Central America Department Store

Overview

The department store, originally from El Salvador, has been operating for over 100 years and has currently been regionalized with 15 branches throughout Central America. It features a wide variety of merchandise including clothing, cosmetics, housewares, electronics, and sporting goods.

Retail Solution by Q-nomy for The Department Store

The Challenge: The department store faced several challenges in its customer service area:

• Different services such as complaints, queries, credits, and card openings were addressed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Lack of segmentation by type of service led to long wait times and inefficiencies.
• There were no waiting times or service controls, causing basic services to last up to an hour.
• Disruptions in service occurred due to a lack of queue management.
• A need for a streamlined process for online purchase pickups was identified.

Identified Goals by Store Management

‍Store management set several goals to address these challenges

• Improve service times, customer experience, and reduce waiting times.
• Segment services to specialize staff in specific areas.
• Measure staff productivity accurately.

The Q-Flow Solution

‍In February 2021, Q-Flow was implemented in two store locations, including customer service departments and the online pick-up service department. The solution included:

• Q-Flow Queuing System, 100% in the cloud: Customers check themselves in using interactive, self-service kiosks, identifying the reason for their visit.
• Self Service Kiosks: Segmented by service type for customer convenience.
• SMS Notifications: Appointment reminders sent to customers.
• Reports & Insights: Store and area managers can see reports about sales performance, total services, average service times, SLA comparisons, and the number of services by location.
• CRM Integration: Streamlining processes with CRM integration.
• Digital Signage: Providing information and advertisements in waiting rooms.
• Account Management & Support: Ongoing support from Q-nomy partner, ACF Technologies.

The Results

• Successful pilot implementation led to expansion to six additional branches nationwide.
• Project extended to other regions, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
• Benefits in the Customer Service area included:
• Ability to identify high-demand services and peak hours.
• Reduced wait times and increased productivity.
• Enhanced customer satisfaction and reduced dropouts.
• Data from Q-Flow provided detailed insights into service and wait times.
• Benefits in the Product Collection Area included:
• Reduced wait times and proper handling at the time of delivery.
• Increased productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Improved delivery/care capacity.