How NUS Reduced Student Wait Times by 40% with Qwaiting's Smart Queuing System

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Asia’s most reputable and advanced university. Educating students across the world since 1905, NUS is known for encouraging its students to try new ideas, focus on innovation, and digital advancements. Every new semester, hundreds of students enroll in study programs, apply for hostel services, or submit their fees.

Serving an average of 1,000-1,500 visitors daily, NUS faced a lot of problems managing students' applications, registering new and old students, and keeping fee records.

Let’s see how Qwaiting helped NUS serve students faster and made staff work better!

The Challenges Faced

NUS, a leading university, faced difficulties in managing student records and hostel allotment applications. Improper resource allocation, overburdened and confused staff, added to wasted student time, which impacted the university’s brand value.

The major problems faced by the university were:

1. Staff were stuck using outdated methods to track records. Many times, the recorded information was either outdated or missing. Correcting these errors took hours of the admin staff’s time and led to further mistakes.
2. Staff members were not able to distinguish between old students and new entrants. This created problems in semester fees and hostel room allotments. Staff faced issues allocating hostel rooms, and students were unable to check their eligibility.
3. Lack of real-time updates confused staff members. They struggled with high student traffic at service counters. Handling the student lines and solving their queries manually created confusion and chaos.
4. Students felt confused because they were not able to track their hostel allotment applications. This delayed the whole process, leaving them frustrated.

The problems kept growing. If not addressed at the time, it would have impacted the university’s growth and its trust among the students. They required a solution that could help them automate their daily tasks with speed and digital vision.

How Qwaiting Solved These Problems

Qwaiting, a smart queue management software, helped NUS overcome the problem of long student wait lines and managing hostel records by offering advanced digital solutions. Using these solutions, it not only saved staff members' time but also improved students' experience.

Here’s how Qwaiting’s smart solutions helped the National University of Singapore automate routine tasks for a smooth workflow:

Smart online application portals

• Smart online portals let students submit queries, book appointments, and choose departments they want to talk to directly from their phones.
  
• Real-time slot availability allows them to schedule meetings with staff instantly. On the backend, staff can track requests, process applications, and track progress through a live dashboard.
• This helped improve staff efficiency, reduce errors, and prioritize tasks. Students can also pay fees, apply for hostels, and track application statuses online.

This resulted in faster responses, streamlined workflows, and a more transparent, user-friendly experience for both students and administrators.

Virtual queue software

• Virtual queuing software lets students easily check in to their spots in a line without being physically present in a queue.
• The software can store confidential student and staff records and can be easily integrated with existing business software.
• The software provides real-time updates to staff members so they can know how many students are waiting in lines and how many have been served.

Virtual queuing solutions reduce physical queues, so that students spend less time waiting in line by sending automatic message alerts, displaying their queue spots, and their estimated wait times.

Self-service kiosks and digital signage screens

• By installing large digital screens and self-service kiosks at reception counters, universities empowered students to manage their appointment bookings independently.
• Kiosk screens have a very user-friendly interface that can be easily accessed by anyone. Students can book, confirm, and even pay for their semester fees.
• Big LED screens can be used to display important information or upcoming college events. This is the most convenient way to reach a larger audience with less effort.

The screens can also be used to display student token numbers and their expected wait times. This helped the university keep the campus environment calm and everyone informed.

Instant SMS alerts & notifications

The software keeps students updated at every step, from approval to payment confirmation.

• During check-in, the software collects basic student information such as name, semester, and phone number. Using this information, the software automatically sends real-time updates to students’ phones.
• This helped the university staff manage the student flow efficiently. Students can wait around the campus conveniently until their turn comes up. This reduced the counter rush and saved everyone’s time.

Centralized staff dashboard

The centralized staff dashboard lets staff members oversee the performance across different departments easily.

They can easily track

• Number of students waiting in a queue
• Total monthly visits
• Pending applications
• Payment statuses
• Check-in and check-out stats

This information lets the admin staff optimize their staffing schedules accordingly. This ensured no student was left waiting and guaranteed maximum staff efficiency.

In just a few weeks, Qwaiting changed NUS's complicated, time-consuming process into a simple system that just clicks, and it runs on its own.

The Results

After implementing Qwaiting, the transformation was clear, measurable, and immediate. In just a few weeks, the students' wait times dropped by 35-40%. Automation of work helped staff members clearly process student applications and solve student queries more efficiently.

Here’s what NUS achieved:

Faster processing time

Staff members were able to serve more students in less time. With the help of automation, it mostly gave students the charge over their bookings, which let staff members focus on other important work.

Zero wait times

With the help of automatic reminders and virtual queuing, students can see real-time updates on their smartphones. This eliminated long counter wait lines and reduced the need for staff to manage the lines physically.

Smarter decision-making with real-time data

Real-time data analytics lets staff members oversee the university's performance with just a single tap. This helped them in better resource planning, and the reports can also predict expected student queries in the coming hours or days.

In short, NUS changed from a slow system with lots of paperwork to a modern, easy-to-use digital system. This saved time, lowered costs, and made everyone involved happier.

Conclusion

The National University of Singapore didn’t just adopt a software solution; they upgraded their entire campus experience. Qwaiting gave NUS the tools to eliminate manual errors, reduce long lines, and serve students faster than ever before. The system helped the students to easily check their hostel allotments and room numbers. Wait times dropped by 40%, operations became automated, and real-time dashboards empowered smarter decisions.

Qwaiting didn’t just improve queues; it also improved student trust, speed, and satisfaction across the board. In the fast-paced digital world, whether you're a school, college, hospital, or a government office, the sooner you move to a smarter queue system, the faster you’ll see results.

Take action before the situation worsens. Don’t wait for students or customers to lose trust. Act now to build and maintain your brand trust among others.

Let Qwaiting show you what digital transformation really looks like. Start your transformation today. Book a free 14-day demo and see the difference for yourself.