Here’s a list
of eight factors that make waits seem longer.
1. Unoccupied time feels longer than
occupied time.
When you have
something to distract yourself, time passes more quickly. Some hotels put
mirrors by the elevators, because people like to look at themselves.
2. People want to get started.
This is why
restaurants give you a menu while you wait, and why the orthodontist puts my
daughter in the examination room twenty-five minutes before her exam actually
begins.
3. Anxiety makes waits seem
longer.
If you think
you’ve chosen the slowest line at the drugstore, or you’re worried about
getting a seat on the plane, the wait will seem longer.
4. Uncertain waits are longer than
known, finite waits.
People wait
more calmly when they’re told, “The doctor will see you in thirty minutes” than
when they’re told, “The doctor will see you soon.” Maister gives an amusing
illustration of a phenomenon that I’d noticed in my own life: if I arrive
someplace thirty minutes early, I wait with perfect patience, but three minutes
after my appointment time passes, I start to feel annoyed. “Just how long am I
going to have to wait?” I think.
5. Unexplained waits are longer than
explained waits.
We wait more
patiently for the pizza guy when there’s a thunderstorm than when the sky is
clear.
6. Unfair waits are longer than
equitable waits.
People want
their waits to be fair. I get anxious, for instance, when I’m waiting on a
crowded subway platform, when there’s no clear, fair way to determine who gets
on the next car. The “FIFO” rule (first in, first out) is a great rule, when it
works. But sometimes certain people need attention more urgently, or certain
people are more valuable customers. Then it gets trickier. Often, when people
are treated out of sequence, it’s helpful to have them be served elsewhere —
e.g., people giving customer service by phone shouldn’t be in the same room as
people giving service in person.
7. The more valuable the service, the
longer the customer will wait.
You’ll wait
longer to talk to a doctor than to talk to a sales clerk. You’ll stand in line
longer to buy an iPad than to buy a toothbrush.
8. Solo waits feel longer than group
waits.
The more
people engage with each other, the less they notice the wait time. In fact, in
some situations, waiting in line is part of the experience. During my book
signings, I’ve been very gratified to have people tell me, “I had so much fun
talking to the people in line!”
Since I’ve
read this paper, I’ve been far more patient about standing in line. I’m
occupied (see #1) with thoughts analyzing my own experience of waiting in
line! Also, it may not always be good for us to be able to distract
ourselves with our cell phones, but it sure makes the DMV easier.
