In reality, the sale could very well be lost just because of the checkout line! There's always the chance of a consumer balking and reneging. And, if not this particular sale, future sales are at risk.
Perry Kuklin, writing in Business2Community, mentions a retail study indicating 38% of customers would consider not returning to a location with long or badly managed checkout lines; 81% will tell others, he says, about an unpleasant checkout line experience.
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| QuikLine: Call-forward Queue Management |
For retailers, the entire selling cycle needs to be completed -- from marketing to selection to actual purchase -- for the retailer and consumer to achieve success. As a result, Queue Management becomes essential with customer wait time and experience critical.
Queue management technologies are available to assist in processing shoppers in a consistent and "fair" manner -- and they'll positively influence customer satisfaction as well as profitability.
Take a look at CPS' QuikLine system installed in Chicago -- shoppers are notified when a free register is available and directed by both signage and audio. And, there's the ability to display automated marketing messages, as well.
QuikLine is an example of call-forward queueing which successfully manages customer throughput in the store and reduces register staff waiting. Each successive customer is guided to an open register based upon either POS integration (that is, signals from the cash register process itself) or cashier notifications. This checkout process is regarded as fair and efficient -- increasing the shopper's customer satisfaction!
