Derek Hui

The University of Texas at Dallas

800 W Campbell Parkway
Richardson, TX 75080
To: johnja@utdallas.edu
Bcc: megan.gray@utdallas.edu, kristi.taylor@utdallas.edu,
lbarfield@utdallas.edu, srollers@utdallas.edu, arturo.elizondo@utdallas.edu,
kathleen.byrnes@utdallas.edu, melissa.bresnahan@utdallas.edu,
gxc122130@utdallas.edu, karen.deolivares@utdallas.edu,
tchamp@utdallas.edu, ericw@utdallas.edu
November 18, 2015
Dear Mr. Jackson,
Thank you for this opportunity to discuss the University of Texas at Dallass
advising systems. Each schools advising department plays such a significant
role in the future of our students, and as such, I believe the systems and
procedures are extremely important to the continued growth of this
university.
The current process we use to admit students into the advising office can be
improved. Students and staff alike have complained mainly about extremely
long wait times. Especially during busy times of the year, such as enrollment
week and syllabus week, students are required to wait for hours before being
able to see an advisor. Furthermore, these meetings generally take longer
than expected, as students are not completely sure what classes and
paperwork they need. Sometimes, they arent able to resolve the situation,
and need to go through the entire waiting process a second time.
My idea is to incorporate a more automated and technology-based system.
Instead of having to sit in the waiting room, I would create a virtual queue so
that students may make an appointment, go about their business, and
receive notifications when their time is soon. Additionally, students will be
given an option to enter different lines for specific actions.
I have attached my proposal, which includes all the details, costs, and
benefits of the new system. If you have any questions or concerns, please
contact me at dph130030@utdallas.edu, or by phone at (469)123-5555.
Sincerely,
Derek Hui

PROPOSAL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A

CENTRALIZED, AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR USE
IN ADVISING DEPARTMENTS
Problem

While it may seem that these problems are just complaints from impatient
students, the need for a more streamlined process is undeniable. Our current
system is satisfactory during slow weeks, but when demand for advising
increases, our staff is quickly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of requests.
Students grow aggravated because they do not have two to four hours to
spare sitting in a waiting room.

Solution (QLess*)
We would incorporate a centralized virtual queue system similar to the ones
used in call centers. The chosen provider is 8x8 SolutionsQLess, a pioneer
and leader in virtual queuing systems.

With this system in place, students can send a text message to the system,
which will place them into the queue. We will install the software on a
computer dedicated to maintaining this system, on which staff members can
see the phone numbers ordered by time. When it is a students turn to meet,
a staff member can call out the phone number to easily identify him or her.
A simple version of this system is already being used by the School of
Management. In fact, the semester this system was used, [UT Dallas] had
the smoothest fall semester ever over previous semesters (Kurt Eley, VP of
Enrollment).
If the system goes down, we will have also back up the software onto other
computers in advising. It will store the list of texts received, so that in case of
a system failure, the original line will not be compromised and the staff will
be able to continue the function without much delay.
This system also allows for a wide variety of options for each student. Upon
entering the queue, the user will indicate if he or she is an undergraduate or
graduate student. Then, he or she selects the school, followed by the major.
Afterwards, he or she can select the type of service required. Options will
include major information, minor information, enrollment, auditing, and
general advising. Each sub-line has its own queue, with its own skilled staff
member(s), increasing specialization and efficiency.

The final component of this system is its SMS-based notification system.

After texting into the appropriate line, the user will receive a text message to
confirm their spot in line. Additional messages will be sent every 15 minutes
to update the user on his or her status. A final message is sent when it is his
or her turn. Throughout the waiting time, the user may elect to exit the line if
he or she no longer needs the service, or to push back his spot if he or she
needs more time. The system allows for students to be late up to one
minute, after which he or she is automatically pushed back one spot in line.
To prevent spamming, if users are late by more than 15 minutes without
responding, they lose their spot completely.
QLess has already been proven to dramatically reduce wait times in all types
of industries. Several Department of Motor Vehicle offices have incorporated
this system, resulting in an average decreased wait time of 2.5% (QLess).
Restaurants, hospitals, and government offices have also increased their
workers efficiency due partly to QLess.

Benefits
Accessibility

Students no longer have to physically enter the advising office until it is their
time to meet with an advisor. This provides them with so much more
freedom. They can wake up, text into line, and go about their routine.
Instead of having to sit in the actual office, students can attend class,
socialize with friends, do homework, and perform any other obligations while
waiting for their meeting. Whenever the estimated wait time gets low
enough, students can leave for the office and arrive minutes before. While
the wait time is technically the same, students will feel as though it were
shorter because they are no longer physically restricted.Not only is the
perceived wait time shorter, but the actual wait time is also shorter. The
difference may only be a minute or two, but, over a full day where hundreds
of students are served, this amount is much more noticeable (JSOM
Advising). A possible negative outcome would be frontloading; because it is
so easy to do so, a vast majority of students will text in the moment the
queue opens. However, this already happens. Students race to the office and
wait outside before it opens, just to get that early ticket number. The only
difference is that the office will be much less crowded, which leads to
decreased air conditioning costs and more space for other functions, among
several other minor benefits.
Efficiency
Advisors have a complex assortment of job responsibilities. Currently, each
advisor needs to be prepared to explain each major and minor degree plan,
as well as performing audits and enrolling students in courses. With such a
variety of duties, efficiency will suffer as advisors are forced to constantly
switch. Utilizing the systems sub-queues, we will be able to assign advisors
specific responsibilities based on demand. This way, each advisor will be
more effective at handling one or two types of requests, increasing individual
and overall efficiency.
Simplicity

The system will unite all advising departments under the same central
system. This does away with individual office numbers for each school and
major. Students can all text the same number for all their needs, as opposed
to looking up the phone number for their specific field of study. This also
allows management to make decisions much more effectively. Instead of
collecting information from each school, administration can immediately
compare data.

Budget
The program is extremely cheap to install. There is a one-time installation
fee of $20 per computer, and the first two installations are free of charge.
There are 11 departments, each requiring two computers, for a total of $400.
Increased energy costs are negligible. Since the system is cloud-based, we
will not need to power any extra computers or equipment.
The only remaining cost is the subscription. As stated earlier, the usage
volume is much lower than that of a small business, so we would not need to
purchase the higher tiers. There is also a substantial discount for universities,
so the monthly installments would end up to be only $300. This rate is based
on a 1-year renewal premium; while the 2-year ($275 per month) and 5-year
($240 per month) renewal periods are noticeably cheaper, a 1-year period
allows for much more flexibility. At the rate that technology is improving, it is
safer to pay slightly more as new systems and capabilities can quickly render
old technology obsolete.

Conclusion
Our advising departments play a critical role in the education of our
students. Streamlining this process will provide a better experience and
reduce the chance for mistakes. By incorporating the virtual queue system,
staff members will be better equipped to handle more of our students
requests in less time.