Waitrose Virtual Queuing App Case Study
Case Study
Profile
Waitrose is a chain of upscale British supermarkets, forming the food retail division of Britain’s largest employee-owned retailer, the John Lewis Partnership.
The challenge
During the festive period, customer Christmas turkey collection is a nightmare for supermarkets as customers only pick up their turkeys three days before Christmas.
Those wanting to collect their turkey face a long queue as they wait to be served, limiting their chance to pick up any last minute items still left on their shopping list. In 2015, for example, customers at various retailers endured two-hour long queues to collect their turkey instead of spending their precious holiday time with family. It’s a persistent problem for many grocery chains, creating a poor experience for their customers and, in some cases, reducing the likelihood of customers returning to the store again.
Waitrose implemented Qudini to improve their in-store Christmas turkey collection customer experience and store operation.
THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY
• Customers enter the store to collect their turkey.
• They enter their order details into a self-service kiosk at the front of the store.
• The customer receives an SMS confirming their estimated wait time and stating they will receive a text when their order is ready to collect.
• This included a link to a Waitrose branded web-page where the customer could watch their queue position whilst waiting.
• The customer can browse the store, pick up last minute items or even carry out a large food shop.
• Customers receive a text informing them that their order is ready.
THE CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT
Using the Qudini Shop Floor Management features, the store staff are able to manage their customers, alongside their staff time, breaks and shop floor activities.
Results
Hover over the tile to read quotes from our customers
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Improved loyalty
88% of customers rated the system as “excellent”. 100% of customers in the Waitrose store stated that they would use the service next Christmas. This was 10% more than those surveyed in non-Qudini Waitrose stores. The Qudini system improves relationships between Waitrose and their customers and increases their chances of returning.
Improved sales in-store
The system created a ‘halo effect’ on store sales by increasing customer movement and enabling customers to make purchases within the store as they waited to collect their orders.
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Improved staff efficiency
Staff are able to prepare more customers’ orders at once, serving each customer 30 seconds faster. This means fewer colleagues are needed to handle the significant footfall at the counter and they can undertake other tasks instead. As such, Waitrose was able to make an 800% ROI on the cost of using Qudini.
Improved customer experience
The average queue time in stores using Qudini was 7.5 minutes. A significant reduction, compared to other stores where wait times could reach more than three hours.
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Better commercial decisions
Qudini provides Waitrose with valuable data on their Christmas turkey operations and experience, helping them to better improve stocking and resource planning.
