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Queues ahead likely

Posted By: Jo BritonJanuary 23rd, 2012

With customers prepared to stand patiently inline, companies are seeing business opportunities in queues, so I was interested in an article on BBC News called ‘Businesses lining up a queuing strategy’.

You can read the full article here but I have summarized the main points.

Marketers are spotting opportunities to sell and advertise to queuing customers so much so that the modern day shopper is now scientifically targeted with sights, sounds, and even smells, while their smart phones can be loaded with in-store vouchers and offers. But is there a thin line between entertaining and frustrating customers?

For a while now shops and companies have been flogging products or directing people to their website whilst on hold rather than playing muzak.

Stores are becoming smarter and making their store an environment in which people are happy to spend time, and hopefully to buy more. Some stores are playing comedy sketchers to people queuing at busy times of the day; in others low-cost items are placed within arms length of the queue (something supermarkets are well known for, with treats like gum, chocolate and magazines).

Scents are also created for fitness centres, fashion stores and hotels, to mask those nasty body odours that might hang around.

Virgin Media has made on call waiting an interactive experience – anyone on the line for more than two minutes can choose their own hold music.

If you find any innovative queuing boredom busters let me know. Or would you rather stores invested in more staff which help cut queuing time rather than quirky marketing ideas? And what will the future hold? The article suggest we are not that far away from targeted messages being sent to individual shoppers, perhaps on their mobiles, rather than bombarding them with details of offers.

Tags: Advertising, culture, Innovation, marketing
Posted in Business, Creative