time is unknown then the customers will get more anxious. The smartphone application can be used to provide live information about the queuing with the estimated time of the customer’s turn. This also reduces the negative impact of waiting. With smart queuing and virtual queuing using mobile apps, the wait time can be reduced to virtually none. As the customers have the freedom to wait anywhere, they are only required to arrive at the very exact time of their turn which means they will get served immediately after arriving at the business. This improves the customer journey and customer happiness.

Offers Virtual Queuing with Mobile Apps

The queue management system mobile apps are a great platform to offer virtual queuing. The virtual queuing allows the customers and visitors to signup remotely, without being physically arriving at the business or branch. Usually, the remote sign-up is done through various mediums such as Smartphone applications, SMS, Email, Phone Call, Customer Portals, Websites, etc. But the mobile apps are the best way to offer virtual queuing. The mobile app can instantly issue an E-Ticket or digital token, which sign-up a customer for a virtual queue. The mobile apps can also provide real-time updates, queuing data, notifications, alerts, and much more. This allows the customers to sign-up for the queue from their smartphones, then they can either wait outside or plan their visit accordingly that they reach closer to the estimated time of their turn. This reduces the wait time and is also very helpful for the staff and management. Virtual queuing also allows implementing social distancing and other company policies easily. The management can have more control over the customer flow and can also communicate with the customers through the mobile app if needed.

Mobile App Provides Branch Locator and Trip Planner

The branch locator and trip planner are very useful features of the queue management system mobile app. The branch locator helps the customers to search and locate the branches in their proximity. It can also provide additional data such as the route to the branch, the current queuing details in the branch, the timings, contact details, and much more. The branch locator helps customers and visitors locating a branch with the probability of getting the quickest service. The customers and visitors can also have access to the important branch information, such as the route which can also be linked with navigation and the information of the busy hours, busy days, and the most convenient time to visit. Which could help the customers to easily plan their visit. Such features are very helpful in making the customer journey more desirable and convenient and also improve customer happiness.

Mobile App Provides Appointment Booking Facility

The queue management system mobile app can also be linked to an appointment booking system or it can have an in-built appointment booking module that enables the customers to easily plan their visit and book an appointment at their convenience. Moreover, the mobile app also keeps a record of past appointments and it can also provide useful information about the busy hours, busy days, etc. Sometimes some services are exclusive for certain branches only, that information is very important for the customers. If a customer arrived at a branch and then learned that the service they need is only offered at another branch they will be upset and annoyed. There is so much other information that can be provided in order to improve customer experience and customer journey. The customers and visitors can easily book appointments using mobile apps and set reminders and alerts for that appointments. The calendar app can be integrated too to highlight the appointment on the calendar. There are so many features that can be added to improve customer experience and customer journey.

Mobile Apps Collect Customer Feedback

The queue management system mobile apps are a great way to collect customer feedback. Usually, businesses use tablets, touch screens, and kiosks to collect feedback. Sometimes customers don’t use these devices as they think if they will do the survey the next customer will have to wait. Especially the customer who had a great experience and want to give a positive remark, usually avoid attempting feedback because they don’t want to put the next customer on wait. That is why mobile apps are a better alternative for customer feedback. Moreover, when businesses are setting up feedbacks and surveys for the mobile apps or online they can have more questions. The customers usually do such things when they are free so more questions will not go to affect the conversion rate. In fact, when customer feedbacks and surveys are done through mobile apps the conversion rate is always higher. The mobile apps can have notifications, reminders, and alerts which encourages more customers to do the feedback. Another great advantage of conducting customer surveys and feedbacks through mobile apps is that the business doesn’t have to ask the customer to input their contact and identity details, this can be extracted from the app automatically. Some businesses also have follow-up features. The customer support agent can contact the customers after the submission of their feedback. The personalized communication also improves customers’ happiness and increases their confidence and trust in the brand. Especially in case of negative feedback the staff can easily follow up with the customers and resolve their problems or inform them about the actions taken to prevent any such inconvenience in the future.

Mobile Apps Provide Valuable Business Intelligence

Business intelligence is the most important data that is required while decision-making and making future strategies. The mobile apps contribute to that too. The customer data, their purchase patterns, their favorite products and services, and all such information are very helpful to understand the market trends and to evaluate the products and services. Moreover, mobile apps can also be helpful in tracking the customer journey. The mobile app can track the time between the ticket generation and the service delivery accurately. With this data along with the data of the services, the business can easily understand which services are taking more time and which are taking less time. The business can also utilize this information to compare with the employee KPIs to increase their assessment accuracy and measure performance. In addition to all that the customer feedback collected from the mobile app is extremely important and it can provide a variety of information which are crucial for making informed decisions and effective policies. The customer surveys, happiness meter, NPS Score, difficulty score, customer satisfaction score, and much more are very helpful in evaluating various business processes and practices. Mobile apps are a great source of vital business intelligence data.

Conclusion

The mobile apps are used by everyone, whether it is a social media application, a service app, banking app, eCommerce, food ordering app, everyone is using the mobile apps in one form or another. The pandemic has completely changed the marketing industry and businesses and marketers are eagerly seeking innovative solutions to provide their customers with a digitalized and contactless experience. For classic queue management systems, the virtual queuing and mobile app-based queuing feature is gaining popularity. The mobile apps are a great tool for virtual queuing as well as for ordinary queuing. The mobile apps provide better control over customer flow management and also enhance the customer journey. Businesses can offer so many innovative features to improve customer engagements and increase customer happiness. The mobile apps can offer online appointment booking, branch locators, E-Ticket or digital tokens for the queue, remote sign-up facility, and real-time queuing tracking with alerts and notifications, and much more. The customer feedback collection and business intelligence gathering is a great source of data that can be very helpful in analyzing, evaluating, and improving business processes and practices. RSI Concepts is a leading name in Queue Management System and Customer Satisfaction Solutions providers in Dubai, UAE. Feel free to reach out if you want to transform your customer’s journey by integrating mobile apps with your classic queue management system. You can contact us through our Contact Us page or leave a comment in the comment box below and we will get in touch with you soon.

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