Survey Sees Need for Speed at Checkouts
Another day, another study with conclusions that anyone knowing who paid for it could have safely predicted. In this case, a survey of 2000 people conducted by Barclays Bank and published by the BBC found 68 percent of U.K. participants had abandoned a queue at one time or another.
Apparently more than two-thirds abandoned the checkout line because it was taking too long to be served. Complaints primarily focused on either too few staff at the counter or employees spending too much time with customers. Other customers also came in for criticism for taking "too long to find their cash, cards or check books."
Eliminating staff "would speed things up," according to Barclays' assessment.
"By embracing technology and installing new payments systems, such as contactless, retailers will stay ahead of the curve and limit the amount of time that people are waiting in shop queues," said Stuart Neal at Barclaycard, told BBC News.
Barclays suggested "a third of retailers actually move their tills to hide the queues." This recommendation supports the revelation that some people refuse to even enter a store if they know they will have to wait.
While many retailers are struggling for business and desperately trying to increase footfall, merchants are also struggling not to lose sales because they have attracted too many customers.
Retail consultant Claire Rayner told BBC News, "An enormous amount of time and effort is invested to put in place labor-scheduling systems to ensure staff are available to call to open tills ... but the problem arises when all the tills are open and the place is still heaving."
Terry Green, whose firm, Qmatic, designed systems used in U.K. post offices, suggested using a single line for channeling shoppers into the next available line. The key, he said, to customer satisfaction is managing expectations. "Those kinds of systems which give you feedback, that tell you that service is progressing, make the queue 'sticky' and stop people walking away."
Discussion Question: What are the most effective methods for reducing the amount of time consumers spend on the checkout line?