Manage Pending & In-Service Requests (cloud)
Customers who are waiting for service, are displayed in the waiting list (also known as pending service requests). When a new check-in request is added to a queue, the members of that queue receive a desktop alert, and chime notification.
An administrator may set-up email and/or SMS notifications for each queue member.
The administrator may also enable text paging for the customer, allowing the customer to receive a text page on their mobile phone, when called for service.
Notifications
LobbyCentral uses several methods to notify users when a customer checks-in, or is over-due.
| Browser Alerts | On-screen alerts appear in the upper right-hand corner of the web browser window, and are accompanied by an audio chime. |
| Email Alerts | If email alerts are enabled, an email will be sent to all members of the queue. Email notification may also be configured to send an email to only the selected employee. The administrator can enable these features in Administration. |
| Desktop Alerts | A light-weight program that installs on the computer, Desktop Notifier provides check-in alerts and a visual display of the total customers waiting. It allows the user to receive check-in alerts even if they are not logged into LobbyCentral. See http://www.lobbycentral.com/download/ to download the Desktop Notifier for LobbyCentral Cloud. |
Customer Text Notification
An administrator may enable C ustomer Text Paging in System Options, to send a text page to the customer's mobile phone when they are selected from the wait queue. To text the customer, the user must check the box Send Text Notification, and enter the customer's mobile number during check-in.
Pending Service Requests
Editing a Pending Request
In pending service requests, click the Edit Service Request icon, to the right of the customer's elapsed wait time.
- Make desired changes.
- Click Submit.
Note: You may only edit a request if you are the original creator, or have Supervisor or Admin rights.
Viewing a Pending Request
A user may view a check-in request without removing it from the wait queue. To do this, click on the View Request icon to the right of the customer's elapsed Wait Time. The View Request screen displays the check-in information for the customer, without transferring the request to In-Service.
When the user is finished viewing the request, click Ok to close the View Record window. The user may also click Abandon Request to remove the check-in request from the queue.
Abandoning a Pending Request
If a user needs to delete a pending request from the wait queue, the user may abandon the request by clicking on the View Request icon, and clicking Abandon Request, in the lower right corner of the window. Type the reason for abandoning the request, then click the Abandon Request button.
Note: Abandoning a request does not delete it from the system. It simply closes the record and marks it as Abandoned. Abandoned requests may be tracked in Report Manager.
First-One In, First-One Out
Once a user takes a request from the queue, all users' displays refresh automatically to show that the request is In-Service. If the administrator has enforced FIFO (first-one in, first-one out), the user must take the next waiting request, unless:
- a customer is assigned to the user, in which case, the user would need to take the next assigned customer in line.
- the next waiting customer is assigned to another user.
Taking A Pending Request
- Select a queue from the Queues list, to view pending customer requests.
- Take the request, by clicking the customer’s name.
- After taking a request, the next action will depend on how the administrator has configured LobbyCentral.
| If Multi-Request Handling is turned off | Taking the service request will open the Check-out window. While the Check-out window is displayed, the user cannot take other pending requests. This scenario is most common in one-on-one customer service environments, where the employee works with the customer until the service is completed. |
| If Multi-Request Handling is turned on | Taking the service request will move it to an In-Service status, but the Check-out window will not be opened. Because the Work Record does not open, the user is free to move other customers to In-Service. This scenario is most common in facilities where a receptionist moves customers from the lobby to another room or office, to be assisted by another employee. A new feature has been added for tickets that are "In Service". If a user wants to request a transfer of the service to another user, simply click on the ticket in service and a Request to Transfer window will pop up on the other user's computer. You can either approve or deny this request. Once it's transferred, the request's ownership will change, and it can be handled by the new user. |
For example: In a medical office, the user selects the patient's name from pending requests. The name is moved from pending to In-Service status, and the patient is taken from the lobby to the examination room to be assisted by the doctor. When the patient's service has been completed, the user opens the Work Record window from the In-Service list, and the patient is checked out.
Call-out Number
If your organization requires a customer's information to remain private, the system administrator may enable, Generate and Present Call-Out Number, in Administration > Web Kiosk Settings. This feature generates a number for the customer upon completing check-in and may be displayed on the QMonitor in place of the customer's name, allowing the customer's identity to remain anonymous from other patrons in the lobby.
If using the Generate and Present Call-Out Number feature, the administrator must enable it in Web Kiosk General Settings, whether using a kiosk for check-in or not. User assisted check-in still requires the option to be enabled, in order to create a number for the customer.
The display settings for QMonitor further allow for privatization by allowing the administrator to choose how customer information is displayed. See Using QMonitor (cloud) for more information about display settings.
Check-Out Window
The check-out window, displays the details of the request and is used to close, transfer, or abandon the request.
Request Details
This section of the check-out window displays the basic details of the request, including custom fields, and a text field to enter closing comments.
Customer Data
The Customer Data section of the check-out window displays the customer's personal data, such as name, date of birth, address, etc. The user may also modify or add information to the customer profile by clicking on Update Customer Data, from inside the check-out window.
Help Card
The help card displays the long description of the visit reason, or service selected.
Customer Interests
Note: If Item Tracking is not enabled in Administration, this section will not appear in the Work Record.
The customer interest section is used to keep track of additional products or services, that are offered to a customer. Also known as Cross-Selling, you can indicate which items were offered to the customer during a service request, and whether they were accepted or denied, etc.
The Interest items, column choices, and comments, can be customized in Administration.
See Data Tables and System Options in the LobbyCentral Cloud user guide for more information on Customer Interest Section Items, and Item Tracking.
Customer Note History
Displays the customer’s previous visits by date and user comments.
Request Actions
| Check-Out Button | Closes the service request and records the check-out time. |
| Close Window Button | Closes the service request window without checking the customer out. Note: This button is only available when Multi-customer handling mode is enabled in Administration. |
| Change Status to Abandoned | May be used in situations where a customer checked in but left the line before being assisted by an employee. |
| Check-out and New Check-In | Should be used when the current employee has finished assisting the customer, but the customer's business at the location is not yet completed. For example: The customer originally checked into Admissions for assistance with their college application. Once completed, the customer must check-in to the Financial Aid department to apply for a student loan. *A benefit of using this feature is the customer may be checked in for the new service without having to move to the back of the line. This is helpful in reducing stress in customers who may need to be seen by multiple departments. Please see Prioritize Transferred Customer Based on Original Check-In time for more information. |
| Change incorrect queue / service | Used for customers who selected the wrong department, or the wrong service when checking in. The user may reassign the service to fit the customer's needs. Selecting this option will place the customer back into the queue based on the time they originally checked in. |
| Change Status to Waiting | May be used in situations where the customer must wait in the lobby for a period of time, after the user has begun assisting the customer. *For example: The customer has filled out a loan application, and the employee must submit the paperwork for to the loan department for approval. Returning the customer to the queue frees up the employee to help additional customers until the paperwork is completed by loan department staff. |
| Transfer to New User | Allows the user to do a direct transfer to another user, without returning the customer to the wait queue. Only available when 'multi-customer handling mode' is enabled in System Options. |
| Delete Check-In | May be used in situations where the customer has left the line before being assisted (if the company does not track abandoned requests), or in the case of test check-ins created by employees or administrators. "Delete Check-In" essentially erases the check-in record from LobbyCentral, so please use with care. This action is non-reversible. |
| Page Customer | If the user clicks the Page Customer icon located at the bottom of the work record window, QMonitor will re-page the customer to report to the user, or window. |
Prioritizing the Customer by Original Check-In Time
LobbyCentral has the ability to prioritize a customer who is being transferred to another queue, by the customer's original check-in time. An administrator must enable this option in System Options before it is available.
The original check-in time will be used when the user chooses the option Close and New Check-In. The original check-in time WILL NOT be stored in the new request. It is a temporary value that is erased when the ticket is closed out.
Example:
John checks into the Permits queue:
Original Time In: 10:00 am
Time In: 10:00 am
Time Seen: 10:15 am
Time Out: 10:30 am
John is then transferred to the Cashier queue:
Original Time In: 10:00am
Time In: 10:30am
Time Seen: 10:45 am
Time Out: 10:55 am
When creating the New Request, be sure to check the box, "Prioritize this check-in using original time in."
John will queue according to his ORIGINAL time in (if system option is on). So his time in is 10am, not 10:30am. The customer name will display a (P) in front of it, allowing the user to see that this customer has been placed back in the queue according to his original check-in time.
Prioritized customers will appear in reporting the following way.
Example:
Request ID #1
John Q Customer
Time In: 10:00 am
Time Seen: 10:15 am
Time Out: 10:30 am
Wait Time: 15 minutes
Service Time: 15 minutes
Request ID #2
John Q Customer
Time In: 10:30 am
Time Seen: 10:45 am
Time Out: 10:55 am
Wait Time: 15 minutes
Service Time: 10 minutes
Notice that request ID #2 is the time into the second queue, and not the original check-in time.
Adding Services to a Request
If more than one service is provided during the customer's current visit, the user can create added services to the service request, to provide for more accurate reporting. When a new service is added to the work record, the time the new service Start time is recorded, as well as the End time.
Add a Service
- In the Request Details section of the Check-Out window, click the link Add Service to Ticket, displayed below the Service(s) Description column.
- Select the service to add, from the drop-down menu.
- Click Submit.
Note: Time tracking for added services can be disabled in Administration. If time tracking is disabled, the added services will appear without Time Start and End columns.
Checking-Out the Customer
When the service has been completed, enter any closing comments, click the Check-Out button at the bottom of the work record window, andConfirm.This will close the customer's request and record the time it was completed.