Customer Expectation Tokens for Real-Time Wait Time Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users visiting locations like banking centers face uncertainty and frustration due to unpredictable wait times for transactions, as traditional customer surveys are often delayed and may not provide accurate feedback.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates an electronic token for users, estimating the time required for activities, and sends notifications if the wait exceeds expectations, using near-field communication, RFID, or Bluetooth tokens, and virtual tokens on mobile devices, allowing for real-time monitoring and satisfaction surveys upon completion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional customer surveys are used to measure satisfaction, then customer feedback can be collected, but the surveys are sent days or weeks after the transaction causing delayed and potentially inaccurate feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by providing customers with estimated wait times before they actually wait, and by initiating the satisfaction survey process at the beginning of the interaction rather than after completion. This allows the customer to be informed in advance and the survey to be completed immediately, eliminating both the time delay and potential loss of feedback accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring wait times in real-time and providing updates to customers during their wait. The satisfaction survey is also triggered immediately upon service completion, creating a closed-loop feedback system that captures customer experience while it is still fresh, thereby preventing information loss and time delay.
2Ease of operation
If no wait time information is provided to customers, then the system operation is simple, but customers experience uncertainty and frustration due to unpredictable wait times
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations and determinations of estimated wait times based on current queue conditions and service rates, then communicates this information to customers before they begin waiting. This preliminary provision of information reduces customer uncertainty and frustration without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the wait.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables customers to obtain wait time information independently through self-service kiosks or mobile applications, where they can query current estimated wait times for various services. This self-service approach provides customers with the information they need without requiring additional staff intervention or complex system operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Some aspects as disclosed herein are directed to, for example, a system, non-transitory computer readable medium, and method comprising receiving, at a computing device, a selection of an activity for a user to perform. The computing device may determine an estimated amount of time to complete the activity. A token for the activity may be generated, and generating the token may comprise initiating a timer for the activity. The computing device may determine a position of the user within a building location. Based on the timer and the position of the user, the computing device may determine that an amount of time to complete the activity is predicted to exceed the estimated amount of time to complete the activity by a threshold amount of time. In response to determining that the amount of time to complete the activity is predicted to exceed the estimated amount of time to complete the activity by the threshold amount of time, a notification may be generated, the notification indicating that the amount of time to complete the activity is predicted to exceed the estimated amount of time to complete the activity by the threshold amount of time. The notification may be sent to at least one of a mobile device associated with the user or an assistant's computing device at the building location.