It’s official. I hate running errands. But what I dislike even more is waiting in line. Today I visited four locations and had to wait in long queues at each one. Unfortunately, it seems that more and more businesses are struggling to manage customer check-ins and wait times. It’s all so frustrating. And to be honest, I think most customers have had enough.
When waiting in line ruins your day
I’m writing today because I want to share my experience as a waiting customer. I hope that my story will provide a few helpful tips for businesses looking to eliminate unnecessary lines and frustrating waitlists. What could have been a simple day running errands turned out to be full of anxiety and frustration. Surely there’s a better way?
Stop 1: the vet
Waiting in a long line is one thing, but staying with a sick pet is, quite frankly, a horrible idea - even for a veterinary clinic. The thing is, if I had known the doctors were running behind schedule, I would have happily waited in my car, where my dog was reasonably comfortable. But there was no communication. Instead, I arrived on time and had to remain in the lobby with a handful of equally sick and restless pets and their irritated owners.
If this wasn’t enough, two dogs started fighting, and nobody knew what to do. By the time they called my name, I had waited 45 extra minutes in a highly stressful situation. When your pet is already sick, stress only makes it worse.
Stop 2: the DMV
Next up was the DMV. While everybody (including myself) knows to expect long lines at the DMV, that didn’t make my second stop any less inconvenient. Understandably, the pandemic has created some chinks in the customer service chain. Believe it or not, we (customers) do get it. But businesses have enough time to figure it out.
I mean, a numbered ticket printed on a piece of paper doesn’t cut it if you’re already disorganized. Then, the person in front of me lost their ticket and got angry. At this point, I had already waited more than 30 minutes. What a headache.
Stop 3: The dispensary
If I had been thinking about it, I would have stopped here first. At least the rest of the day would have been a little bit more bearable. But I didn’t. For those of you that visit dispensaries regularly, you will know it’s not uncommon for the line to wrap around the building. Today was no different.
Even though I ordered online and got a confirmation through SMS, I still had to wait in line to pay for over an hour. My question is, why aren’t these businesses finding active solutions? Until they do, I will go elsewhere.
Stop 4: The restaurant
At the end of a long day, a nice dinner is a perfect way to decompress. Unless, of course, there’s a long line there too! So much for a relaxing meal.
In the restaurant industry, long lines and wait times are the easiest way to lose a customer. It’s unacceptable. When people are hungry, they need to eat. If wait times do occur, at least have a system set in place that warns customers before it’s too late. It’s not rocket science.
A digital waitlist goes a long way
As a customer, a lot of my frustration could have been easily prevented if the businesses had basic queue management systems in place. Waitlist apps and virtual waiting rooms are not only the future, they are the heavily preferred method of waiting for many customers.
I wrote the article to spread the word about waitlist apps and share how virtual waitlist software can boost your business. The smoother your customer intake is, the more impressed customers are with your business. As a result, they’re more likely to recommend you to others and keep coming back.
