The Psychology of Managing Queues

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The Psychology ofManaging Queues
A manager must pay attention not only to how long
a customer waits in a queue before service begins
but also to how the customer feels while waiting.
Based on The Psychology of Waiting Lines, by
David H. Maister, Harvard Business School
Teaching Note 9-684-064.
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First Law of Service
SATISFACTION PERCEPTION - EXPECTATION
If P gt E, then customer is satisfied. If P lt E,
then customer is unsatisfied.
Because both P E are psychological phenomenon
(not reality), both can be managed.
Example of Managing Perception Place a mirror
at an elevator.
Example of Managing Expectation At a crowded
restaurant, the host/hostess can provide a
somewhat pessimistic estimate of how long until a
table will become available.
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Second Law of Service
It is hard to play catch up.
So, if a manager intends to invest money and/or
time in improving service, perhaps it is best to
invest in the early stages of the service.
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Proposition 1
Unoccupied time feels longer than occupied time.
What to Do?
Distract and/or offer a benefit.
Examples At a crowded restaurant, send those
waiting for a table to the bar and/or hand out
menus. For those on hold at a call center to
order tickets to a football game, play highlights
of memorable past games. Like at Disneyland, have
turning points in the line that not only
disguise the length of the line but also serve
as milestones for those in line. Also, have
overhead monitors that entertain. McDonalds
versus Wendys.
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Proposition 2
A pre-process wait feels longer than an
in-process wait.
What to Do?
Acknowledge entry into the system.
Examples A busy waiter at a restaurant pauses at
a table and says, I will be with you soon. A
nurse in a waiting room says, The doctor will
see you soon. A mail-order company sends you an
e-mail acknowledging your phone order or mail
order.
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Proposition 3
Anxiety makes a wait seem longer.
What to Do?
Anticipate what customers might worry about and
remove the worry (even if the worry seems
irrational).
Examples At a airlines check-in counter with a
long line, have an agent present to assure
customers that there are in the correct line
and/or that there is no need to worry about
missing a flight. At a movie theater with a long,
have a employee outside to assure everyone that
there are still seats remaining and that they
will be seated before the movie begins.
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Proposition 4
An uncertain wait feels longer than a known
finite wait.
What to Do?
Be honest.
Examples At a doctors office, the nurse should
be honest about how long it will be until the
doctor will see you (especially if it not be at
the appointment time). If the nurse says that
the doctor is running 30 minutes late, you will
experience an initial annoyance but will soon
relax and accept the inevitable. When an aircraft
is delayed, the gate agent or pilot should be
honest about the length of a delay.
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Proposition 5
An unexplained wait feels longer than an
explained wait.
What to Do?
Explain early and update often.
Examples When an aircraft is delayed, the gate
agent or pilot should clearly explain the delay
and periodically update the situation. If a
doctor is running late with appointments at
his/her office, you will feel better if the nurse
explains that the doctor arrived late at the
office because an emergency surgery at the
hospital.
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Proposition 6
An unfair wait feels longer than a fair wait.
What to Do?
Select the next customers to be served using a
fair rules.
Examples FIFO at a banks tellers. Express
check-out (6 items or less) at a supermarket.
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Proposition 7
The more valuable a service, the longer a
customer will wait.
What to Do?
Differentiate customers. Improve speed at points
in the process where no value in being added.
Examples At an airport check-in counter, have
separate lines for passengers needing only a
seat, passengers checking baggage, and passengers
changing tickets. Checking out of a hotel using
TV. Disembarking from a airplane using front and
back exits.
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Proposition 8
Waiting alone feels longer than waiting in a
group.
What to Do?
Promote interaction among waiting customers.
Examples Two strangers sitting next to each
other while waiting to board an aircraft will not
speak to each other until after a delay is
announced in the flight.