The Effective Queue: A Psychological Perspective

In 1909, a Danish mathematician, statistician and engineer, Agner Krarup Erlang started an assignment that determined the queuing capacity of central telephone switches in Copenhagen, Denmark. His six years of research developed into what is called queuing theory and since then over 10,000 papers have been dedicated to the mathematical study of waiting lines which traditionally involves complex equations encompassing actual wait times and actual service times. The psychological aspects of queuing weren’t notably addressed until New York City’s post World War II building boom. During this time period, high-rise buildings were being erected for living spaces as well as places of work. It wasn’t long before people found themselves facing rush hour at elevators the same as they did at buses and subways. Building owners began getting inundated with complaints of the waiting lines, but adding new elevator shafts to accommodate the influx of people during rush hour was simply not an option.

Soon, queue theorists stopped asking, “How do we reduce the waits?” and started asking, “How do we reduce the complaints about the waits?” The answer revealed itself: let’s entertain the waiting people! The elevator dilemma was solved with the addition of floor to ceiling mirrors located right next to the elevators. Complaints dropped dramatically as people started discreetly looking at themselves and each other in the mirrors, occupying their time, and ultimately forgetting the wait at hand. This tactic is still used today with positive results. Another well-known advancement in queuing psychology occurred when Manhattan Savings Bank sought out a diversion for customers who flocked to the bank during their lunch hours creating incredibly long waits. The solution was a concert pianist playing from 11:30am until 2:00pm each afternoon. People actually became delighted to wait in line and listen to the music. Pianos soon become the bank’s trademark.

Today’s Proponent of Queuing Psychology

In 1976, another gentleman unexpectedly began his career in queuing research. Today, he is known as Dr. Queue and is a professor at the Massachusetts’s Institute of Technology. Then, Richard Larson had set off with his family to buy his son his first bike, but the outcome was a waiting line he never forgot. Long story short, Larson’s trip to the store violated the first come, first served rule so blatantly it was undoubtedly unethical. Some customers were out the door in mere minutes while others were waiting for over an hour. Although Larson did wait his turn and bought the bike, he returned it a couple days later and pledged to never set foot in that store again, and the store lost a customer for life. This very incident lead Larson to eventually seek out funding from the National Science Foundation to study the psychology of queuing like no one had before. In 1977, his seminal paper, “The Psychology of Queuing and Social Justice,” was published with articles and interviews to follow in The New York Times, on radio and on network television.

Modern Queuing – Not Just a Numbers Game

To queue or not to queue is not really the question. In many of today’s environments it is inevitable. The real question is how a business deals with the psychological impact of their queues. Larson stresses that while “every queue poses problems, every queue is also a business opportunity that companies [must pay] attention to” and for any queue to work well, waiting customers must believe the wait is worth it.

What factors contribute to a customer’s perception of the waiting line?

Do they believe the queue is efficient? Do they believe the queue is fair? Do they believe the end of the line is approaching? Do they believe their time is being respected? The common word is “believe.” How the consumer feels about the wait is more important than the actual time spent waiting.

Conclusion

When planning a queue, businesses should consider both the psychology of queuing and the mathematical study of the waiting lines—but it’s the psychology that will make the biggest difference. Take applied queuing psychology expert Disney, for example. Since 1955, visitors have paid money to voluntarily wait an hour for two minutes of entertainment. Where else can you imagine this scenario working? Bottom line: the psychology of queuing provides the business tools necessary to not only enhance the customers’ waiting experience, but to directly affect brand perception and a company’s bottom line. Resources: “New Research on the Theory of Waiting Lines” Presentation by Richard Larson, professor at the Massachusetts’s Institute of Technology MIT News - Avenue Queue: One long wait inspired career shift