CASE STUDY
Amidst Growing Enrollment Rates, Texas A&M University Deploys QLess Queuing Software
With hours-long waits causing frustration, the Money Education Center found a queuing software solution designed for higher education.
Over the past decade, Texas A&M University has experienced skyrocketing enrollment rates.
Although this is a huge opportunity for the university, it's also created challenges for their student scholarships and financial aid department, which were experiencing higher call volumes and in-person visits.
Recognizing the need to improve queues and wait times, the Money Education Center, a department in the Scholarships and Financial Aid Office, knew that they wanted to implement software that would create a virtual queueing experience for the students. Unfortunately, many queue management designs were not optimal for higher education and did not understand the specific pain points the school was experiencing.
When they found QLess — and discovered that it had been adopted by colleges and universities of all sizes across the U.S. — they were able to successfully implement it to manage in-person and phone advising.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Texas A&M University is a research-intensive public university in College Station, Texas. Centrally located between Austin and Houston, Texas A&M offers a convenient campus to capture student enrollments from both major cities. This geographic advantage has created many excellent opportunities but also some challenges for the university.
One of the biggest challenges and opportunities for Texas A&M is the school's high enrollment rates. Over the last decade, enrollment has skyrocketed — reflecting trust in the institution. But, unfortunately, it has also caused problems for departments that are slow to upgrade and digitize, as they have experienced problems handling the modern workload.
““With our phone queues, some students would wait on hold for hours to talk to an advisor. We knew that this needed to change in order for us to successfully grow our enrollment.”
– Nicholas Kilmer, Assistant Director of the Money Education Center
SOLUTION
The Money Education Center knew that they needed a queuing software solution that could manage wait times for their in-person appointments and call centers. Unfortunately, many queue management designs were not programmed for universities and colleges. They wanted a provider that understood the unique pain points of higher education and had experience in managing those issues. After significant research, they found QLess. "What stood out to me was that QLess was already successfully implemented at many other colleges and universities. Since it was successful for those schools, I knew that it would also be successful for us," said Kilmer.
QLess' queuing software offers choices for in-person and callback queues, where the Money Education Center could implement a consistent system across all of their advising options. For example, when students need information on scholarships, financial aid, veteran’s education benefits, and more, they can join a virtual queue from their personal device. From there, they'll receive text updates about their place in line. Then, when it's their turn, they'll receive a notification prompting them to return to the advising office. The callback system functions similarly: students join a virtual callback queue, receiving notifications about their place in line. When they reach the front of the queue, an advisor returns their call.
RESULTS
The QLess queuing software system has been a significant success, both for students and staff. Instead of hours-long waits on phone calls or in cramped lobbies, students can now join the virtual queue and go about their day until it's their turn for advising at the Money Education Center. "The QLess approach has improved the experience for students, but it's also improved the experience for staff members at the advising office," said Kilmer. During the pandemic, QLess proved to be even more beneficial, as it allowed students to continue receiving the same services and experiences that they were used to, only safer and with physical distancing precautions.
For campuses experiencing similar pain points with wait times or with physical distancing measures, Kilmer highly recommends looking into the queuing software from QLess and implementing it in academic settings.
"With QLess, we've found efficiencies and ways to become more effective in our offices. Transitions are never easy; I can definitely say that on the other end of this transition, we're immensely better off."
“With QLess, we’ve found efficiencies and ways to become more effective in our offices. Transitions are never easy; I can definitely say that on the other end of this transition, we're immensely better off.”