Why it actually feels worse to be at the front of a queue
WE might love nothing more than to stand in a queue and grumble politely about the slow progress we’re making.
But it seems getting to the front quickly is not the prize some might think it is.
A study has found people are not happy about being first in line unless they have served what they consider to be a fair amount of time in the queue.
And the more people there are behind them, the worse they feel, facing social pressure to be as fast as possible so someone else can take their turn.
German researchers carried out a series of experiments to study how people feel at the front of queues. They found those at a cash machine are increasingly unhappy and uncomfortable with more people behind them.
And in supermarkets, those who reach the front quickly show fewer positive emotions, such as smiling, making eye contact or saying thank you, if a long queue forms behind them.
The authors suggest those who have waited a long time feel they have ‘earned the right’ to use a service for as long as they like. But getting to the front too fast can make them feel like others are ‘breathing down their necks’.
The study authors, led by Dr martin Dahm at RWTH Aachen University, say: ‘The data supported our basic premise that customers experience social pressure when queues form behind their backs, which in turn leads to a less positive customer experience.
‘As soon as a customer reaches the head of the queue, the waiting time of the remaining customers is directly contingent on her behaviour. Hence she may feel the need to complete her transaction as quickly as possible so as to comply with established social expectations, ultimately leading to the negative consequences documented in this research.’
The study, published in the Journal of Retailing, found that when people are told they do not need to rush, the experience is much better. This was tested when those queuing to use a shared computer told the current user not to feel under pressure.