High Tech solutions for low, income generating queues

With theme parks, waterparks and a range of attractions continually striving to grow their business, queuing times can be a major obstacle to maintaining a high level of guest satisfaction. At peak times, guests can spend long periods waiting to go on major rides or view key experiences, concerned about wasted time, line hopping and whether they are getting value-for-money on their day out.

Over recent years, UK-based Lo-Q has perfected a simple to use virtual queuing reservation system for theme parks, water parks, events and venues. Their Q-bot system enables guests to avoid standing in line by reserving their places in ride lines or for shows.

The hand held Q-bot displays all the ride wait times and its buttons make it simple to select and reserve a place in line. The flexible system provides true virtual queuing and any number of levels of wait discount services.

Lo-Q also recently introduced two new service levels to complement its regular queuing solution: Gold and Platinum. Gold where you pay a little more but only wait 50% of the regular wait time, the premium service provides an almost instant access to the rides, again with a higher charge per person.

When guests make a reservation using their Q-bot, the system registers that person or group into a virtual queue. Guests are informed via the Q-bot display with a beep and vibrate when their ride is ready.

The guest benefits by no longer having to stand in line and is therefore free to enjoy other attractions, visit a retail outlet or restaurant or just relax. This also provides a significant benefit to the park, where they will see a guest spending money on food and beverage or retail services, instead of standing in line killing time.

The system also communicates to users if a ride is disabled or down and can divert them to other attractions thus saving time and disappointment.

For waterparks, Lo-Q's Q-Band ride-reservation system includes an RFID wristband which is lightweight and waterproof.

Waterpark visitors are able to rent the band in order to book a ‘virtual' place in a queue at locations around any waterpark, enabling guests to reserve their waterslide place until their reservation time arrives, at which time they can enter via a separate entrance.

The Q-Band is then scanned and validated, allowing visitors to skip the long line-up.

Lo-Q's new Q-band solution has been recently launched to not only remove guest queuing times but to also aid park operators in improving both visitor experiences and revenues in Water Parks.

Created initially for waterparks, Lo-Q's innovative new product is lightweight and fully waterproof and has a cashless function which means guests do not need to carry money or credit cards around with them, making it totally secure and convenient.

The Q-band service is simple to use. Guests acquire a wristband from the Q-band service desk on entry to the park at a charge in addition to the park entry ticket.

The band is activated by the service desk at the level selected and paid for by the guest, who then selects their ride on an interactive kiosk: taps the band against their ride choice and their place in line for that ride is secured.

The wristband then begins a countdown and when the clock on the band reaches zero, the guest goes to the ride entry, has their band scanned at the entry point and simply enters the ride immediately. The higher service levels allow faster countdown and a speedier entry to each selected ride.

Meanwhile, visitors are free to spend their time as they choose, relaxing with friends and family in the park grounds, having lunch or enjoying an ice-cream while their credits build up.

Furthermore, Q-band offers a range of premium services such as top-ups and special 'gold card' options that can be sold to fast-track guests onto the most popular rides.

Lo-Q founding Director Leonard Sim explains "when you consider what an average family pays to enter a theme park or waterpark, then avoiding time spent in long queues is an attractive option. At the same time as providing guests with a much more pleasant park experience, park operators have a unique opportunity to increase revenues."

Lo-Q Virtual Queuing solutions offer a range of benefits to park operators. Promising guests 'no long queues' enhances the visitor experience and creates a competitive differentiator.

The flexibility of the system means that Lo-Q solutions can be branded and customised to reflect an individual park's style or promote their special offers.

A range of premium services combined with increased retail spend as guests have more free time to enjoy restaurants and shops provide additional opportunities for revenue creation.

Easy to introduce, install and operate, Lo-Q virtual queuing solutions also guarantees extra security, provides access control to the park and can act as a smart key for lockers.

Lo-Q also highlight that "we have proven that a major increase of in-park spend can be achieved by implementing our solutions."

Lo-Q is the worlds only supplier of virtual attractions queuing systems and provides the product to theme parks, waterparks and events globally, including Dreamworld on the Gold Coast.

A major new innovation recently launched by Lo-Q is their mobile ticketing and fast pass solution - a secure, banking grade system that opens up an additional ticket sales channel for all operators, offering an immediate dilution of queues at entry points and individual attractions.

For further information on Lo-Q virtual queuing solutions or to request a demonstration of the new Lo-Q-Virtual Queuing Solutions please contact the company on email: information@lo-q.com, www.lo-q.com

3rd November 2011 - GANG MURDER CONVICTION HIGHLIGHTS RISKS OF FREESTANDING QUEUEING POSTS