You’ve Waited Long Enough:
How to Optimize Lines
By Ryan King, Arts & Cultural Senior Channel Marketing Manager, Blackbaud, Inc.
© July 2013 | 2000 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC 29492 T 800.443.9441 E solutions@blackbaud.com W www.blackbaud.com
YOU’VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH: HOW TO OPTIMIZE LINES
Americans spend approximately 37 billion hours waiting in line every year. Even though we
wait in line so frequently, Americans are still famously impatient. Many of us go to great
lengths to avoid waiting in line. The challenge, therefore, is for organizations to improve the
waiting experience for their patrons.
If your organization sells tickets, there is a good chance a visitor’s first interaction with your
organization is waiting in line. When it comes to first impressions, there’s no such thing
as a second chance. That’s why we should see lines as an opportunity to set the stage
for a positive experience. In a recent article in the New York Times, Richard Larson, M.I.T.
operations researcher, said, “Often the psychology of queuing is more important than the
statistics of the wait itself.”
While it is difficult, if not impossible, to eliminate lines and keep costs low, your organization
can actively control the visitor’s perception of a line. This white paper explores ways in
which you can make a significant impact on line lengths, wait times, and the perception of
each at your organization.
© July 2013 | 2000 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC 29492 T 800.443.9441 E solutions@blackbaud.com W www.blackbaud.com
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YOU’VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH: HOW TO OPTIMIZE LINES
BUST THE LINE
The obvious first choice is to shorten the line itself. Of course, there are several ways to do this, but we’ll focus on three: the Internet, reservations,
and pricing options.
The Internet
Many organizations are using the Internet to help shorten wait times.
can easily generate QR codes for free at many websites.] This concept
Online ticket purchasing has become as common as in-person
allows visitors to take control of the line and bypass the purchase
purchasing. Tickets for movies, sporting events, and attractions at
counter. Visitors can scan QR codes with their phones, purchase tickets
museums and theaters are commonly bought online, printed at home,
online, bypass lines, and present their proof of purchase with their
and brought to the venue. The ability to purchase and print tickets from
phones upon entry.
the Internet is a given this day in age; however, there are advanced
ticketing options that are not as common but can help shorten lines
even more.
Not only does this allow the visitors to own their experience, it provides
your organization an additional benefit. When visitors purchase tickets
online, they expect to be asked for their name, email address, and
Mobile is the new frontier for ticketing. In a March 2013 blog article, Jeff
other personal information. If this information is gathered at a ticketing
Heffner, Blackbaud product support lead, explained how organizations
counter, it would slow the line, but the information is incredibly valuable
can leverage Quick Response (QR) Codes to encourage visitors to bust
for soliciting additional donations and visits from patrons. By offering
the line. [Side bar: A QR code is a type of bar code that is readable by
the option to purchase tickets on mobile devices and bypass lines, your
machines with an optical device, including smart phones with cameras.
organization will get valuable contact and profile information about its
When patrons scan a QR code with their phones, they can be directed
visitors that it may not have been able to gather otherwise.
to a web page your venue has set up for ticket purchases. Organizations
Reservations
The phrase “reservations” most often applies to dinner at a popular
time helps you monitor and anticipate traffic while reducing line length.
restaurant. Many of us interpret the term similarly — the venue where
Additionally, if you offer or require reservations, you can provide
you have made your reservation is expecting you, and you’ve made
members the option of “no reservations needed,” which patrons
preparations in advance to be there. It also means that you feel an
appreciate as an added benefit to their memberships.
obligation to arrive within a certain time frame, or you risk missing out.
The same principle can be applied at your organization.
At theaters, reservations are implied, because shows start at certain
times. But theaters can also include suggested arrival times with
Museums in Europe have been using reservations to manage lines for
ticket purchases. Printing a suggested arrival time on the ticket and
years, but it is not as prevalent in the United States. Reservations allow
varying those times among ticket holders can help stagger patron
you to control the traffic in your venue. Of course, you can still allow
arrival. Another way to encourage early attendance is by offering and
“walk-ins,” but when patrons purchase tickets in advance, especially
advertising opening acts.
online, letting them know that their ticket purchase is for a reserved
MORE >
© July 2013 | 2000 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC 29492 T 800.443.9441 E solutions@blackbaud.com W www.blackbaud.com
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YOU’VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH: HOW TO OPTIMIZE LINES
Pricing Options
Everyone loves happy hour. It’s a great way to end a busy workday and
• Determine which benefits your visitors value most. Some
socialize with friends, but few people stop to wonder why restaurants
organizations have success with discounted tickets. Others see
offer happy hour in the first place. Happy hour provides an incentive for
success with free children’s admission with a paying adult. Survey
people to visit a restaurant at times when they traditionally would not.
some of your visitors and patrons to determine what they would
By offering discounted items at non-peak times, restaurants are able to
respond to.
get additional business and reduce traffic at peak times.
Theaters have been offering matinee prices forever, and museums,
zoos, and gardens could do the same. Here are a few techniques for
putting together a “happy hour” at your venue or using the “matinee
strategy”:
• Promote your offer. Make sure your community knows about your
deals so they can take advantage.
Additionally, keep your high margin products and services available for
sale during these times. The local movie theater continues to sell $7
popcorn during the matinee show. Patrons are often more willing to
• Research your records to determine when your organization
make additional purchases when they have already received discounted
experiences peak times and down times. This could be a time of
admission.
day, day of week, or even a season of the year.
MORE >
LEVERAGE
IMPACT
REWARD
THE LINE
© July 2013 | 2000 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC 29492 T 800.443.9441 E solutions@blackbaud.com W www.blackbaud.com
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YOU’VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH: HOW TO OPTIMIZE LINES
LINE PSYCHOLOGY
One organization that is famous for mastering the art of line psychology
collection of props from previous performances or an ancient artifact,
is Disney . While Disney’s budget far exceeds that of nonprofit
having something there with information for the visitors to read about the
museums and theaters, some of the same principles can be applied at
exhibit takes their minds off of waiting and allows them to start engaging
a relatively low cost. When patrons enter a line at Disney, the experience
with your organization. For those who prefer to use technology, short
of the ride begins even before the ride itself. While they wait, patrons are
videos about your organization are great distractions from waiting in line.
given the opportunity to interact with others in the same line as well as
You can also advertise other events, exhibits, or membership benefits
with Disney staff members. Interactive videos and music are also used
as commercials between these videos. Of course, as you produce your
as entertainment. So, how can you adopt these principles?
video, it will be very important to keep entertainment as your top priority;
®
The first thing you can do is change the way you think about lines. No
longer is a line a place where patrons wait to get into a show or exhibit,
boring topics will only remind patrons how long they have been waiting
in line rather than give them a reprieve.
it is now where they enter and begin to experience your organization.
Remember, the perception of how long a line takes is more important
The moment they step in line, you are making an impression and you
than the actual amount of time the line took, so get your visitors
have their attention.
engaged early.
Second, make sure to engage patrons while they wait in line. A great
way to do this is by placing exhibits next to the line. Whether it is a
REWARD THE MEMBER
Members and subscribers provide recurring revenue. It is imperative to
the same technique at your organization. Offering a members-only line
make sure they know they are important. Additionally, you want other
shows how much you care about them, reduces the wait in your primary
visitors to see the benefits of upgrading and becoming members or
line, and allows you to add an additional membership benefit for a low
subscribers. An easy, visible way to do that is by offering members
price. If your organization offers free admission to members, you can
privileges when it comes to lines.
even set up a scanner that allows members to scan their own tickets
While on your latest flight or during a stay in a hotel, you may have
and bypass lines altogether.
noticed a separate line for members of loyalty programs. You can use
© July 2013 | 2000 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC 29492 T 800.443.9441 E solutions@blackbaud.com W www.blackbaud.com
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YOU’VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH: HOW TO OPTIMIZE LINES
CONCLUSION
Altering the perception of a line, not the line itself, should be a primary objective. As noted in
the New York Times article, airports have reduced complaints of long wait times at baggage
claim not by speeding bag delivery but by increasing the distance travelers must walk to get to
the baggage carousel. The strategy works because travelers don’t consider their walk from the
arrival gate to the carousel as part of their wait time, and by the time they have arrived at the
carousel to collect their baggage, the baggage has already begun to make their way to their
owners and may even be waiting for them.
Introducing your organization to your visitors through interactive media is a good distraction
technique and can help you in your objective of altering the perception of wait time. An added
benefit is that it’s a great way to enhance your visitors’ experience and increase the likelihood of
future engagement. Regardless, providing a memorable experience for your community can only
be enhanced by reducing line lengths and wait time, optimizing line psychology, and rewarding
your members.
About Blackbaud
Serving the nonprofit and education sectors for 30 years, Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) combines technology and expertise
to help organizations achieve their missions. Blackbaud works with more than 28,000 customers in over 60 countries that
support higher education, healthcare, human services, arts and culture, faith, the environment, independent K-12 education,
animal welfare and other charitable causes. The company offers a full spectrum of cloud-based and on-premise software
solutions and related services for organizations of all sizes including: fundraising, eMarketing, advocacy, constituent
relationship management (CRM), financial management, payment services, analytics and vertical-specific solutions. Using
Blackbaud technology, these organizations raise more than $100 billion each year. Recognized as a top company by Forbes,
InformationWeek, and Software Magazine and honored by Best Places to Work, Blackbaud is headquartered in Charleston,
South Carolina and has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For
more information, visit www.blackbaud.com.
For more information go to www.blackbaud.com or contact your sales representative today!
© July 2013 | 2000 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC 29492 T 800.443.9441 E solutions@blackbaud.com W www.blackbaud.com
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