Queues. We hate them. Yet lining up has become a reality that we have come to expect when shopping in retail stores. However, there are queues and then there are queues. What happens when stores fail to confine their lines to a reasonable level?
Put simply, customers get PISSED OFF when they are stuck waiting in line! There are few things people hate more than having their time wasted. Yet what is particularly fascinating about queuing is that it is the last thing that customers do before exiting the store, and therefore queues strongly influences a customer’s last impression. So it is bemusing that companies often focus so heavily on customer service interactions within the store only to have all the good work undone in a clogged up line.
There are two simple solutions. The first is to actually invest more heavily in resources to reduce queue sizes. However, sometimes, especially in peak periods, large queues are inevitable. This leads to the second simple solution: if customers do not like queues because they feel like their time is being wasted, then find a way to occupy customers’ time whilst they queue. Avoid having customers staring blankly at the person in front of them, occasionally looking up to assess the speed of the current transaction being put through at the counter. Just like waiting for the kettle to boil or watching a clock tick, everything becomes SLOWER! Instead, here are a few tips to keep customers satisfied.
- TVS. Choose channels less reliant on sound. Sport is a good option
- Display “novel” products near the counter that capture attention. Not only will customers have the perception that they are still shopping rather than being stuck in line, but the store may just sell more too!
- Provide water- It costs next to nothing to purchase water dispensers, so why do stores not provide free water to their customers?
- Talk! So long as staff are available, talk to customers as they are lining up. The power of conversation as a distraction should not be underestimated.