Why Are You Waiting

Waiting can painful! Waiting for a child to be born, waiting for a car to get repaired, waiting at the DMV. According to a survey from Waitwhile, Americans spend over thirty-seven billion hours a year waiting in some type of line. Some people wait physically on premises, while others wait virtually to be assisted. Founder Christopher Flemming indicated, “Our research shows that a staggering 74 percent of people will abandon a physical line before it’s their turn, and that consumers who are subjected to wait for a product or service most frequently report feeling apathetic, bored and annoyed. … The good news for brands is that waiting in line doesn’t need to be a burden for customers and negatively impact business. Using virtual queues that give guests the freedom to move, relax or shop while waiting, organizations can significantly improve the customer experience while simultaneously increasing sales and saving their staff precious time” (“New Survey: More than 70 Percent of Guests Will Abandon a Physical Line before Their Turn,” Accesswire, June 28, 2022, https://finance.yahoo.com/news/survey-more-70-percent-guests-120000832.html). This article raises questions about the power of waiting, encouraging us to make sure that in the time while we wait, we keep our focus on the value of why we are waiting.