Enjoyable queuing and waiting time

Abstract

Time theory studies abstractly argue that, depending on the customer experience, time spent waiting may be positive, negative, or even neutral, and it can affect the perceived passing of time and enjoyment of the overall customer experience. However, a company can manipulate customer perceptions of waiting time. Positive perceptions of waiting time can then be used for marketing purposes. Customer perceptions of waiting time can be reduced by making the queuing process enjoyable, by improving the waiting environment, and by making promotional activities enjoyable. To validate the aforementioned factors and develop the enjoyable queuing model, this study surveyed 1571 customers queuing at service companies in Taiwan, including 409 customers of upscale restaurants, 430 customers of restaurants, 439 customers of food stands, and 293 customers queuing at consumer electronics shops to purchase newly released iPhones. The applicability of the enjoyable queuing model was evaluated by partial least squares structural equation modeling, and group differences were evaluated by partial least squares multi-group analysis. The analytical results for each case and managerial implications are presented.