Customer guidance system
A customer guidance system or a call display is a kind of electronic signpost for controlling people who are waiting. They are used where a relatively large number of customers arrive at the same time. A customer guidance system can make the customer's waiting time more pleasant, as he no longer needs to queue in front of a counter . But this also has advantages for the system operator. The customer has time to look at his displays or read information.
Such a system basically consists of four elements:
- a ticket issue
- a call ad
- the call modules
- a control unit
Ticket issue
At the ticket office, the customer receives a ticket, a waiting ticket. This ticket essentially consists of a number, but can also contain other information such as estimated waiting time and advertising. Technically, the ticket issue in its simplest form can be a holder for a roll with pre-printed tickets. The most frequently used form is a device with a small roll paper printer similar to the receipt printer and a button, via which the customer triggers the issue of a ticket. The most modern and versatile, but also the most expensive variant is that of a touchscreen console. This variant is mainly used when several queues (e.g. at Deutsche Bahn tickets, baggage drop-off, currency exchange, information in the train station) and user guidance in several languages are required.
Call display
The call display shows those waiting which waiting number should go to which counter or adviser desk. The call displays have a loudspeaker or at least a gong so that a new call can also be acoustically displayed to those waiting (voice calls for the visually impaired are also possible). There are call displays in the form of fall leaf displays (obsolete), LED displays and flat screens of any size. In today's widespread flood of flat screens, LED displays have the advantage that they are less likely to be overlooked; the flat screens, on the other hand, are cheaper and much more flexible in their configuration.
Call module
The people who can call customers require some form of facility to do so. Depending on the customer guidance system, this can be a simple push button, a more convenient device with certain display functions or a small program module.
Control unit
In the cheapest customer guidance systems with paper roll tickets, the control unit is pure electronics. Otherwise, it is a special software that controls all communication between the units and modules, controls the ticket queues, but is also able to take on additional functions such as controlling a relay for the automatic opening of a door.