A pleasant and easy customer experience is the key to growing your business.
When your customers are satisfied, they’ll do more business with you and they’ll refer your business to other people.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your customer experience, there are plenty of strategies to try. However, for many businesses, digital signage is the ultimate customer experience tool.
There are many advantages of an interactive digital signage.
Digital signage can transform your customer experience
One of the biggest complaints customers have is wasting time in a long line. If your store gets busy, a digital queuing system can reduce actual and perceived wait times, and serve customers better.
Imagine 15 customers in line at a busy mail center.
Normally, each person would have to wait to reach the front of the line to be served. It doesn’t matter if someone has to drop off pre-stamped mail or get 50 documents notarized – everyone must wait their turn.
This seems to make sense, considering customers should be served on a first-come, first-served basis. However, that’s not the most efficient way to serve customers in every industry.
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First-come, first-served isn’t always efficient
Businesses are starting to realize that the FIFO model – First In, First Out – isn’t ideal. Experts say a more dynamic approach based on how long a customer has been waiting in line, combined with what they need, is better.
Customers with small issues are unlikely to spend 20 minutes on hold, but customers with a major problem will wait as long as it takes. It makes sense to handle small issues first.
Think of it like this. You’ve got two people in line at the grocery store – one has a shopping cart full of groceries and the other has a single pack of gum.
The person with the single pack of gum knows it’s more efficient to let them go first, and they’re elated when other shoppers let them go first.
Digital displays can help businesses identify priority customers
Continuing with the mail center example, customers are there for a variety of services like notarizing documents, printing, mailing, picking up packages, checking their mailbox, and getting a passport photo taken.
Some of these services can only be performed by specific employees, and some take longer than others.
During busy times, mail centers can use digital displays to quickly prioritize customers by asking what services they need.
When a customer is there to get documents notarized, the on-duty notary can call that customer forward to handle their needs.
Notaries can take a long time, so it doesn’t make sense to handle notary needs in the general service queue. If the notary isn’t available, the customer will know before wasting 20 minutes waiting in line.
Likewise, if customers are just dropping off mail, they can be directed to drop their mail in a designated basket so they can leave and the line can move forward.
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Perceived wait times are just as important as real wait times
An incorrect perception of reality can influence someone’s experience. For example, the mere perception of being in a slow-moving line can make people feel like they’ve received poor customer service.
It doesn’t matter if the employee is working as fast as possible and beating all customer service speed records in the world – customer perception determines their experience.
People waiting in longer lines generally perceive other lines to be moving faster and feel less taken care of than other customers. It’s an example of “the grass is always greener on the other side.”
Acknowledging customers keeps them committed to the purchase
Just one interaction from a live person or a virtual screen can make people feel like they are already being cared for. That interaction will keep them committed to the purchase.
This is why busy drive-thru coffee shops send someone out to greet cars in line. When a customer in line is asked for their order, they’re more likely to stay in line and pay for their order than someone who has never been acknowledged.
Prioritize the customer experience with digital signage
There are many ways to prioritize customer experience with digital signage beyond queue management. You can create a digital wayfinding kiosk, an interactive self-help kiosk, or use digital displays as interactive product menus and catalogs.
When you use digital signage, your business, employees, and your customers will benefit. This simple piece of technology can improve your customer experience, build brand awareness, and drive the sales you deserve.
