Americans spend 37 billion hours a year waiting—about 118 hours per person—but smart brands are turning that dead time into delight. In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. breaks down the psychology of waiting (why underpromising and overdelivering works, why occupied time feels shorter, and why fairness matters), and shows how Disney, Trader Joe’s, Apple launch lines, and a Melbourne bakery with a 45-minute croissant queue convert waits into community, anticipation, and loyalty. If you can’t always shorten the line, you can always make it worth it—here’s how. Episode Links:Harvard Business Review - When Providing Wait Times, It Pays to Underpromise and OverdeliverThe Psychology of Waiting Lines Customer Experience and Perceived Wait Time Study Scientific Research Publishing - Queue Psychology and Social Behavior INFORMS Operations Research - Perspectives on Queues Exploring the Science of Waiting Waitwhile - Consumer Survey: Waiting in Line 2023 Waitwhile - Consumer Survey: Waiting in Line 2024 Faster Lines - The Science of Waiting Lines How Improper Queue Management Affects Financial Results Queue-it - Disney Queue Psychology Disney Patent Dynamic Management Virtual Queues ResearchGate - Disney's Virtual Queues: A Strategic Opportunity Top Disney World Queues That Are Fun to Wait In The Best Queues to Wait In at Walt Disney World Wharton Women - Trader Joe's Strategy 5 Lessons Trader...
·
23:21
|
Americans spend 37 billion hours a year waiting—about 118 hours per person—but smart brands are turning that dead time into delight. In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. breaks down the psychology of waiting (why underpromising and overdelivering works, why occupied time feels shorter, and why fairness matters), and shows how Disney, Trader Joe’s, Apple launch lines, and a Melbourne bakery with a 45-minute croissant queue convert waits into community, anticipation, and loyalty. If you can’t always shorten the line, you can always make it worth it—here’s how.
