[Updated April 2025]
Using Better Lobby Reports to Improve Branch Efficiency
Running an efficient branch isn’t just about having the right number of staff—it’s about having the right data to make smart decisions. That’s where Better Lobby’s built-in reports come in.
With over 50 ready-to-use reports, Better Lobby helps credit unions understand what’s really happening in their branches—from member wait times to staff performance and everything in between.
What Can You Track with Better Lobby Reports?
Better Lobby captures real-time data every time a member visits a branch. Here’s what you can learn from the reporting suite:
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⏱️ Average wait time and service time
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🧑💼 Which staff helped which members
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📅 How many walk-ins and appointments happened
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💬 What services were requested
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🔁 Member return visit patterns
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🧭 Peak traffic times by day or week
This isn’t just numbers for the sake of reporting—it’s information you can act on.
How Reports Improve Efficiency
Here’s how credit unions are using Better Lobby reports to work smarter:
1. Smarter Scheduling
If reports show that Monday mornings are consistently busy, managers can schedule more staff during that time—and lighten up when traffic slows.
2. Better Staff Planning
You can see which team members are handling the most visits, which services take the most time, and where bottlenecks happen. That helps you assign the right people to the right tasks.
3. Fewer Surprises
With real-time dashboards, branch managers can monitor activity throughout the day. If a wait time spikes, they can take action before it becomes a problem.
4. Clearer Member Trends
Reports show which services members are coming in for most often. That helps with marketing, staff training, and even facility design.
One Report = Many Improvements
Imagine this: You review a monthly report and notice members often wait longer for loan services than for other visits. Now you can:
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Schedule loan officers more effectively
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Offer video appointments to reduce lobby traffic
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Add signage or online tools to guide members to the right service
Small changes like these can lead to shorter waits, happier members, and less stress for staff.
Why Measuring Staff Availability Matters More Than Ever in Branch Operations and Branch Efficiency
Before “Workforce Management” became a buzzword in banking, Better Lobby clients were already asking how to track and improve staff availability in branches. They weren’t just focused on who’s scheduled—they wanted to know who was truly ready to serve members the moment the doors opened.
It all started with a branch manager who said something we’ll never forget:
“They may be at work, but if they’re not signed into the system, they’re not ready to help members.”
That insight sparked the creation of one of Better Lobby’s most valuable tools—the Staff Availability feature. It does more than track clock-ins—it shows when staff are actually signed into the Host System and Better Lobby, indicating they’re ready to engage with members.
The Real Cost of “Not Ready”
Credit unions spend a large portion of their budget on branch staffing. But how much of that time is spent actively serving members?
Without tracking tools, it’s hard to tell. A staff member arriving just five minutes late—or not logging in promptly—can have ripple effects on:
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⏱️ Wait times
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😠 Member satisfaction
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💸 Operational efficiency
Better Lobby helps you shine a light on these “invisible” moments so you can improve them.
How Better Lobby Helps
Better Lobby’s Staff Availability feature, combined with its comprehensive reporting suite, helps managers:
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✅ See when staff are available and ready to serve
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📈 Measure staff utilization throughout the day
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🔍 Identify bottlenecks and gaps in service coverage
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🏆 Make better decisions for scheduling, training, and incentives
The best part? Once staff know their availability is being tracked, accountability improves—and so does performance.
How Better Lobby Helps Credit Unions and Branch Efficiency
Here are a few ways Better Lobby can improve efficiency in your branches:
📅 Appointment Scheduling
Let members schedule time with staff for loans, new accounts, or other services. This helps your team prepare and reduces last-minute rushes.
🖥️ Self Check-In Kiosks & QR Codes
Members can check in on their own—either at the kiosk or from their phone. That means less time managing the front desk and more time delivering great service.
📊 Real-Time Dashboards & Reports
Better Lobby gives managers a clear view of lobby activity: who’s waiting, how long they’ve been waiting, and what services are in demand. You can use this data to adjust staffing and spot trends.
🧾 Visit History Tracking
See what services a member has used before. This lets staff get right to the point—no need to ask the same questions again and again.
The Benefits of higher Branch Efficiency
When your branch is running efficiently:
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Members are happier because they don’t wait as long
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Staff are less overwhelmed and more focused
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Managers can plan better and avoid over- or understaffing
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Your credit union can serve more people without adding more space or staff
Final Thoughts
Improving branch efficiency doesn’t have to be complicated. With tools like Better Lobby, you can simplify how your credit union runs—while improving service at the same time.
Want to learn how to make your branch more efficient? Let’s chat about what Better Lobby can do for your team.
From Insight to Action
When you measure something, you can manage it. Better Lobby gives credit unions the tools they need to take control of one of their biggest variable costs—labor—while creating a better, more consistent experience for members.
Staff availability may not be a flashy metric, but it’s a powerful one. And it’s just one of the many ways Better Lobby turns everyday branch operations into opportunities for improvement.
The following section is the original post from August 2013. While some product names and screenshots may be outdated, we’ve kept it here for historical reference.
Before Workforce Management became a “hot” business phrase, our clients wanted to use Better Lobby to improve Staff Utilization and Availability.
It was many years ago, but I’ll never forget a branch manager telling me (as I struggled to get to the root of his need) “Rick, you don’t get it – I have some branch staff that arrive two minutes before the branch opens. If they haven’t started their computer, signed into the Host System and Better Lobby, THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO SERVE BRANCH VISITORS. They may be at work, but they are not ready to serve!”
It was this understanding that caused us to develop the Staff Availability feature for Better Lobby/New Accounts module, and subsequently create a whole suite of reports that enable management to assess staff utilization and productivity. Our clients have confirmed it to be amongst the most valued features in Better Lobby. For members, opening an account at a credit union might be one of the best financial decisions they make.
Key Take Away – it’s worth the effort to measure hard-to-measure activities, especially when it relates to one of your largest variable costs: branch labor. Once measured, they are more readily managed.