Assignment # 1

Submitted To: Dr Hassan Farid Khan

Submitted By: Hamza Aslam

Reg No: 70098113

Section: A

Subject: Operations Management

Semester: 8th

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

THE UNIVERSITY OF LAHORE
Report on Waiting – Line Management of indigenous industry

Introduction of Waiting – Line Management:

Waiting line management, also known as queuing theory, is a branch of operations management
that focuses on the study of waiting lines or queues. It is concerned with understanding the
behavior and characteristics of waiting lines and developing strategies to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of queue systems. Waiting line management is an important aspect of service
industries such as health care, transportation, retail, and banking, where customers often have to
wait in line to receive service.

Indigenous Industry Background:

The indigenous industry chosen for this report is a local manufacturing company that produces
handmade crafts and accessories using traditional techniques. The company has a loyal customer
base and attracts many tourists who are interested in purchasing authentic indigenous products.

Improving the Waiting Experience:

While the queuing system and customer service strategies are effective, there are still
opportunities to improve the waiting experience for customers. One approach could be to
implement a virtual queuing system, where customers can register for a place in the queue
through an online portal or mobile app. This would reduce the time customers spend waiting in
line and allow them to explore the store or nearby attractions while they wait.

Queuing System:
The company employs a single-line queuing system, where customers are served in the order in
which they arrive. The queue starts at the entrance of the store, and customers are directed
towards the cashier as soon as an available counter becomes available. The average waiting time
in the queue is around five minutes, which is considered reasonable by customers.
Customer Service Strategies:
The company places a strong emphasis on providing excellent customer service to ensure
customer satisfaction and loyalty. The sales staff is trained to greet customers with a smile and
engage them in conversation to understand their needs and preferences. The staff is also
knowledgeable about the products and provides recommendations based on the customer's
requirements.

Waiting Line Management in any Industry

“The queuing aspect” and “improve the customer service situation” both sound good, but also
vague enough. Something a snake oil salesman would say. So let’s get down to specifics.
Namely, what kind of benefits a queuing solution can bring your business.

Increase customer loyalty:

In our modern age, where retaining a customer is more cost-efficient than getting a new one,
customer loyalty is an important talking point. Considering that nowadays, customers tend to be
more selective and are not afraid of switching to a new brand, your have to make sure your
customers like the experience they’re getting.

Even the smallest details matter. Long waiting time may not have been a deal-breaker a few
decades ago, but now reducing wait time plays a major role in building positive customer
experience. Things like expected wait, queue length, and wait time to service time ratio are what
makes or break a business. Basic math suggests that less time spent waiting equals more time
spent shopping. Even when it doesn’t affect shopping habits of your customers, it makes them
leave in good mood. The last moments we spend at a counter are the most crucial. A customer
decides whether he enjoyed the overall shopping experience or not.
No amount of additional customer service afterwards trumps the first impression. By creating a
better shopping experience, queuing solutions help your business turn visitors into loyal
customers. A loyal customer does not only visit your business more often but also tends to
purchase more. In short, loyal customers are the backbone of success, and a queuing solutions
helps you get them more easily.
Gather customer data:
Queuing solutions do not only help you improve your business right now, they also help you
improve it in the future. And they do so with the help of customer data. You don’t have to hire
and train additional staff or install special sensors to get accurate footfall metrics. A queuing
solution doubles as a people counting solution.

Since a queue system automatically keeps track of all signed-up customers, you get easy access
to the number of visitors, queue demand, and wait times. In other words, a queue system helps
you generate detailed, real-time retail analytics:
 The number of visitors.
 The number of no-shows.
 Identify areas with low/high footfall.
 Discover wait, idle, and service times.
The hard numbers gathered and processed by a queuing solutions helps your business to take
advantage of sales opportunities and further improve your service. The ability to compare the
current data to its past counterpart helps you understand whether you’re moving in the right
direction.

Efficient use of staff:

You have to understand that managing visitors is a lot of work. Greeting them, signing them up,
showing them directions — that’s a lot of time spent for every visitor. When you multiply this
amount by the number of daily visitors, it becomes apparent just how much time is wasted on
something that could be automated.

Conclusion:
The waiting-line management of the indigenous industry analyzed in this report appears to be
effective, with a reasonable waiting time and strong customer service strategies in place.
However, there are still opportunities to improve the waiting experience for customers, such as
implementing a virtual queuing system or providing entertainment and educational materials. By
continually reviewing and refining their waiting-line management strategies, the company can
ensure that they provide an exceptional customer experience and maintain their competitive edge
in the market.