It's not the time, it's the uncertainty
Unexplained waits feel longer than explained ones. Tell people the wait and they calm down. Read perceived wait time.
Fairness matters
A first-in-first-out queue feels fair and is tolerated. An opaque one feels cheating. See queue psychology explained.
Boredom and crowding
Standing with nothing to do in a crowd is the worst case. Let customers sit, browse, wait elsewhere. Read reducing walkaways and the customer waiting experience pillar.
Fix it with features, pricing, industries, or book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
Do customers hate all waiting?+
No—explained, fair waits with something to do are tolerated well. It's uncertain, unfair, idle waits they hate.
Does music really shorten perceived wait?+
Mildly. Information and progress move perceived wait far more.