Waiting Lines
Waiting lines and delays occur when there is either not enough capacity in general for
demand, or when short-term rises in demand occur1. These incidents are so common as to
be daily occurrences. Every day we wait at traffic lights or if we are less fortunate we get
stuck in traffic jams. Still we wait in lines at banks, restaurants, and theaters ….. The study
of waiting lines is an exploration of the probabilistic phenomena of frequent disparate
outcomes. That is to say, sometimes having to wait for long periods of times, while at other
times being so fortunate as to have no wait at all.
Operations management places a great deal of consideration into the anticipated
performance of waiting line systems. These systems are of vital importance in many
contexts, but particularly important in the realm of service operations management.
Certainly, in our everyday lives we dislike waiting. Truthfully, for the consumer such a
delay is little more than a nuisance; however, from an operational standpoint the same
delay has far greater consequences for a business. When you consider, for instance, the
machinery and various equipment that may be lying idle, there are great costs at stake. In
the case of our HVAC scenario, customers would be quite content if there was a technician
available at a moment’s notice to service their particular heating and air-conditioning
needs. Unfortunately, the costs associated with maintaining the necessary infrastructure
would be unreasonable at best and more than likely would drive the costs of HVAC service
through the roof.
