Classic wait time estimation
Classic wait time estimate method calculates the estimated wait time based on your input, such as how long it takes to serve each individual guest and the cumulative time required to assist everyone currently in line. The accuracy of the estimate depends heavily on the service duration you define, as it plays the most critical role in determining wait times. When using Classic wait time estimation, it’s essential to configure the settings correctly to achieve accurate predictions.
This approach is highly flexible, allowing you to incorporate various operational factors, including:
Business and staffing hours
Number of active staff or servers
Current customers being served
Buffer times between appointments or visits
Service type and complexity
Impact of party size (group size)
Individual speed of resources
With these configurable elements, Classic estimation offers a simple yet adaptable framework to reflect your specific queue dynamics and deliver a realistic wait time prediction.
When to use Classic wait time estimation
Dynamic and Real-Time Operations:
If your wait times fluctuate frequently due to unpredictable factors like varying service speeds or staff availability.
Classic estimation analyzes historical data and current conditions to predict wait times more accurately.
Multiple Service Types or Staff Handling:
If you offer different services with varying durations (e.g., haircuts vs. consultations), intelligent estimation can account for these variables.
Complex Resource Allocation:
If multiple staff members or resources need to manage queues or if there are dependencies (e.g., different staff for different service types).
Minimizing Customer Drop-off:
Since it gives more accurate and dynamic estimates, this method can help reduce frustration from inaccurate wait times and improve the customer experience.
How to enable Classic wait time estimation
Under Estimation model, click the toggle button that says Classic
Under Visit duration select either Historical or Manual duration
Historical: Estimate the current wait time based on visit history. This works best when you have 50 logged visits or more.
Manual: Inherit the visit duration from the customers selected service(s). Remember to set a fallback duration in case a service duration is missing
Click Save
Note: Manual configuration of your Serve capacity will be disabled if Resources are enabled.
Configurations that could affect wait times
Service duration: Whether you offer one (1) or multiple services, make sure to set-up your service durations so that Waitwhile can accurately predict wait times for your customers. Check your service durations
Serve capacity: Whether you are using Resources to dynamically determine your serve capacity or configuring it manually, it is critical to ensure this is configured correctly to provide accurate wait times to your customers.
Resource speed: You have the option to increase or decrease the speed of individual resources taking into account those that are most effective or new or training on the job. This will affect wait times for customers so double check your configurations. Check your resource speeds
Resource availability: Resource availability whether it is set manually or using “Available hours” impacts the number of resources available to serve customers. Additionally, if a customer is assigned to a specific resource that is not available, their wait time will account for the time until the resource is available again. Check your resource availability
Have additional questions or need assistance? Reach out to us via chat or at support@waitwhile.com.