Editing Queue area (section)

=== Virtual ===
[[File:Prague main post office.JPG|thumb|right|Waiting queue call system in the Prague main post office. People have numbered tickets from a machine and are waiting until their number appears on a display.]]
[[File:Pořadové číslo, Česká pošta.jpg|thumb|left|180 px|Waiting number ticket from the main post office of Prague 5 district, Czech Republic. The tickets contains the specification "Letter services – mass submits" and shows that counters 8 and 9 deal with such.]]

Physical queueing is sometimes replaced by virtual queueing. In a '''waiting room''' there may be a system whereby the queuer asks and remembers where their place is in the queue, or reports to a desk and signs in, or takes a ticket with a number from a machine. These queues typically are found at [[Physician|doctor]]s' offices, [[hospital]]s, [[town hall]]s, [[social security]] offices, [[labor exchange]]s, the [[Department of Motor Vehicles]], the immigration departments, free [[internet access]] in the state or council libraries, [[bank]]s or [[post office]]s and call centres. Especially in the [[United Kingdom]], tickets are taken to form a virtual queue at delicatessens and children's shoe shops. In some countries such as [[Sweden]], virtual queues are also common in shops and [[railway station]]s. A display sometimes shows the number that was last called for service.

[[Restaurant]]s have come to employ virtual queueing techniques with the availability of application-specific pagers, which alert those waiting that they should report to the host to be seated. Another option used at restaurants is to assign customers a confirmed return time, basically a reservation issued on arrival.

Virtual queueing apps are available that allow the customers to view the virtual queue status of a business and they can take virtual queue numbers remotely. The app can be used to get updates of the virtual queue status that the customer is in.

==== Alternate activities ====
A substitute or alternative activity may be provided for people to participate in while waiting to be called, which reduces the perceived waiting time and the probability that the customer will abort their visit. For example, a busy restaurant might seat waiting customers a bar. An outdoor attraction with long virtual queues might have a side [[marquee (tent)#Marquees and larger tents|marquee]] selling merchandise or food. The alternate activity may provide the organisation with an opportunity to generate additional revenue from the waiting customers.<ref>Supalocal, [https://archive.today/20121203002451/http://www.supalocal.com/sqblog/master-the-art-of-substitution "Master the art of substitution"], April 12, 2011, accessed July 11, 2011.</ref>