Strategies For Keeping Shoppers Engaged During Wait Times

Waiting is one of the worst experiences there is for customers. But not always. Why are some waits intolerable, while others are bearable or even better? Please share your examples of the best and worst waiting experiences in the comments. ⏲ Unattended vs. attended waits. 📉 Unattended waits are a bad #customerexperience. 📈 Attended waits are fine or even better parts of #CX. ❓ What's the difference between the two? Unattended waits are: 💡 Any time spent waiting when both the duration and the purpose of the wait are unclear, and the person waiting has not been acknowledged. You want to eliminate or minimze unattended waits whenever you find them. How do you do that? Here are 4 ways to address the root causes of what makes unattendend waits so frustrating: 💠Let your customers know that you know that they are waiting. 🏨 Eye contact plus A quick one-minute gesture from an employee at the hotel front desk who is on the phone goes a long way with a customer. It lets them relax and switch into a more passive mode of attention, rather than staying vigilant, which is tiring and frustrating. 💠Give customers an estimate of how long the wait will be – the more accurate the better. 🚉 Countdown clocks on public transit have significantly diminished wait time frustration at a fraction of the cost of running more trains or buses. 🎧 Estimates of how long until the next customer service rep will be available do something similar. 💠Give customers options other than waiting. ☎ Can they call back later? ☎ Can you call them back later? Can they make an appointment or reservation for another day? These options won’t work or even be taken up by every customer, but they will push many waiting customers into better options. And the availability of these options signal to all customers that you value them and their time. 💠 Manage the perception of the wait. Give customers a comfortable place to wait, enough chairs in the waiting room, good WiFi, pleasant hold music, and the like. Make it clear that the wait is fair, there is one line, and one way to wait. Or make it so it doesn’t feel like waiting - occupying their time by filling out paperwork, or keeping busy in some other way that makes them forget the wait. Follow these four steps, and you can eliminate the negative emotions like uncertainty, doubt and feeling unappreciated that customers associate with waiting. 

In-person retail has found a way to fight back against e-commerce. Canada Goose is proving that the biggest mistake retailers make is rushing customers out the door, according to a WSJ article by Jennifer Williams. While most stores obsess over "efficiency" and quick transactions, Canada Goose is doing something counterintuitive: they're adding VIP lounges, comfy seating, Canadian art displays, and even a sub-freezing "cold room" to test gear! Try that, Amazon! The result? Their direct-to-consumer sales jumped nearly 16% year-over-year. This goes against conventional retail wisdom, but it's actually brilliant behavioral psychology in action. The Dwell Time Effect: Retailers know that longer dwell time correlates with more spending. Beyond the practical reasons for that, psychology plays a role, too. When we spend more time in an environment, we begin to experience what psychologists call the "endowment effect" - we start to feel psychological ownership of items simply by being around them longer. Research shows that touching or holding an item, even briefly, makes us feel more ownership and increases our perceived value of that product. Canada Goose's cold rooms where customers can test parkas aren't just cool (see what I did there?) - they're endowment effect enhancers. (Note that higher dwell time caused by long checkout lines or inability to find products is NOT going to help!) The Experience Economy Psychology: Coach is seeing the same pattern with their coffee bars and cocktail lounges. Their immersive stores are outperforming traditional locations because they invoke multiple influence principles as described by Robert Cialdini. First, RECIPROCATION - these nice people gave me a coffee or cocktail I'd have to pay for elsewhere, so I'm more inclined to reciprocate with a purchase. Second, COMMITMENT - I've spent a long time here, my behavior would be consistent if I bought something. We unconsciously justify the time investment by making a purchase. The Trust-Building Paradox: It seems counterintuitive, but when retailers stop trying to sell us something immediately, we become more likely to buy. Creating comfortable spaces signals confidence in the product and removes the pressure that triggers our psychological defenses. All these factors work together... The longer we stay, the more our brains shift from browsing mode to ownership mode and the more we trust the brand. Now it's your turn... Whether you're B2B or B2C, the principle applies: rushed interactions create defensive customers. Relaxed environments where customers can touch the product create confidence and make them more likely to buy. Ask yourself: Are you optimizing for transaction speed or psychological comfort? The companies winning in 2025 are choosing comfort. What's your experience? Have you noticed yourself spending more when retailers create environments that encourage you to linger?

We often focus on optimizing the UX of online ordering, but what about the time after an order is placed? That gap, when a customer is either driving to pick up their food or waiting for delivery, is a golden opportunity to enhance your brand experience. 📍 Here's how to make that waiting time more engaging: Feedback Incentives: Ask for feedback with perks like loyalty points or a fun haiku challenge. It’s a great way to keep them engaged and gather valuable insights. Referral Rewards: Encourage customers to share a deal with friends for mutual discounts. It’s the perfect time when their excitement about your food is at its peak. Social Sharing: Prompt them to share their experience on social media for a chance to win merchandise. It’s a win-win for brand exposure and customer engagement. Support a Cause: Use this moment to ask if they’d like to round up their total for charity, with a matching donation from your brand. Message from Leadership: Send a thank-you note from your leadership team, reinforcing brand loyalty and inviting honest feedback. Let’s leverage this “dead air” to create a lively, memorable brand experience. Ready to discuss more ideas? Let’s connect here or reach out to me directly. Cheers to making every moment count! 🚀✨ #RestaurantMarketing #CustomerExperience #BrandEngagement #DigitalStrategy #JosephSzala #restaurantordering #RestaurantTechnology #RestaurantExperience #UX #GuestExperience #GX #CX #UserExperience #CustomerService #RestaurantStrategy Would love to hear your thoughts! Until next time, cheers.