The Albany Gazette - New Study: Consumer Frustration with Lines Skyrockets by 126%, Driving Customers Away from Businesses

Waitwhile's "State of Waiting in Line 2024" highlights the impact of growing service expectations on business performance and customer loyalty

Waitwhile, the top-rated, cloud-based solution for customizable queue management and appointment scheduling, today announced the release of The State of Waiting in Line 2024. Now in its third year, this study examines the persistence of long lines, growing consumer frustration, and the resulting impact on businesses. As customer expectations for speed and convenience continue to rise, the findings reveal that physical queues remain a significant barrier to customer satisfaction and loyalty, with frustration levels increasing by a staggering 126% year-over-year.

The report highlights the substantial cost of waiting lines for businesses: 80% of consumers actively avoid businesses with lines, and nearly 40% of those customers either choose a competitor or abandon their purchase altogether.

For the third consecutive year, retail tops the list of industries where customers spend the most time queuing up. Waiting is four times more common in retail than in any other industry - more than at restaurants, pharmacies, and banks combined. Waitwhile found that wait times in retail have surged 61% since 2022 and 22% since 2023. This has led to significant dissatisfaction, with 43% of consumers reporting lower satisfaction with businesses reliant on physical queues. For retailers, these delays translate into lost revenue and diminished loyalty, underscoring the need to implement solutions that streamline customer experiences.

"The data is clear: time is one of the most valuable assets to today's customers, and technology has reshaped our expectations for instant gratification," said Christoffer Klemming, CEO and Co-Founder of Waitwhile. "To stay competitive, brands must prioritize creating meaningful in-person experiences and delivering superior service. By embracing solutions like virtual queues and appointment scheduling, companies can meet rising demands for speed and convenience, transforming waiting into a moment of engagement that fosters loyalty and drives business growth."

Key Findings from the Study:

• Consumer frustration is surging: Frustration with waiting in line has risen 126% year-over-year, reflecting heightened expectations for instant service in a tech-driven world.

• Physical lines hurt businesses: 80% of consumers avoid businesses with lines, and nearly 40% choose a competitor or abandon their purchase entirely.

• Retail leads the way for wait times: Retail customers spend more time waiting in line than in any other industry, and wait times in retail have increased by 61% since 2022.

• Demand for alternatives is growing: 52% of consumers prefer virtual queues, and 54% are willing to wait longer in a virtual queue than in a physical one.

• Virtual queues drive revenue: More than 40% of consumers continue shopping or browsing while waiting in a virtual queue, turning idle time into sales opportunities.

To access the research and to learn more about the methodology for The State of Waiting 2024, please visit https://waitwhile.com/blog/consumer-survey-waiting-in-line-2024

About Waitwhile

Waitwhile is a fully customizable, cloud-based platform that empowers businesses to deliver exceptional customer experiences through efficient waitlist management, streamlined appointments, instant messaging, and powerful analytics - across one or multiple locations. Guests can easily join queues and schedule appointments while monitoring their status in real time from anywhere, and businesses benefit from a system that reduces wait times, optimizes resources, and enhances operations with smart automation.

Leading brands and organizations like Best Buy, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Ace Hardware, Applebee's, Gojek, Oklahoma State University, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs rely on Waitwhile to simplify queue management, enhance appointment scheduling, support personalized clienteling, and streamline workflows. Built to meet unique business needs, Waitwhile is easy to configure, integrates seamlessly with existing systems via a robust API, and offers extensive documentation for effortless implementation.

From retail and healthcare to education and government services, Waitwhile is trusted by thousands of companies worldwide and has saved 250 million people 50,000 years of waiting.

Media Contact

Megan Leer
[email protected]

SOURCE: Waitwhile

(C.Young--TAG)