Do Your Customers Hate Waiting in a Queue?

Still on the topic of knowledge brokering... McKinsey Quarterly gives some interesting examples of "a systematic approach to seeking external ideas from people in a variety of industries, disciplines, and contexts and then of combining the resulting lessons in new ways." That is, don't just think outside the box... look outside the box.

The McKinsey article describe a UK bank which spoke to experts in traffic management, theme parks and groceries. The bank wanted to reduce complaints from customers about long times spent waiting in bank queues.

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Disney theme park managers suggested that customers could make appointments, rather than just wait in a line. You could extend that idea: use the internet, allow customers to book an appointment through your online diary. Mind you, you had better be available on time!

Of course there is a risk. Customers may recognise that you don't really want them in your office. They may change from your business, to one where there are enough counter staff to provide real service.

Disney also pointed out that customers really hate to see how long a queue they are in... So design the customer area with several queues -- out of sight of each other.

In other words, hide the problem. Hide the problem from the customer, anyway. After all, it is only the customers who complain about those long queues.

Tesco introduced the bank to "dynamic queuing", where back-office staff become front-counter tellers when there are customers waiting. You can see that in action at places like the Herdsman, where checkout staff appear and disappear as customer queues come and go.

This seems to be an idea which really attempts to solve the problem: customers want service, provide enough staff to give good service. Specifically... deal with customers when they are there. Deal with routine work when there are no waiting customers. (I will also be suggesting dynamic queuing in hospitals, in a later posting.) Of course, if routine work is more important that customers... well... perhaps you should not be running a business.

Getting ideas and advice from a range of external experts is -- in the latest management jargon -- knowledge brokering. It's a great idea. Be careful that you select solutions that solve your actual problem.

Independent thinking & independent analysis of your problems by Agamedes Consulting. Support for your thought: email nick leth at gmail dot com