For most kids, waiting in a long line to see Santa is a required part of the Christmas experience. The waiting in line part is never fun, especially for the parents, but it’s always been something you have to do if you want to see Santa. After all, every kid wants to put in their gift requests with the big man himself. These days, Santa can be slightly harder to get a hold of. Fortunately, waitlist apps with virtual waiting rooms are helping keep this Christmas tradition alive.
Challenges events and businesses face this winter
- Concerns among visitors regarding safety (COVID and flu season)
- Long wait times creating overcrowded areas
- Understaffed and overwhelmed employees
- Issues managing registration of guests safely and efficiently
- Challenges communicating with guests before and during events
- High call volumes about wait times and managing guest expectations
NextMe’s virtual waitlist app has easy, customizable solutions to help manage these challenges. Our queue management system can reduce or eliminate physical lines altogether so that more customers feel safer on the premises - with less staff needed to manage the process. NextMe’s virtual waiting room feature also provides guests with engaging and updated information to better manage expectations. Santa’s Annual Holiday Event at Arizona Country Club is a prime example of how NextMe can help businesses and events thrive.
Waitlist apps provide safety and efficiency for events
NextMe helped Arizona Country Club implement a self check-in flow that almost completely eliminated their lines and overcrowded areas. In past years, AZCC had a registration desk where each guest had to check-in when they arrived at the location. An employee would then gather the information of each guest and place them in a queue to see Santa. Lines would often form at the entrance, leaving their waiting guests overwhelmed and without updates and event information. By implementing NextMe’s self check-in features and virtual waiting room this year, AZCC saw a shocking improvement in customer experience and staff satisfaction.
Desi Speh, COO and General Manager commented:
“Using NextMe allowed my members to enjoy the event and have more family time and not have to wait in line to see Santa. My team loves it because it empowers our members to sign up for the waitlist themselves. This allows for easy execution and more efficiency at check in!!! Overall an outstanding platform, with great service and everything we need to give the best experience to our membership.”
How it worked
Step 1: Guests arrived with their kids on event day ready to meet Santa and his elves. Adults scanned a simple QR code upon entry to join the waitlist, being placed in a queue based on the amount of children in the group.
Step 2: Once on the waitlist, guests received a simple SMS link to the virtual waiting room where they could monitor their position in line and view the event schedule. Instead of standing in line, guests were encouraged to enjoy the other activities at the event while they waited.
Step 3: While having loads of holiday fun, guests received a text alert that Mr. Claus was ready for them and to start heading back to his location.
At NextMe, we’re helping organizations stay connected to their customers at all times, thus increasing customer engagement, retention and overall satisfaction. Beyond helping eliminate long lines, 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, book a demo or let Santa know that you want NextMe for Christmas. We’re on the nice list.
