Abstract:
A system for monitoring a queue including an entry sensor subsystem for sensing the entrance of customers into the queue, an exit sensor subsystem for sensing the exit of customers from the queue, and a processing system in communication with the entry and exit sensor subsystems. The processing system is operable to log a customer sensed by the entry sensor as entering the queue, determine from the exit sensor subsystem if the logged customer has exited the queue within a predetermined time period, and if the logged customer has exited the queue within the predetermined time period, log the customer as having received service or, if the logged customer has not exited the queue within the predetermined time period, provide an indication to management personnel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/833,924, filed Jul. 28, 2006. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to customer service monitoring techniques, and in particular, to bank queue monitory systems and methods. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Whether it is a supermarket or a bank lobby, the vast majority of customers do not enjoy standing in line. Customers particularly become frustrated when wait lines become unacceptably long due to insufficient number of customer service personnel, for example tellers at a bank. 
     At the same time, every well run business is cognizant of minimizing customer frustration. Nevertheless, most businesses do not have a limited number of personnel which are available to service customer needs during peak periods of the day. Furthermore, these business owners must also contend with low periods, during which the customer flow is minimal and hence those personnel on stuff must be assigned to other tasks. 
     Thus, businesses, such as banks, which have a limited number of personnel available to service customer needs, need efficient ways of monitoring their customer queues such that customer frustration within a queue wait times can be minimized, while efficient use of available service personnel can be maximized. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention are embodied in queue monitoring systems and methods. According to one representative embodiment, a system is disclosed for monitoring a queue that includes an entry sensor subsystem for sensing the entrance of customers into the queue, an exit sensor subsystem for sensing the exit of customers from the queue, and a processing system in communication with the entry and exit sensor subsystems. The processing system is operable to log a customer sensed by the entry sensor as entering the queue, determine from the exit sensor subsystem if the logged customer has exited the queue within a predetermined time period, and if the logged customer has exited the queue within the predetermined time period, log the customer as having received service or, if the logged customer has not exited the queue within the predetermined time period, provide an indication to management personnel. 
     The embodiments of the principles of the present invention realize substantial advantages over existing queue management systems. Among other things, by monitoring and reporting queue activities, bank managers can optimize staffing resources as needed to service local queues at a bank branch. On a wider basis, bank managers can use the information gathered by multiple queuing systems to develop responses to underperforming branches. In turn, the improved ability to deliver timely and consistent customer service improves customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a bank lobby utilizing an exemplary queue monitoring system embodying the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view diagram of the bank lobby of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of a representative computer display providing statistical information on current queue length and current queue wait times, along with average wait times and queue lengths over selected time periods; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a representative computer generated daily queue report providing summary queue activity information for the current day, week and month; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating a representative queue monitoring procedure embodying the principles of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to the illustrated embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1-5  of the drawings, in which like numbers designate like parts. 
       FIG. 1  is a prospective view of a portion of a bank lobby suitable for illustrating a typical application of the principles of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a plan view conceptually illustrating the major features of bank lobby  100 . It should be noted that while the present inventive principles are being demonstrated herein in conjunction with a bank lobby, these principles can be applied to numerous commercial situations which require customer queuing. 
     Shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , bank lobby  100  includes a traditional panel of teller windows  101 . Customer queues are controlled by a conventional queuing system including a number of stanchions  102  as supporting a ribbon  103  which effectively define a set of barriers for managing customer progression through the queue. One set of stanchions  105 A- 105 B define a queue exit from which customers can walk to the next available teller on teller panel  101 . Similarly, set of stanchions  106   a - 106   b  define a queue entrance allowing customers to enter the queue. 
     According to the principles of the present invention, an entrance transmitting infrared device (X 1 )  107   a  and an entrance receiving infrared device (R 1 )  107   b  generate a pair of entrance detection beams (i.e. beams A and B) between entrance stanchions  106   a - 106   b . Similarly, an exit infrared transmitter (X 2 )  108   a  and an exit infrared receiver  108   b  generate a pair of exit detection beams (i.e. beans A and B) between exit stanchions  108   a  and  108   b . In the illustrated embodiment, infrared beam entrance sensors  107   a - 107   b  and exit sensors  108   a - 108   b  wirelessly communicate with queue management system  201  of  FIG. 2 . Generally, queue manager  201  stores information collected by entrance sensors  107   a - 107   b  and exit sensors  108   a - 108   b  and provides statistical information to allow bank management personnel to appropriately staff bank teller panel  101  for a given time or day. 
     The principles of the present invention are generally practiced as follows, although a more detailed example will be provided below in conjunction with  FIG. 5 . When a customer enters a queue, the infrared beams between entrance sensors  107   a - 107   b  are broken and queue manager  201  logs an entrance event to the queue. Similarly, when a customer exits the queue, the beams between exit sensors  108   a  and  108   b  are broken and queue manager  201  logs an exit event from the queue. 
     In the preferred embodiment, entrance sensors  107   a - 107   b  and exit sensors  108   a - 108   b  are bidirectional, with beam A normally broken before beam B, to ensure that the entrance and exit events are logged correctly, even if customer backs-out through entrance sensors  107   a - 107   b  or backs-in through exit sensors  108   a - 108   b . For example, if a customers backs-out through the entrance beams between entrance sensors  107   a  and  107   b , queue manager  201  recognizes that entrance beam B has been broken before entrance beam A, and therefore the last customer logged-in is removed from the list of queued customers. Similarly, if a customer backs-in through the exit beams between exit sensors  108   a  and  108   b , queue manager  201  recognizes that the exit beam B has been broken before exit beam A. In this case, queue manager  201  correspondingly returns the last removed logged customer back onto the list of queued customers. 
     Queue manager  201  includes a personal computer (PC)  202 , which displays a ladder, such as that labeled CURRENT QUEUE in display  300  of  FIG. 3 , which includes blocks or entries indicating the status of each current customer logged into the queue. PC  202  may be a stand alone computer, part of a network of computers, or an enterprise server that uploads information generated by the queue managers  201  at multiple bank lobbies  100 . 
     As each customer enters the queue through the entrance beams, that customer is logged and assigned a queue position Q #  number and an associate timer Q time  begins to run. As each customer moves up the queue, their queue position Q #  decreases as other customers exit through the exit beams. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, each teller window includes a keypad  203 , which allows a teller to enter information concerning a customer arriving from the queue. Such information may include, for example, the time the teller became available to serve the customer, the amount of time required to serve the customer, and the type or types of transaction completed. This information is also transmitted to queue manager  201  and PC  202  for statistical evaluation. Additional keypads  203  may be provided at loan and other desks within bank lobby  100 , to allow for the tracking and statistical evaluation of other types of transactions being handled, such as loans, certificates of deposits (CDs), special promotions, and the like. Moreover, keypads  203  will allow for the performance tracking of tellers and loan officers of different levels of training. Finally, additional keypads  203  may be distributed around the bank lobby for use by customers for the entry and tracking data related to non-transactional customer services provided by the bank. 
     Initially, each customer&#39;s display block is green, indicating to management personnel that the customer&#39;s queue wait time is still acceptable. If the timer Q time  for a given customer reaches a certain value (e.g. 3 minutes), indicating that the customer&#39;s queue wait time is becoming marginally unacceptable, then the corresponding entry in the ladder turns from green to yellow and an audible sound is generated to alert bank management. Further, if that customer continues to remain in the queue, and the timer Q time  reaches given value (e.g. 5 minutes) then the corresponding block on the ladder turns from yellow to red and a tone is again provided to alert management, such that an additional teller can be added to teller panel  101 , additional services offered to the customer, or both. 
     The principles of the present invention also address the problem of “ghosts” in the queue. Ghosts in the queue occur when a customer within the queue ducks under or steps over barrier ribbon  103  to either proceed to a teller or simply exit the queue for some other reason. Moreover, a customer leaving a teller may step through the exit beams and then step over or duck under barrier ribbon  103 . In either case, the customer does not break both the entrance beams and the exit beams, and there will be an additional log entry which remains on the ladder for an extended period of time. According to the principles of the present invention, queue manager  201  runs a software filter which tracks the current average normal customer flow time through the queue. If a customer entry status turns from green to yellow, and the time Q time  for that entry exceeds the average flow timed by a pre-selected amount, then that entry is deemed represent either a person who has entered the queue through either the entrance or exit beans, but has ducked under or stepped over ribbon  103 . The log entry is discarded and removed from the ladder. 
     In addition to the queue ladder, the representative display generated by queue manager  201  includes statistical information that allows a bank manager to anticipate peak activity periods and efficiently allocate customer service personnel. It also allows management to evaluate performance of the given bank branch for comparison against the performance of other bank branches and/or performance goals. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , display  300  includes queue wait versus time graph, which allows bank management to identify peak times of day during which assignment of additional personnel to bank teller panel  101  may be advantageous. In addition to providing statistical information concerning queue wait time, display  300  also provides a graph representing the queue length versus time of day. Additionally, display  300  provides current queue statistics, including the number of customers currently in the queue (Q count ) and the maximum time (Q time ) corresponding to the longest waiting customer in the current queue. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a representative integrated report  400  available through the queue manager  201  personnel computer  202 . In this embodiment, report  400  provides summary information for the current date, current week, and current month. Report  400  allows a manager to observe, for a given period of time, the number of customer receiving service within an acceptable waiting time (i.e. the “green count”), the number of customers receiving service within a marginally long waiting time (i.e. the “yellow count”) and the number of customers having to stand in the queue for an unacceptably long waiting time (i.e. the “red count”). Display  400  also allows a manager to analyze average wait time and the average number of green, yellow, and red counts on daily, weekly, and monthly bases. 
     The format and content of displays and reports  300  and  400  of  FIGS. 3 and 4  are exemplary; there are numerous ways to provide customized delivery of current and historical data to a branch manager concerning queue activities such that prompt action can be appropriately taken and overall service levels maintained. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart of an exemplary queue management procedure  500  embodying the principles of the present invention. At Block  501 , a customer enters the queue and breaks the entrance beam between transmitter X 1  and receiver R 1 , which is logged as a queue entrance event by queue manager  201  at Block  501 . At Block  503 , queue manager  201  displays a green ladder block for each entering customer logged and starts a corresponding timer. 
     At decision Block  504 , a decision is made as to whether the customer exits the queue and breaks the beam between exit transmitter X 2  and exit receiver R 2  before a first predetermined time threshold has been reached. If the condition at decision Block  504  is true, then the customer has been serviced within an acceptable waiting time, and therefore at Block  505 , queue manager  201  logs the broken beam as a successful queue exit. The display count (e.g. the current queue display on display  300  of  FIG. 3  is updated at Block  506 , and procedure  500  returns to Block  501  to process the next customer entering the queue. 
     On the other hand, if the first time threshold has been exceeded at Block  504 , then at Block  507  the ladder block corresponding to that customer changes from green to yellow. A determination is then made at decision Block  508  as to whether the customer exits the queue and breaks the exit beam between transmitter X 2  and receiver R 2  before a second time threshold has been reached. If the customer successfully exits the queue before the second time threshold has been met, then Procedure  500  returns to Block  505  and the customer is logged as a successful queue exit. Otherwise, the corresponding ladder block for that customer changes from red to yellow at Block  509 , such that a bank manager or other bank personnel can take appropriate action to move that customer out of the queue to a teller. 
     The embodiments of the principles of the present invention realize substantial advantages over existing queue management systems. Among other things, by monitoring and reporting queue activities, bank managers can optimize staffing resources as needed to service local queues at a bank branch. On a wider basis, bank managers can use the information gathered by multiple queuing systems to develop responses to underperforming branches. In turn, the improved ability to deliver timely and consistent customer service improves customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. 
     It should be noted that while the principles of the present invention have been illustrated using an exemplary teller queue; these principles are applicable in other areas of bank lobby  100 . For example, sensors similar to sensors  107   a - 107   b  or sensors  108   a - 108   b  may be disposed at the entrance to the bank lobby  100  for tracking the number of people entering and exiting the bank branch. This information advantageously provides a baseline for determining where customers go inside bank lobby  100  and what services they receive. This baseline also allows bank managers to determine the number of people who come into bank lobby  100 , but leave without receiving any services. 
     Additionally, sensors similar to sensors  107   a - 107   b  or sensors  108   a - 108   b  may be used to monitor the number of customers entering or exiting such areas of the bank as the safety deposit box vault or the depository machines, to name only a few examples. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, these descriptions are not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed might be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     It is therefore contemplated that the claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.