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Virtual Queuing System (VQS)

Virtual Queuing System (VQS). A tried and trusted tool to address the challenges of operating any “walk-in” (or “drop-in”) service. What is Virtual Queuing?. VQS allows walk-in environments to address key issues, such as Saving costs Increasing throughput and productivity

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Virtual Queuing System (VQS)

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  1. Virtual Queuing System (VQS) A tried and trusted tool to address the challenges of operating any “walk-in” (or “drop-in”) service.

  2. What is Virtual Queuing? • VQS allows walk-in environments to address key issues, such as • Saving costs • Increasing throughput and productivity • Improving efficiency of existing processes (e.g. by becoming more “paper light”) • Enhancing the user experience • Reducing stress in the waiting room – both for clients and staff • Maximising the overall impact on the bottom-line

  3. Common challenges of running a walk-in service • Unexpected or varying demand for the service • Impossible to know whether one or one hundred people will attend – and at what time during the day • Inability to react quickly to changing circumstances (e.g. staff sickness) • Generally have to provide the same service levels with reduced resources • “Bottle-necks” in processing demand • The more people who arrive, the slower they are served • Continual disruption to the working environment • Short, repetitive interruptions (e.g. phone calls) disrupt staff concentration and decrease productivity

  4. Common challenges (continued) • “Queue-jumping” and general aggressive / stressed behaviour • Clients further down the queue become distressed, never knowing if the service will close before they are seen • Knowledge of the service’s “unmet demand” • No idea of how much revenue has “walked away” or been missed • Collection of data for service reporting and forward planning • Impossible to plan future services, or modify existing ones, without hard data

  5. How a walk-in service operates without VQS Time 07.55 08.15 08.40 08.55 Service opens at 09.00 Waiting area Reception desk Generally, people arrive very early and wait for the doors to open. Usually there is some form of queue, but this can become disorderly in many circumstances. Service room 1 Service room 2

  6. How a walk-in service operates without VQS Time 09.00 If the clinic can see 3 people every half an hour, person “X” will not be seen until nearly 11.00 – a wait of nearly 2 hours. Service opens at 09.00 Waiting area Reception desk X Service room 1 Service room 2

  7. How a walk-in service operates without VQS Time 09.30 09.00 09.15 09.25 Assuming the clinic can see three people per half hour, clients are told to arrive at staggered times. Service opens at 09.00 Clients know when to arrive, have less time to wait and are processed faster. Waiting area Reception desk Staff deal with fewer clients and process them faster and more efficiently. Since VQS can generate a lot of information with the appointment confirmation, disruptive calls are minimised, allowing staff more time to concentrate on tasks in hand. Service room 1 Service room 2

  8. How does VQS work? The Service Provider sets up the VQS system to reflect their “perfect” day. Each day can be set up to operate independently of any other day.

  9. How does VQS work? Amongst other things, each day’s profile can reflect: • How many clients can be seen in what timeframe (e.g. 3 clients every ½ hour) • What time the service opens and close for access (e.g. service opens 9am and closes at 3pm) • What is the expected travel time to a location (e.g. in London, it takes 60 minutes to travel from anywhere to anywhere!) • Will the service operate a waitlist, if full capacity is reached. • Any dates the service will not operate (e.g. Christmas, Easter, etc.) These settings are available to the service provider in “real-time”, allowing them to respond immediately to anything that may change their service provision – e.g. staff sickness, bad weather, etc.

  10. How does VQS work? Appt. Slots Mon 10.00 10.30 11.00 11.30 12.00 12.30 13.00 13.30 X X X VQS client access is by SMS. When an end-user texts in, VQS checks the pre-set schedule for the day and automatically sends back a slot time, if available, by SMS. VQS checks to see if a slot is available X VQS Virtual Queuing System To request an appointment slot, the user texts a keyword to the advertised number. VQS checks for the next available slot, reserves it and notifies the user. Slot? Mon 11.30 Slot Mon 11.30

  11. Wait-list in VQS Appt. Slots Waitlist Mon 10.00 10.30 11.00 11.30 12.00 12.30 13.00 13.30 07775920777 X X X X X X X X If all the appointment slots are taken, VQS recognises this and will start a wait-list, in case someone later cancels and a slot becomes free. VQS Virtual Queuing System VQS recognises all slots are taken, automatically adds the user to the waitlist and notifies them by SMS. Slot? Mon 11.00 Slot Waitlisted Telephone number 07775920777

  12. Wait-list in VQS Appt. Slots Waitlist 10.00 10.30 11.00 11.30 12.00 12.30 13.00 13.30 When another user cancels their slot, VQS acknowledges the cancellation, checks if anyone is waiting and offers the available slot to the members on the wait list, in turn. X 07775920777 X X X X X X X Cancel VQS Virtual Queuing System Cancellation Confirmed If no one accepts the offered slot, it is made generally available for the next person that texts in. Find user details Slot available at 12.30 Check waitlist

  13. Wait-list in VQS Appt. Slots Waitlist 10.00 10.30 11.00 11.30 12.00 12.30 13.00 13.30 X 07775920777 The user texts back “Confirm” to accept the slot and VQS then puts them in the vacant position. X X X X X X X Cancel Cancellation Confirmed VQS Virtual Queuing System VQS waits a pre-determined amount of time for a response before moving on to the next person on the wait-list Find user details Cancelation Confirmed Find user details Check waitlist Slot available at 12.30 Confirm

  14. Minimise “no-shows” Appt. Slots 10.00 10.30 11.00 11.30 12.00 12.30 13.00 13.30 VQS is intelligent and can understand simple requests: e.g. Users can select a time of day that suits them and VQS will try and oblige. This helps minimise missed appointments and thereby helps reduce costs X X X X X VQS Virtual Queuing System VQS will only respond with a slot matching the user’s request. Slot after 12? Slot after12 Mon 12.30 Telephone number 07775920777

  15. Choice through keywords Location 1 Service A Location 1 Service B VQS allows the user to specify things, such as services or locations through the use of keywords Service 2 Loc 1 A The system automatically matches user requests with locations or services. Cancel VQS Virtual Queuing System Loc 1 B Cancelation Confirmed Find user details Check waitlist Slot available at 12.30 Svce 2

  16. Marketing VQS to the end user • Marketing VQS can be as complex or as simple as you want: • Use your website to give instructions • Give flyers at the reception • Email or text existing customers • Use after-hours/wait time voice recordings for callers • And much more… Example from St. Mary’s Hospital, London website

  17. VQS key facts VQS can significantly assist in increasing the efficiency of any walk-in environment and it is easy to set up: • Cloud-based, allowing rapid service set-up and deployment • Highly secure and in use by major healthcare providers since 2008 • Designed to be easy to operate • Flexible so different services and locations can be handled in a single deployment • User controlled for timely service changes, saving time and money • Rich in real-time information to allow the service provider to respond to a changing environment • Automatically checking user responses to alleviate phone contact and save wasted time • Delivering information in a timely manner to reduces stress for both clients and staff

  18. Costs involved with deploying VQS VQS is a cost-effective solution compared with taking on additional full-time or part-time staff to cope with demand. • VQS can be licensed on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis - smaller volume users can operate on a “pay per click” option • No additional hardware or software and no requirement to interface to existing PAS / EMR systems • Comes with a full training, documentation and support package • The VQS system is highly secure and has been in use by the UK’s National Health Service, “24/7”, since 2008 • VQS can be up and running in a matter of hours

  19. What some people have said… “Fantastic … it has revolutionised our lives!” Royal Bournemouth Hospitals “We love this system – the phones have stopped ringing!” Barts Health (reception staff) Sam, aged 21I found out about AKC through the internet and texted for a Saturday slot. When I got to the clinic I didn’t have to wait long before I was seen. The nurse was really professional and I took a swab myself in the loo. I also had some blood tests. One week later I got the all clear. Very impressed. (from the BSHC website “Your Stories”) “VQS just makes sense” St. Mary’s Paddington “We never had a system that went in on time, and did what it said on the tin” Cardiff ISH

  20. To see how VQS can help your organisation today, contact Mikkom via website: www.mikkom.com phone: +44 (0)870 710 6675 email: info@mikkom.com “Better patient access for better healthcare”

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