Berkeley Rec Sports: Managing Visitor Experience
Berkeley Rec Sports (Recreational Sports) is a fitness and wellness membership program in the Bay Area which offers a wide range of leisure activities to over 30,000 and 10,000 student and non-student members, respectively.
The mission of the Berkeley Rec Sports is simple: to enhance the health and wellness of the University of California Berkeley community through fitness and sports.
It’s not the total sum of what Rec Sports is doing, however. The Recreational Sports Facility (RSF) is also merged with the Customer Service Center — an authorized US passport acceptance facility. It is here where the Qminder queuing system proves most valuable.
The problem
Managing high visitor volume with limited resources
The Berkeley Rec Sports passport acceptance office offers passport-related services to citizens of the United States. The facility accepts visitors from 9am to 6pm on weekdays and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays, which allows for a greater circulation of customers.
To account for the more frequently seen sizes of visiting groups and the amount of passports needed, there are six service lines set up: for one passport, two passports — all the way up to six passports. It was set up in this way because it was not unusual to see a family of two and more coming in to get their documents together.
In a single day, there could be multiple such families, all requiring help from the passport acceptance agents at Rec Sports. Coupled with lenient open hours, this meant a greater pressure on the staff.
Until a few years ago, the situation at Rec Sports was not dissimilar from what is typically happening in a passport office: long wait times, mass confusion and frustration among visitors, and overworked employees, with no prospect of changing things for the better.
Peak seasons — which usually fall on days preceding public holidays — were characterized with wait times that could add up to three hours. Needless to say that with a service as important as issuing identity documents, such prolonged waiting periods can be adversarial.
What did not help the situation was the low number of available employees. The passport acceptance office at Rec Sports typically has up to three people working as customer reps, with as many desks for visitor admission.
This was a standard way of life at Berkeley, but things tended to spiral even more out of control in busier months (March, April, and May). Visitors grew more outspoken in their complaints, and it was clear that something had to be done.
The goal
Streamline operations and reduce wait times
Long waits and clunky service processes are often expected at document-issuing offices - especially in government-run spaces. But Berkeley Rec Sports is changing that narrative.
Berkeley Rec Sports aimed to:
Simplify the check-in process
Decrease visitor wait times
Improve overall service efficiency
Enhance the visitor experience
To provide a smoother, faster experience for every visitor, they’ve turned to Qminder’s visitor management system - cutting wait times and improving the overall flow of service.
The solution
Streamline operations and reduce wait times
Before Qminder, visitors to the Rec Sports passport facility would wait in the lobby with no clear idea of when they’d be served. This uncertainty created confusion, frustration, and unnecessary crowding. The introduction of Qminder transformed the entire experience.
Now, when visitors arrive, they check in using an iPad at the Customer Service Center. Their information is entered into a digital queue, eliminating the need to physically wait in line. With their spot secured, visitors are free to step away - grab a coffee, read a book, or simply relax - without worrying they’ll miss their turn.
A mounted wait room TV screen displays real-time updates, clearly showing who’s next in line. Visitors stay informed and at ease, while staff can focus on delivering excellent service with full visibility into the queue. The entire process feels smoother, more organized, and far more visitor-friendly.
The results
Improved efficiency and visitor satisfaction
Since implementing Qminder:
Wait times have decreased, leading to a smoother flow of visitors.
Staff workload has been optimized, allowing them to focus on providing quality service.
Visitor satisfaction has improved, with a more organized and transparent process.
Key takeaways
Digital solutions enhance traditional services
Berkeley Rec Sports demonstrates that integrating digital tools like Qminder into traditional service environments can significantly improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.