The Case for Single Line Queuing

MAKE IT A SINGLE THE CASE FOR SINGLE LINE QUEUING "WAITING ISs FRUSTRATING, DEMORALIZING, AGONIZING, AGGRAVATING, ANNOYING, TIME CONSUMING AND INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE." -FEDEX ADVERTISEMENT CUSTOMER POPULATION SERVICE SYSTEM THE QUEUING CHALLENGE THE WAITING LINE SYSTEM BOOST ENHANCE REDUCE WAIT TIMES EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY THE CUSTOMER FINITE NUMBER OF WAITING LINES EXPERIENCE OR NUMBER OF SERVERS INFINITE SERVER ARRANGEMENT ARRIVAL & SERVICE PATTERNS SERVICE PRIORITY RULES 66 THE AVERAGE AMERICAN CAN SPEND DAYS WAITING IN LINE 912 OVER A LIFETIME. HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN WAITING? -WIKIANSWERS RENEGING [ri-nig-ing] verb Customer enters the waiting line but leaves before being serviced BALKING [bawk-ing] verb Customer refuses to enter a waiting line due to perceived long wait or slow service ACTUAL TIME PERCEIVED TIME DETERMINED BY.. CUSTOMERS OVER-ESTIMATE JOCKEYING [jok-ee-ing) verb THEIR WAIT TIME BY UP TO Customer changes from one line to another trying to reduce wait time Number of people ahead Number of servers/agents Service time per customer 50% OR MORE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS SINGLE LINE QUEUE MULTIPLE LINE QUEUE Vs SHORTER AVERAGE WAIT TIMES ALLOWS DIFFERENTIATED SERVICES FAIRNESS (FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED) ALLOWS LABOR DIFFERENTIATION ELIMINATES STRESS OVER CHOOSING GIVES CUSTOMER GREATER FLEXIBILITY THE "RIGHT LINE" DETERS "BALKING" BEHAVIOR AVOIDS LINE SWITCHING (JOCKEYING) GREATLY REDUCES "SWEETHEARTING" S WITH MULTIPLE LINE QUEUES YOU STAND A CHANCE OF BEING A BIG WINNER. YOU ALSO STAND A CHANCE OF BEING A BIG LOSER. -RICHARD LARSON, QUEUE SCIENCE EXPERT IT'S LESS STRESSFUL IT'S FAIRER IT'S MORE ORDERLY IT'S FASTER No Worry Over Choosing the "Right Line" First Come, First Served One Clear Line Shorter Average Wait Times GET SERPENTINE WITH IT Lavi Industries www.LAVI.COM Download Our Guide to Queue Management. Visit http://lp.lavi.com/queue-management-guide Sources: Larson's 1988 study at a downtown Boston bank | 1997 study of two Sacramento supermarkets co-authored by Gail Tom | WikiAnswers COMPARING YOUR OPTIONS