What is waiting time management?

The waiting line management is a critical part of service industry. It deals with issue of treatment of customers in sense reduce wait time and improvement of service. Waiting line management deals with cases where the customer arrival is random; therefore, service rendered to them is also random. A service organization can reduce cost and thus improve profitability by efficient waiting line management. A cost is associated with customer waiting in line and there is cost associated with adding new counters to reduce service time. 

When you are who provide services, it is very important to manage waiting time, which is organizing the customers time to reduce the spent time waiting for their service 

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6 Strategies for Managing Customer Wait Times

1.  Employee Training

Employees on the front-line are the ones who can help make a great customer experience.  Employees need to be trained and equipped on how to manage customers, communicate information and resolve issues. Well-trained employees can help turn a negative customer experience into a positive one.

2.  Set the Expectation

Setting the expectation for the length of a wait psychologically prepares the customer and gives the customer options.  If we had been told that we would have an hour plus wait, we probably would have gone and gotten something to eat, taken a walk or gone next door to shop.  It is only common courtesy to give people a heads up when the wait will be extra long.

3.  Communicate with the Customer

Things happen and delays are inevitable – and most customers are understanding and forgiving.  That is why giving the customer an idea about how long the wait will be, accompanied by an apology, goes a long way in showing respect for the customer and their time.

4.  Pleasant Waiting Area

Reception areas and waiting rooms should be clean, well maintained and aesthetically pleasing.  If someone is waiting on a service they should at least have a comfortable place to wait.  Crowded and noisy waiting rooms can agitate customers and not prepare them well for a good service experience.  Waiting rooms should be able to accommodate more people than would be waiting at any one time. People don’t like to have to look for a seat and customers often “spread” out – so having plenty of seating is important.

5.  Provide Distractions

Typical waiting room distractions are magazines and sometimes television but it is important that the magazines are current and that the television is on an appropriate channel for the clientele.  My dentist does a great job with this in that they keep the TV on but have it muted with scrolling text on it, pleasant smelling candles lit and comfortable furniture to sit on.  It is also a great idea to have activities for small children if kids are expected to be waiting with parents.  My kids orthodontist had video games in the waiting room to distract the kids.

6.  Service Recovery

As with any bad customer experience, employees should be equipped to perform service recoveryand make things right for the customer.  This can be as simple as a heart-felt apology to as complex as writing off part or all of a bill.  For example, I’ve had restaurants write off a portion of the bill for long waits or poor food quality.

 

Too often organizations get so wrapped up in “performing a service” that they lose sight of the service experience. Now might be a good time to assess your service through the eyes of the customer and make adjustments to ensure that they have an experience that not only meets their needs but exceeds their expectations.

- See more at: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/customer-wait-times-6-strategies-manage-waiting-customers#sthash.xOXsn1ml.dpuf

This falls under QMS - Queuing Management System. This is part of customer management system. World over encouraging the customer to HELP US TO SERVE YOU BETTER OR FASTER didn't yield fruitful result. This is a challenge for automotive industry.

 

We have come up with Digital Display of Queuing Managment System. The customer data and vehicle data are anyway available in the DMS. DD picks up the both data, the moment the vehicle passess through Security Gate in. Well before the vehicle reaches receiving area of the Reception, the DD will display will show who brought what and when. This will guide the Receptionists/Service Advisors to give priority. The DD distinguish the appointment customer among walk-in. Walk-in customers witnesses and realise the priroity treatment given to ACs. This is one way  of making customers to realise the ground reality and our appointment ratio has gone up to%. Free WiFi is another Value Addition to waiting customers in the waiting customers lounge, to keep his / her engagement with outside world connected.

 

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