During a recent client assignment, I noticed the frequency with which customers found themselves in waiting mode. Waiting to be told what to do next. Waiting to be acknowledged. Waiting to be serviced. Now there’s one thing that customers delight in and that’s being provided with service in a timely manner.

Waiting is high on the how-to to antagonize customers list. Can you put your finger on the reasons your customers wait? Here are a few of the more common reasons customers wait.

Supply vs Demand

Oftentimes there’s just not enough personnel available (supply) to handle the number of customers (demand). Is the demand the result of a marketing campaign or a new product release? Perhaps a glitch in your product has created an unexpected influx of customer inquiries or complaints.

When you know what the issue is, take a moment to proactively advise your customers. If yours is a call center, utilize the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) to advise customers that you’re aware of the issue and include an estimated resolution time, instructions to obtain a replacement product, or whatever it is you want to communicate.

Most customers will simply choose to take this as enough information and disconnect the call. Is it possible to place the same information on your website? Perhaps in a retail environment, data mining can assist in determining the peak periods for customer/employee interactions resulting in the proper scheduling of personnel in accordance with historical data. These are just two examples of possibly alleviating stress for both customers and employees.

Seasoned vs Non-Seasoned Employee Ratio

Perhaps the “seasoned to not quite seasoned” employee ratio is somewhat on the low side resulting in a longer than normal transaction/customer interaction time.

When there are not enough properly trained personnel available for customer interactions, more often than not, customers will find themselves in wait mode. However you describe this mode – queue, line, column, etc – most customers prefer not to be there.

Combining great training with great employee relations is important to reduce personnel turnover. The more tenure an employee obtains, the more nimble he or she becomes at servicing customers. I have a saying – “Knowledge coupled with repetition creates an experience. Experience assists in creating efficient interactions.”

Options for Self Service

It’s a good idea where possible to allow your customer to self-serve. Most customers today don’t mind serving themselves as long as the transaction is easy to complete. Oftentimes when given the option to self-serve for the checkout procedure, I’ll choose to do so rather than wait in line to be checked out by an employee.

What self-service opportunities are available within your organization? When the customer has the option to order products and services or set appointments via your website, is the process seamless and easy to complete?

Are you able to verify the number of transactions actually completed via your self-service options vs those customers choosing to opt out to a live person (either via phone, web chat, or in person)? Monitor your self-service options to insure customers find it easy to complete interactions.

Customers are depending upon companies to provide prompt efficient service. Make sure your company is ready by checking to insure Supply Meets Demand, that the Seasoned Vs Non-Seasoned Ratio indicates you’re successfully retaining tenured personnel and that your Options for Self Service are efficient and effective for the “I Like To Do It Myself” customer.