Changing Perception: Simple Ways to Improve Your Customers’ Waiting Experience

How to improve customers’ in-person waiting experience

Improving the waiting experience doesn’t have to be a time or labor-intensive process. In fact, just a little thoughtfulness can make a big impact, according to Tim Heneveld, country director for PERGOLUX in North America. “Done right, the wait can be a positive thing for the user experience,” Heneveld said.

Here are five tips for upgrading your reception area and making waiting a more positive experience for your customers.

1. Provide entertainment to engage waiting customers.

Distraction is an excellent way to keep your clients from fretting about wait times. Outfit your waiting area with amenities to keep them engaged so they’re not watching the clock. Here are some tips:

• Mix up your entertainment offerings. You don’t want to force specific TV programming on every customer. Not all of them want to watch the news or sports. You can easily solve this problem by varying your offerings. For example, invest in multiple monitors or use a system like Samsung’s Smart Signage TV, which allows you to create diverse, custom entertainment lineups.
• Provide Wi-Fi. Most people in your reception area will have a mobile device, and some may want to use a laptop. Make it easy for them to get online by setting up a business-grade Wi-Fi network. If you already offer cable TV, it’s relatively easy to add internet to your existing package. Don’t forget to post the guest network name and password prominently so customers don’t have to hunt for it.
• Diversify print subscriptions. All businesses have varying types of clients with different preferences. Make each demographic feel welcome by providing a robust selection of magazines. Include beauty, fashion, sports, news, automotive, travel, cooking and home design options. If people bring children with them, include reading material for youngsters.

2. Offer personal services to make waiting more comfortable.

Just because a customer is in a waiting area doesn’t mean they have to feel lost in the shuffle. Amenities that cater to customer comfort go a long way toward letting your clients know how valued they are. Here are some tips for making waiting more comfortable:

• Put out a spread. Waiting times feel much less oppressive with a hot coffee or a healthy snack. A spread doesn’t have to be over the top to make a good impression. A selection of coffee, tea, fruit drinks and water accompanied by fresh fruit, granola bars or prepackaged nuts is enough to help ease the pain of waiting.
• Offer charging stations. Show your customers you care by providing charging stations for mobile devices and laptops. If they can use their waiting time to catch up on work emails or plan their home remodel on Pinterest, they might view their long wait as valuable personal time instead of an inconvenience.
• Provide stress relief. Waiting increases stress levels, especially if the service provided could significantly affect customers’ health or finances. Transform your waiting area into a relaxing experience by providing calming aromatherapy or massage chairs. A mere 10 minutes in a massage chair might melt away the waiting-room angst.

3. Communicate with waiting customers to minimize frustration.

Letting customers know how long they can expect to wait can minimize frustration. Stepping up your communication with customers significantly improves waiting-room attitudes.

Here are a few ways to accomplish this:

• Use technology. Sometimes, unforeseen events affect wait times. Leading with transparency in your communication can ease frustration and build customer trust. Consider using text messages to update customers about wait times and to set realistic expectations. From emergency rooms to restaurants, businesses are embracing the use of text messaging for customer service to improve communication and trust.
• Give advance notice. Perception is a key factor in wait-time dissatisfaction. Instead of waiting until a client arrives in your office, let them know their expected wait time when you confirm their appointment. If you can manage the logistics, send people a wait-time update via SMS messaging on their appointment day. This can go a long way toward alleviating wait-time frustration.
• Be willing to apologize. Most customers will overlook a long wait time if you apologize for the inconvenience. Saying “I’m sorry” might be all you need to do to show your customers how much you care. “Clear, honest updates go a long way,” Heneveld said. “People are patient when they feel like they’re being treated with respect.”

4. Create a pleasant atmosphere for waiting customers.

Your waiting-room ambiance matters. A welcoming reception area can do wonders for your customers’ moods. Consider the following tips:

• Don’t skimp on comfort. Waiting is bad enough, but sitting on an uncomfortable chair or sofa while doing so is even worse. Test out your waiting area furniture. If you can’t sit on it comfortably for at least 30 minutes, keep shopping.
• Make it swanky. You don’t need to spend a fortune on an elite interior decorator, but using the right colors, lighting and artwork will put your customers at ease. Instead of industrial features, like fluorescent bulbs and lifeless gray tones, opt for soothing and thoughtfully selected decor. Bringing plants or greenery into your room can add to the peaceful environment. Additionally, don’t let your waiting-room furniture live past its expiration date. As soon as things start to look shabby, stained or worn out, start shopping for replacements.
• Design with flow in mind. According to Kevin Ledversis, vice president of sales at Newcastle Systems, poor line or traffic flow is a common oversight in the customer waiting experience. “If customers are standing in an awkward spot, bumping into displays or unsure where to go next, that confusion adds to their frustration,” he explained. “A lack of signage or staff direction can make a short wait feel chaotic.”

5. Use your resources wisely.

Effective resource management — with respect to your people, your systems and your inventory — is crucial to streamlining your processes and thereby reducing unnecessary downtime. Here are just a few areas to keep in mind.

• Optimize your inventory and processes. “No amount of communication can mask an inefficient operation,” said Georgia Leybourne, chief marketing officer at Linnworks. She recommended that businesses with goods/products prioritize centralized, real-time inventory control. Additionally, businesses of all kinds should consider auditing their processes, finding inefficiencies and adjusting accordingly.
• Invest in the right technology. Ledversis recommended businesses invest in tools that empower staff to do their jobs more efficiently, such as mobile-powered workstations or POS systems. “With [these], employees can come to the customer — whether it’s to check them out faster, answer questions or help them find what they need,” he added. “It shortens the perceived wait and shows attentiveness.”
• Consider self-service tools. Check-in kiosks, self-checkout stations and other self-service tools don’t just help customers feel more in control of their experience; they also free up time for your employees to handle valuable backend and customer-facing tasks.

What not to do when customers are waiting

When it comes to excellent customer service, it’s just as important to know what not to do as it is to focus on what to do. “Customer satisfaction truly begins when they receive their goods,” Leybourne said. “Anything prior to that is your promise … [and] any divergence from that promise will mar the experience, impact their satisfaction and potentially diminish their loyalty. This is mainly because negative experiences make a bigger impact than positive ones; it’s human nature.”

To avoid creating that negative experience, watch out for these common customer service mistakes:

• Acting annoyed or defensive. If a customer asks you how much longer they’ll have to wait, the worst thing you can do is act annoyed or defensive. Resist the urge to rationalize long wait times. Instead, apologize for the wait and tell them you’ll get to them as soon as possible.
• Ignoring your customers. Don’t ignore your customers or avoid their impatient gazes. Be aware of how long they’ve been waiting, and occasionally provide updates on how much longer they can expect to wait.
• Not allowing customers to leave. If customers must wait more than 30 minutes, give them the option to leave and return. This is where technology can be helpful. For example, tell your customers they’re free to leave and run errands, and you’ll text them when they need to return. 

How virtual waiting rooms impact customers

Many service-based businesses ceased or reduced in-person operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. To accommodate shifts to remote models, many businesses adopted virtual waiting rooms to streamline processes and manage customer expectations. As you might expect, virtual waiting rooms have had a positive impact on customers, and many businesses continue to use them even post-pandemic to facilitate online experiences.

With a virtual waiting room, customers can often see how many people are ahead of them in line, which can reduce their stress levels. Virtual waiting rooms make it easier to provide estimated wait times for customers. Virtual waiting rooms also provide valuable data for businesses. For example, if you notice that customer demand is higher on specific days, you can adjust your staffing levels accordingly. 

Why customers’ waiting experience matters

The customer waiting experience sets the tone for the entire interaction someone has with your business, Ledveris explained. “No one likes to feel like their time isn’t valued, especially in today’s fast-paced world,” he said. “When customers walk into a store or stand in a line, the clock starts ticking — and every second matters.”

Here are a few reasons why providing a good customer waiting experience matters for your bottom line:

• A good waiting experience improves your reputation. If customers spend an inordinate amount of time waiting, their perception of your service will plummet. In comparison, companies that provide a fast and efficient waiting experience improve the perceived value of their service. This leads to an improved reputation that fosters repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations.
• A good waiting experience prompts positive reviews. Customers don’t forget about bad experiences once they leave your business. Some will leave a negative online review, scaring away potential customers. However, a good experience can prompt positive reviews that serve as excellent free marketing and social proof.
• A good waiting experience encourages more sales. People who have had a negative experience with your business aren’t likely to return or refer you to others. However, a good waiting experience leaves customers with positive feelings about your company. “If you can reduce friction and make [customers] feel seen and helped quickly, you’re not just completing a sale but also building loyalty,” Ledversis said. “They’re more likely to return, and just as importantly, they’re more likely to tell others about that positive experience.”
• A good waiting experience sets you apart from the competition. Providing a positive waiting experience is an excellent way to differentiate your business from its competitors. It’s particularly helpful if you work in an industry where waiting is expected, like restaurants or healthcare.

Waiting doesn’t have to be a chore

Waiting may be a necessary evil, but it doesn’t have to be a chore for your customers. Incorporate some of these ideas to help enhance your waiting-room experience, and you’ll turn frustrated consumers into loyal customers who are happy to refer your business to others.

Danielle Fallon-O’Leary contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.