Waitlist App Helps Restaurants During Labor Shortages
Restaurant owners have a right to be overwhelmed - It’s not easy doing more with less. Faced with a flurry of staffing issues, owners nationwide are experiencing crippling labor shortages and are looking for new solutions. High turnover rates and wage increases have been driving up costs on already thin margins, making it much more challenging to run a successful business.
To reduce the number of headaches the labor shortage is causing, more independent owners and restaurant groups are utilizing Virtual Waitlist Apps with self-service features to allow guests to easily check in and join the waitlist themselves. It’s a no fuss solution with an extraordinary impact.
Save Time and Labor Costs with Self-Service Waitlist Features
Estimating wait times, adding guests to your waitlist, answering phone calls, and managing swarms of customers during the check in process takes a substantial amount of time. And being understaffed forces employees to jump into new roles, which takes time away from their usual duties. Hosts become servers, managers become line cooks, bartenders become hosts, and the list goes on. In the end, your restaurant isn’t operating at full efficiency, leading to longer wait times and more disarray. NextME’s waitlist system gives you that time back.
NextME’s Virtual Waitlist App provides a new lifeline and foundation of support for your staff. Host unavailable? Not a problem. Display a custom QR code that guests can simply scan on their phone, then fill out their name, number, and party size. Once they do that, they receive your first custom text and are added to the waitlist. All your staff has to do is make sure your seated customers are having a good experience. You can also connect as many devices as you wish to your one account. So if your server needs to be the host, they can easily check the waitlist themselves from their device. Because running a restaurant is a team effort, after all.
Want a more classic approach? Use NextME’s kiosk feature and display your custom intake form on an iPAD in your entryway. The guest can simply input their information in the same way. Want to use the QR code too? Use both! It doesn’t matter. It’s all about capturing those new customers at your host stand, providing easy options to do so.
Boost Reviews with Better Communication
If only customers knew that long wait times for tables, food, and drinks are inevitable when you’re understaffed. Aside from the check in process, managing the WAITING customers also takes time away from your workers. And these days, time is short. Ideally, your customer would have more patience regardless but let’s be honest here, that’s rarely the case. With customer complaints about wait times being on the rise, it’s essential to set some updated expectations because it all boils down to convenience and communication. With NextME’s Virtual Waiting Room you can do just that.
How it Works…
After your guest receives the first text, a link is included that will take them to your custom Virtual Waiting Room. There, you can display their position in line, promote deals, menus, and most importantly, manage expectations. NextME’s Virtual Waiting Room gives you complete control to customize your guest experience and boost your reviews. Customers like to know that you care.
NextMe’s Waitlist App is Dedicated to Solutions That Matter
It’s becoming more clear that restaurants need to adapt and change how they are operating in order to maintain relevance within today’s changing market. By using Self Service Features and Virtual Waitlist solutions at their front of house, business owners are experiencing a boost in customer satisfaction while also reducing the amount of labor needed for the check in process.
NextMe cares about the evolution of these businesses and is dedicated to helping restaurant owners work through this struggling time by offering solutions that make a difference. Want to see how? Request a demo with us!
Businesses Using NextME Benefit From Post-Covid Boom
“Nearly nine in 10 American travelers have plans to travel in the next six months – a new pandemic high” - Forbes
“Expedia says that travelers plan to spend an average of $3,444 for their next trips” and “42% of travelers are “more hopeful” about travel or drove them to book an upcoming trip.” - Adweek
Americans are traveling again, finally. After many months of forced captivation it’s no surprise that people are ready to go somewhere far, far away. People are road tripping with their families, booking flights to new and exciting destinations, and spending money at businesses along the way.
Due to the influx of demand, the travel industry itself is kind of a “mess” right now, but businesses in destination areas, old and new, don’t mind as they are seeing crowds of customers for the first time in over a year. Knowing that it might have been rough getting there, it's important now for your guests to feel welcome the second they arrive. If there was ever a time to get a waitlist management system, it’s now. Queue it up!
Guest experience is everything, and that starts with the check in/waitlist process. What can I do when I wait? What position am I in line? Can I drink at your bar? After a simple check-in, all of these questions can be answered with your custom Virtual Waiting Room. Aside from the annoyance and discomfort of physical lines, safety is still paramount for some travelers, especially those with unvaccinated children. Eliminating crowds at the door and keeping people informed is a must.
Iconic Restaurant Group Thrives with Virtual Waitlist App
Cheeseburger in Paradise sits right on the beach in Maui and offers, among other things, “great big gooey, five napkin” cheeseburgers in one of the most gorgeous places on earth. Cheeseburger in Paradise, which is in no way affiliated with the famous singer that shall not be named, is tapping into the post-covid travel boom just based on their location alone.
With wait times stretching over 2 hours, Cheeseburger in Paradise want to keep their waiting guests happy and informed during that time. Before NextME came into the picture, the staff would call people individually and yell out names until their guests made their way back to the restaurant. This, of course, took a lot of time and staff power. More importantly, this method left seats empty when they could be filled more promptly. Since implementing NextME, their table turns have increased by 286%.
“We’re turning tables much faster because we don’t have to wait for the guest to return. They already know. And the customers enjoy themselves more while they wait, they don’t have to just stand there in line” - Bryan Bell, Manager
When dealing with long wait times, engagement, and communication are key to improving guest retention. Now guests waiting for a table at Cheeseburger in Paradise can view their position in line through their custom Virtual Waiting Room while they walk around beautiful Lahaina and take in the sites. Most importantly, they can gauge when they need to back so they’re on time for their table when it opens up. Engaged, updated, and on time.
NextME’s Waitlist Management System Helps Your Bottom Line
After this success, The Cheeseburger Restaurant Group has implemented NextME’s waitlist app at their sister location and their Waikiki Brewery locations all over Hawaii. Let’s make everyone's vacation a little more special this year, and help your bottom line along the way. Restaurants, bars, retail shops, and bustling businesses across the country are benefiting from how quick, easy, and helpful the app truly is. Cheeseburger in Paradise is just one example of delicious success.
Learn more about how NextME’s system can help boost your business right now by booking a demo with one of our friendly representatives. Itching to get started? Download the app from the app store and start your free trial!
Brewery Flourishes with NextME's Virtual Waiting Room
Businesses with Outdoor Seating, Get Ready to Thrive with NextME
“The stimulus-fueled economy is rebounding and Americans are again spending on shopping, traveling, and eating out.” - CNN Business
“The economy is just starting a boom period, where second-quarter growth could top 10%, and 2021 could be the strongest year since 1984.” - CNBC News
Capacity limits are lifting, spring is in the air, and people are flocking to local businesses that offer outdoor seating. With a large part of the population vaccinated and the warm weather prompting a sense of comfort, patios are expected to be all the rave. Breweries, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops are seeing an influx in business, and those utilizing virtual waiting rooms to help run the show are benefiting.
Now that your customers are stepping back into the groove of things, it’s important to ensure they have the best experience possible. One way to do this is by implementing innovative solutions that offer up-to-date data, queue management, marketing opportunities, and most importantly, customer satisfaction. The technology is so easy to use it makes Baby Boomers and Gen Xers feel as confident as Millennials when they engage with the software.
Pyres Brewery in Minneapolis, MN is a perfect example of a business that’s booming after the introduction of NextME’s virtual waitlist platform. The taproom and outdoor beer garden are flourishing with the new change. Alex Krajec, the Bar Manager, calls it an “immediate change for the better. Now the first interaction with our guest is positive, even when there’s a wait. Guests are happy and the hosts are happier than ever.”
Local Brewery Benefits From NextME’s Virtual Waitlist App
More is better, until the moment more becomes too much and supply falls victim to exuberant demands. With increasing popularity, people are drawn to locations that provide quality craft beers. And Pyres Brewery is no exception. With more people walking through their doors, it has been inevitable that more people are having to wait, and let’s face it, no one likes waiting. So how has Pyres Brewery been managing the crowds in a way that not only encourages more business, but makes everyone happier throughout the process? They use the NextME app.
NextME’s self check-in feature allows users to fill out a custom intake form prior to admittance so they can better communicate their preferences. Questions such as whether they would like to sit inside or outside can be addressed, as well as number of guests, seating requirements, and several other pertinent details.
The online platform allows guests to view the menu from their phones so the second a space is available, they can order their Main Squeeze Blonde Ale or Peace Offering Cold Press Stout. It also can be set up to communicate specials or when a new keg has been tapped to keep patrons engaged with up-to-date information while they wait.
The brewery has been experiencing huge rushes, especially on the weekends. Before NextME, they used Google Sheets to organize their waitlist manually. This was an incredibly tedious and time-consuming process that required them to individually call people when their table was ready. Now the NextME app does this for them. It tracks their queue, relates real-time results, and communicates directly to the customer’s phone once it's their turn to come in.
So far it has been an absolute success and Ryan Krajac, the Bar Manager, says, “Overall a better experience for everyone.” Which is exactly what every thriving business wants to be able to say at the end of the day.
How NextMe’s Waitlist App Helps Build Beer-Loving Communities
Waitlist technology has become one of the pandemic’s silver linings. It’s proven to be a viable solution for achieving new standards, connecting clients to valuable information, and helping everyone feel more comfortable as they re-engage with their communities. Breweries, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops are benefiting from how quick, easy, and helpful the app truly is. Pyres Brewery being just one example of success.
If you’re interested in learning how NextME’s virtual tools can streamline your business’s operations in a safe and efficient manner, follow this link to contact us. Together we can form long-lasting solutions that promote positive experiences for everyone involved.
How Veterinarians Can Modernize Intake Process with Virtual Waitlist Apps
Virtual Waitlist App Helps Veterinarian Clinics Operate More Smoothly
If the global pandemic were to have a silver lining, the burst of tech innovation it’s brought about would be just that. Health care professionals have been required to alter their intake processes in an efficient and safe manner, and veterinarians are no exception. With most waiting rooms having restricted access and/or being closed, veterinarians implemented virtual waitlist apps to help them manage. The benefits have been eye opening and are presumed to permanently alter the way they do business for the better.
In the past, waiting rooms at veterinarian clinics were extremely chaotic for an already stressed out, sick or anxious pet and their owner. The plethora of new smells in an unfamiliar area, a negative association with past care, or an interaction with another animal could cause tensions that made the entire experience miserable. However, with the embrace of waitlist technology, it no longer has to be this way.
After the closure of waiting rooms during the pandemic, veterinarians quickly learned that technologies, such as NextME’s virtual waitlist app, are more than a temporary solution for easing these types of discomforts. They are a new way of doing things that can replace their outdated processes for the following reasons:
- The virtual communication platform quickly and efficiently helps the front desk manage an overwhelming amount of phone calls.
- The online customizable intake form used during self check-in allows staff to identify each client’s "reason for visit" so they can prioritize care more effectively.
- The data the app collects gives management an insight into operations, flow, and wait time averages so they can better prepare their staff for peak hours.
And most importantly...
- Animals and their owners can wait comfortably in their cars or go for a calming walk prior to their appointment, as opposed to being crammed into a waiting room filled with anxious pets and owners.
- During the process of waiting, clients have the chance to engage with the clinic’s website and gain access to more useful pet resources.
What started for veterinarians as an amazing way to minimize face-to-face interactions during the height of the pandemic is turning into a long-term solution.
How Waitlist Technology Works at the Veterinary Clinic
Waitlist technology may sound complicated, but good news, it really isn’t. NextME’s virtual waitlist system is a new category of service that helps veterinarians stay connected to their clients (the scaled, furry, and human ones) at all times, thus increasing overall satisfaction and retention.
Here’s How NextME’s Self Check-In Feature Works:
Step 1. Clients check-in virtually by scanning a QR code or using an online widget via the veterinarian clinic’s website. This saves everyone time and energy.
Step 2. The client receive an SMS text to the custom virtual waiting room where they can view their position in line, fill out any necessary paperwork, and visit the clinic’s website while they wait to learn more about services provided, special offerings, and/or informational tidbits like next step actions given a particular routine procedure. This gives real-time feedback and provides valuable resources to pet owners.
Step 3. Clients receive a final text to check-in when it’s their turn for service.
Step 4. The veterinarian begins the session and the animal is taken well care of. It’s that simple!
Another big advantage is reducing the cost of hiring an employee specifically to manage the check-in process via pen and paper. A NextMe client, who is also a veterinarian, was paying minimum wage for someone to oversee client check-ins and paying ~ $19,200 per year (assuming that staff member worked for $10/hour 5 days per week and was full-time). By implementing the waiting list app they saved time and money, while also providing all the other benefits listed above.
"Pet Check has seen a dramatic increase in client satisfaction. We often have long wait times due to high volumes. Knowing how valuable time is, The NextMe app has given our clients the ability and freedom to utilize their time as they wait to have their furry companions be evaluated by the veterinarian."- Maria Rebbecchi (management)
How NextMe’s Virtual Waitlist App Creates Furr-Ever Relationships
The NextMe Virtual Waitlist app has been helping savvy veterinarians maintain a well-organized and steady flow of appointments, as well as providing their clients with useful information before, during and after sessions to assure optimal care. Beyond the actual appointment, pet owners have the opportunity to engage with the clinic’s website and view alternative resources such as group or individual training sessions, best practices, wellness programs offered, dietary supplements, and so much more. It allows them to link to the vet clinic’s social media account, if applicable, and engage with their local animal community. All-in-all, waitlist technology has become one of the pandemic’s silver linings as it's proven to be a viable solution for achieving new standards, connecting clients to valuable information, and helping them feel a part of their greater animal-loving community.
If you’re interested in learning how NextME’s virtual tools can streamline your veterinarian clinic’s operations in a safe and efficient manner, follow this link to contact us. Together we can form long-lasting solutions that promote furr-ever relationships.
Waitlist Technology Helps Businesses Reopen Successfully
Mobile Waitlist Apps Help Businesses Thrive in a New Economy
There is light at the end of the global pandemic now that vaccinations are being rapidly administered worldwide. And this means businesses are chomping at the bit to reopen in a safe and efficient manner. As spring and the ease of COVID-19 restrictions provide a sense of economic rejuvenation, retail shopping and in-person events will be in high demand. Adjusting to a new normal is to be expected, and adaptive technologies that offer innovative appointment, waitlist, and queue management systems are making it safer and easier to do so.
Some challenges businesses and event organizers are facing include:
- Long wait times creating overcrowded areas
- Customers and local residents complaining about long lines
- Staff feeling overwhelmed with managing the influx of people
- Issues managing the higher demand in a fair and orderly fashion
- Challenges communicating with guests before and during events
- High call volumes about wait times and the customer check-in process
NextME virtual waitlist app offers customized solutions to help mitigate and manage these challenges. Their schedule, waitlist, and queue management software provides businesses with innovative solutions that either drastically reduce or eliminate physical lines so that customers feel safer on the premises. They also provide the staff with relevant and useful information so they can create a real-time strategy in managing a higher demand. Popfancy, a boutique creamery and catering business that is famous for their “Fan-Cafe” pop-up events, is a prime example of how NextME can help businesses and events thrive.
Pop-Up Event Benefits From Mobile Waitlist App
Popfancy hosts booths at Houston’s largest city-wide festivals, fundraisers, trade shows, and events. Their “Fan Cafe” pop-up events focus on niche themes, such as gaming and anime. With their offering of all-natural, ice-cold, healthy desserts in a smattering of gourmet flavor combinations, their popularity has been growing exponentially. With explosive popularity growth comes increasing queues and wait times. In fact, Pop Fancy's last event (before implementing NextME) had lines with wait times of up to 5 hours, which is incredible! To assuage the excessive wait time issue, Popfancy started utilizing stand-by admission software that promotes a virtual line and waiting room. Here's how it works...
Stand-By Admissions Helps Mitigate 5 Hour Wait Times
NextMe helped Fan Cafe pop-up events implement a Stand-By Admissions process that drastically reduced their lines. This, in turn, boosted customer morale, built brand loyalty, eliminated neighborhood complaints, and maintained overall sales. The Stand-By Admissions process is simple and guarantees entrance via an advance reservations line on the event site, or the ability to join a free “virtual standy-by line” on event day.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Virtual Line opens at 12 PM on Event Day. Attendees visit their website to book a reservation for 1-10 people, join the standy-by admission waitlist, or follow the link provided in their Instagram stories for the most current updates on walk-ins.
Step 2: Once guests are within the queue, they have the freedom to mingle, converse with friends, or do whatever they please as they monitor their position in line via the VWR (Virtual Waiting Room) on their phones via any web browser. There’s no need to download a separate mobile app for use.
Step 3: Guests receive a text alert and have 1 hour to check in at that time.
Please note the check in time can be altered to suit your particular businesses’ needs.
The results of implementing this technology were outstanding:
- 95% positive feedback from the customer base, and
- Total sales from the event matching their previous event, which had 2x the number of guests!
Popfancy owner, Chris Doan commented, “This was a total 180 from completely chaotic to smooth. Helped us pace everything out perfectly. Very chill compared to the last event. Very user-friendly. Oh, and we definitely kept up with demand.”
How NextMe’s Virtual Waitlist App Can Help Your Business or Event Business
Things have been closed for over a year and people are ready to do just about anything to return to normalcy. Consumers are looking for ways they can re-engage with the businesses they love and trust, whereby businesses are seeking innovative solutions for how to reopen safely and successfully. As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, retail businesses and events are benefiting from the addition or modernization of their outdated waitlist system, and Popfancy is a prime example.
At NextME, we’ve taken our software one step further than reservation platforms. Our virtual waitlist system is a new category of service that helps organizations stay connected to their customers at all times, thus increasing customer retention and overall satisfaction. Beyond helping eliminate long lines that deter and irritate your clientele, you can improve your customers’ experiences by providing important information as it relates to your establishment. It’s a win-win for everyone.
If you’re interested in learning how NextME’s virtual tools can streamline your business operations in a safe and efficient manner, follow this link to contact us. Together we can tackle the challenges associated with reopening your business or event.
Appointment Booking Apps Give Solutions for COVID Vaccination
Appointment Queue Helps the Healthcare Industry in Time of Need
To say that COVID-19 has changed the landscape of our local and global economies is an understatement, especially when it comes to the healthcare industry and our desperate need for innovative technologies. Governments, scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare sectors of all types have been scrambling for over a year to bring this pandemic to an end. Their focus was first and foremost on the successful creation of a safe and effective vaccination. Now that this has been accomplished, we are turning all of our attention towards how to allocate and distribute limited supplies in a timely and efficient manner to billions of people.
Providers are currently administering about 1.67 million doses per day according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. At the current pace, authorities are projecting that about half of the U.S. population will be at least partially vaccinated by the end of June, and nearly all by mid-November. To help accelerate these efforts, state and local health departments are turning to online appointment scheduling apps and communication software to help them scale up distribution.
For instance, New York State’s Am I Eligible site provides an online eligibility form prior to being able to book an appointment. Once pre-approved, the website’s system allows for a limited number of appointments, whereby once they are filled, people go into a virtual “waiting room” that holds their place in line on a first-come, first-served basis. With an increase in traffic, the site has experienced some challenges, however it is dramatically helping healthcare units plan distributions, mitigate crowds, and keep people safe so they can administer COVID vaccinations more efficiently.
Online Apps & Virtual Waiting Rooms Promote Positive Response
Scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations has caused a sense of panic for many Americans, especially those within the eligible 65+ age category that are not as tech savvy as younger generations. Senior Living Homes, mobile medical units, hospitals, and pharmacies that are distributing the vaccine are looking for quick and viable solutions to help streamline the process so that more people can gain access to the vaccine. Beyond crowd control and/or managing long term waitlists, they are looking for ways to communicate real-time information in the easiest way possible so that:
- Patients are knowledgeable about what they need to do prior to their appointment.
- Upon a virtual check-in, they receive and are able to fill out important medical forms online.
- There is a virtual “waiting room” that communicates real time status so that patients stay informed as to where they are in line.
- In case of a no-show, the time sensitive vaccines are not wasted as the missed appointment can immediately be filled by an applicant within the virtual “waiting room.”
Socioeconomic status and age, as they relate to access and/or a familiarity with online apps, have added to the fear that many Americans are already experiencing. In response, friends, family members, and volunteers across the U.S. are offering their time and services to provide more equal opportunity. For instance, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker opened call centers to help seniors book vaccine appointments, and in Seattle 17-year-old Arin Jaff began offering help to his immediate community after watching his grandparents struggle. These types of response are both palpable and necessary to achieve timely results that will save lives.
Today’s Queue Solutions Require a Timely Exchange of Information
Information is incredibly valuable when it comes to booking a vaccination appointment, especially in regards to availability, eligibility, and real time status for long term waitlists. NextME’s appointment booking app is working to make the process as easy as possible for everyone involved, meaning both clients and the public. Their products integrate with other software platforms so that organizations are not required to revamp their entire system in order to receive the benefits of the additional services.
Below is a high level overview of how NextME can work with other software platforms (without a deep integration) to manage long term waitlists.
Step 1: Depending on how many vaccines are available, the NextME Administer is able to send out a mass email or text reminder using their preferred appointment software or it informs the contact list to come in on any given day as a walk-in during the hours of operation.
Step 2: If a patient has an appointment, the administrator can drop NextME's URL into their custom SMS text reminders of their upcoming appointments for patients to check-in once they arrive to their parking lot.
Step 3: NextME administrator will then see their patients' info populate into their mobile app as they arrive and can swipe and notify each patient to check in.
NextME’s additional features that make the process even easier include:
- Check in QR Codes that walk-in patients can utilize.
- Leverage our queue filter feature to help administrators triage patients according to their reason for visit
- A “Geo-Fence” that enables the Client to control the distance a patient has to be from their vaccination site before they can check-in.
- The ability to control scheduled hours as to when self check-in forms are available to the public.
How NextMe’s Technology Can Help Mainstream Vaccination Distributions
At NextME, we’ve taken our software one step further than reservation platforms. Our virtual waitlist software is a new category of service that helps organizations stay connected to their patients at all times, thus enabling more accurate scheduling processes for long-term waitlists. Beyond helping eliminate crowded waiting rooms, you can improve your customers’ experiences and provide them with important information as it relates to their healthcare.
Our SMS-based technology also provides a simpler solution for less-connected and less-tech savvy populations, such as people aged 65+ and those of lower socioeconomic status. According to 2019 Pew studies, more than 85% of people aged 65+ and 70% of households who make less than $30,000 per year own cell phones. This outpaces the number of people within the above demographic ranges that own computers or have broadband internet access. Unlike most vaccine administration sites and technologies, NextME requires only that patients have a cell phone number that can receive SMS messages in order to join and receive notifications about their place in the waitlist.
The healthcare industry needs high-level solutions that will enable facilities to widely distribute as many vaccines as possible in an organized and fair manner. Online appointment scheduling and virtual waitlists aim to do precisely that. If you’re interested in learning how NextME’s virtual tools can streamline operations in a safe and efficient manner at your senior living home, mobile medical unit, hospital, and/or pharmacy, follow this link to contact us. Together we can make a difference in the well-being of our global communities.
How a Local Charity Teamed up with NextME for Their Annual Toy Drive
How Queue Management and Virtual Waiting Rooms Helped a Charity Bless 320 Kids with Gifts
1 Village, a non-profit organization located in metro Atlanta, has the fundamental goal of “helping communities better themselves”. Each year on Christmas Eve, they host a much anticipated toy drive for families in need. 1 Village works tirelessly throughout the year gathering donations and building sponsorships. Even the Spyder Squad ATL (motorcycle club) dropped off loads of gifts for the event this year.
The Problem: Health and Safety Measures. Outdated Check-in Processes
They had the gifts and sponsors but organizers were facing tough challenges this year due to restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic. They needed to tackle their intake and check-in process. 1 Village decided to digitize the way they held events to ensure everyone’s safety. The answer? A modern waitlist solution with a Virtual Waiting Room and QR codes.
The Solution: A Queue Management System with a Virtual Waiting Room
1 Village teamed up with NextME to employ a waitlist management system for the event. They customized their Virtual Waiting Room and Self Check-In features based on their specific needs. And after some quick and friendly onboarding from NextME staff, the organizers we’re ready to take on the event. (we supplied our service for free)
How It Went
“The app was definitely helpful and fairly easy to use... Overall it was a good day. We were able to bless 320 kids with gifts. ” - Niesha (Nikki) Hicks, Co-Founder
- The organizers had implemented a pre-registration process ahead of the event (to ensure they had enough supplies for the demand this year)
- When a guest arrived at the event, they checked in by scanning a QR code on one of their many check-in signs located outside.
- The guest filled out their custom form and jumped on the waitlist
- Organizers filtered each guest coming on to the waitlist into their respective queues, based on their party size and pre-registration status
- While the guest waited in their car, they were engaged in the Virtual Waiting Room - updating them on their spot in line, highlighting different sponsors, and capturing their emails in order to reach out to them for future events.
- When space opened up inside, the organizer simply notified the next guest in line via the NextME App.
- The guest received the final text to come inside, with instructions on where to enter the building.
- Gifts and smiles all around - with an email to attend their next event on the way.
1 Village plans on using NextME at all of their future events, pandemic or not. From a managerial perspective, NextME increased throughput and efficiency which helped the event run smoothly. And from a guest perspective, the Self Check-In and Virtual Waiting Room features provided them with a better guest experience - and that made their day a little more special.
If you’d like to donate to 1 Village, contact Nikki at [email protected]
Request a demo or give us a call at (877) 639-8631 for more info!
Too many Delivery Drivers at your restaurant's door? There’s an easy fix.
How Waitlist Management Apps and Virtual Waiting Rooms Help Delivery Run Seamlessly
Overwhelmed with Third Party Delivery Apps?
You’re not alone. Even Restaurant Week is takeout-only this year. The push for delivery was starting to emerge pre-pandemic but this last year has accelerated that pace significantly. This increased demand for delivery has created a third-party delivery company boom. And created a new set of challenges for the restaurant industry.
Without getting into commission fees, the increased demand for delivery apps has made the pickup process increasingly hard for restaurants to manage. There are over 10 (and counting) major delivery apps out there. If a restaurant is accepting orders (willingly or not) from these companies, several delivery drivers from different companies are often coming by at peak hours to pick up orders.
How can you manage this chaos?
Restaurants and tech companies (not the delivery app ones) are finding creative solutions to adapt to this new environment. Waitlist management apps have come out with new features like Self Check-In options and Virtual Waiting Rooms . These awesome features, however, are primarily used to manage the customer intake process. Self-Check-In features provide safe and easy options for the guest to check in. And Virtual Waiting Rooms keep guests informed and engaged during their wait. Both reduce negative reviews, build brand image and most importantly, increase efficiency. Can Self Check-Ins and Virtual Waiting Rooms be used with delivery drivers, you ask?
It’s Simple: Use NextME’s waitlist management app for your delivery drivers.
Step 1. Delivery drivers check themselves in when they arrive for the order using either a QR code posted outside or by clicking on a simple link sent to them in the automated message through the third party delivery app.
Step 2. They fill out your custom intake form, including their mobile number, third party delivery company, order number, or anything else you would like to include.
Step 3. Delivery drivers wait in their cars instead of in a cluster around your door. While they wait, they enter your Virtual Waiting Room, learning about your pickup processes and are updated of their spot in line.
Step 4. Once the order is ready, the driver is simply notified with a second text to come pick up their order.
And using NextME’s filtering features, you can separate your delivery drivers by company into separate queues for better organization. You can even add “order number” and “customer name” fields into the custom intake form to maximize your pickup process. At last, your staff can breathe a sigh of relief.
A Solution for Restaurants Big and Small
NextME’s waitlist system is being used to manage delivery drivers at restaurants big and small across North America. A Jet's Pizza Franchise, located in Ohio, recently implemented NextME at their business. Since then, they have effectively organized and streamlined their pickup process. Request a demo or give us a call at (877) 639-8631 for more info!
Small Business Spotlight - Gaslight Diner
Most of the restaurants we love are small businesses. And the Covid pandemic has created a ton of problems for the restaurant industry this year. With some restaurants proving to be less-than ideal for this new culinary landscape, experienced restaurateurs have shifted their focus, rebranded, and incorporated tech to better meet the needs of their customers. In the case of Seth Boone and his team in Louisville, they did just that.
With a retro diner aesthetic and a savvy online presence, Gaslight Diner opened in mid-November to better meet the breakfast-food cravings of their neighborhood. And they’re serious about engaging with their community. Seth Boone has placed a strong emphasis on customer relations and service throughout Gaslight. For one, he’s made checking-in as easy as possible for his guests. After placing NextMe’s Widget on his site, Seth’s customers don’t have to wait in line or out in the cold Louisville winters. His guests can now check-in and wait for their table in their cars. They can even take a nice, socially-distant walk around town while they wait. It doesn’t really matter where they go. What matters is his guests don’t have to wait in line. And that is something that customers remember.
Always building on their customer base, Gaslight uses NextMe’s Virtual Waiting room to boost and drive engagement. While waiting for a table, guests can now browse their updated menus, promotions and visit their social media. They’re also updated with their spot in line so everyone stays calm and collected.
If you dine at Gaslight Diner (which we hope you do if you’re ever in the great city of Louisville), you can enjoy a virtual check in experience compliments of NextME (and Seth).
5 Ways to Prep Your Retail Store for the Pandemic Holiday Season
The ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic is creating numerous conundrums for retailers during the busiest time of the year - the holiday season. As individuals try to cope with the consequences of a Pandemic Holiday - Halloween without trick-or-treaters, Thanksgiving without large gatherings, and December without parties - retailers are struggling to determine how to turn a profit during Black Friday and the holiday season without encouraging large in-person crowds. Fortunately, technology can help. Below is a list of five actions retailers can take to keep shoppers safe and spending money during this crucial time of year.
How to Prepare for the Holiday Shopping Season in the Time of COVID-19
Eliminate crowded waiting rooms and long lines without forcing customers to wait outside in the cold
Retailers are faced with a catch-22 this year. Due to social distancing capacity limitations, you can't allow large crowds in your stores. However, sending people outside to wait in the cold for an indeterminate amount of time is as good as sending them to your competitors that don't have long waits. How do stores eliminate long lines without turning customers away, or losing them? One of the best ways to do this is by utilizing a virtual waitlist platform, such as NextME, that allows customers to join the waitlist either at your store (in-person or by scanning a QR code) or online from your site before they arrive. This system can then text notify patrons where they are in line, thus allowing them to wait wherever and however they want. No need to wait in the snow in a queue, or even arrive at the store before their turn.
Keep track of customers while serving at limited capacity
As stated above, sending a customer outside to wait in the cold is as good as sending them to another store. The key to making limited capacity work is to effectively keep track of and communicate with your customers who are waiting their turn to enter your shop. NextME's SMS-based platform provides a number of ways to communicate with and keep tabs on your guests. Specifically, the platform automatically texts them important updates, and also gives them access to a virtual waiting room (discussed in more detail below) that provides more general updates. You also can easily filter your waitlist by curbside pick-up versus in-person customers and tailor your messaging to each group. Finally, NextME makes it easy for you to export customer data for COVID tracing purposes.
Make use of virtual waiting rooms to engage with customers
NextME's virtual waiting room is a great tool for filling some of the customer service void that's been created by COVID's social distancing protocols. Retailers can customize their virtual waiting rooms however they want. For example, a great use for this feature is to answer common questions guests have, such as: Are your most popular products in stock? Where to find the more popular products in your store? What discounts and specials are you running? By making effective use of the virtual waiting room, you keep guests informed, happy, and safe.
Allow for online shopping and ordering ahead
The internet is a magical thing. If your online ordering and shopping system is really streamlined and effective, you may be able to make your holiday profits without a single customer entering your store. Creating a stellar online shopping experience goes beyond building a great eCommerce site (although this is a critical first step). You also need to effectively enable curbside pickup and mobile ordering / communication. Again, NextME to the rescue. Our platform seamlessly integrates the entire process of a customer browsing and ordering online for in-store or curbside pick-up, then receiving SMS updates to let them know when to pick up their order. They can even check their position in line in real-time from their phones!
Use technology to improve operational efficiency and throughput
One of the few silver linings of the Coronavirus Pandemic is that it has given businesses an opportunity to streamline their operations and improve efficiency. And the more efficient you are, the easier it is to follow social distancing guidelines. This is where NextME really excels. Our platform is proven to increase guest throughput and help clients retain up to 35% more customers. One key to this is displaying accurate wait times, which reduces the number of calls from customers asking how long the wait is. Another important aspect is our predictive analytics, which help clients staff effectively during the busiest times of the day.