Embracing a Queue-Without-the-Queue

Businesses and customers alike have bought into the idea that waiting lines are a necessary evil. There is really no choice but to arrange physical queues and find ways to make the standing-in-line more tolerable. The queue is never a “free for all.” It’s always well organized and well planned.

But what if it was a free for all? Not in the unorganized or un-planned sense, but what if people didn’t really have to wait in a physical line? A growing number of companies have asked themselves this very question. And they’ve gone the way of virtual queuing.

What Is Virtual Queuing?

Virtual queuing is, simply enough, the process of waiting in line without actually waiting in a line. A virtual queue uses technology to allow people to register for their spot in line at a kiosk or via a computer or mobile device and wait to be called to an open service point.

Once a customer registers, they can receive a printed ticket or on-screen notification about their estimated wait time, and can indicate their preferred method to be notified about their turn. For many, these days, it’s text message.

And with that, the queue is gone.

With virtual queuing, customers are free to get other things done, whether shopping, checking email, reading a book, or just putting their feet up while they wait. Businesses who turn to virtual queuing believe it improves the customer’s experience by reducing perceived and actual wait times through increased service efficiency.

Virtual queuing is also touted for effectively dispersing waiting crowds and creating a more pleasant environment overall.

Can your queue go virtual?

In an age where many business processes and services are transforming through the use of technology, it’s interesting to consider the many uses of virtual queuing. Could it be used to cut down on movie theatre ticket lines? How about lines for photos with Santa Claus around the holidays? Coffee shops? Product returns? How might a virtual queue be used in your business to turn an otherwise torturous or uncomfortable waiting experience into something more positive?

Embracing a Queue-Without-the-Queue