Customer queue control method and system

A customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of customer service stations and utilizing a main queue and a plurality of local queues, one for each customer service station, comprising:

• first means to detect the presence of a customer at the head of the main queue;
• second means at each customer service station to signify whether each station is in an open or closed status;
• counting means to maintain a count of the numbers of customers in each local queue;
• timing means to provide a timed period unique for each customer service station;
• and
• customer direction means controlled by the first means, the second means, the counting means and the timing means to direct a customer at the head of the main queue to a local queue associated with one of the customer service stations in accordance with a determination as to which local queue is expected to provide the shortest waiting time for said customer.

A customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of customer service stations, and utilizing a main queue, comprising:

• customer direction means to direct a customer at the head of the main queue to one of the customer service stations in accordance with a determination as to which station is expected to provide the shortest waiting time for said customer;
• storage means for the storage of message segments which may be selected to constitute the content of a message;
• directional means for providing data relating to the direction of movement from the main queue to the selected customer service station;
• identification means for providing data relating to the identity of the teller station associated with the selected customer service station;
• and
• message data generation means for selecting message segments from said storage means in accordance with information provided by said directional means and said identification means, to compose a message directing the customer at the head of the main queue to the selected customer service station;
• and
• message delivery means including a speaker to provide a vocal message in accordance with the message composed by the message data generation means.

A customer queue control system for an establishment having a plurality of customer service stations and utilizing a main queue and a plurality of local queues, each local queue being associated with a customer service station, comprising:

• a main processor for controlling system operations,
• main processor memory means for storing information relating to customer availability for each station and the amount of time allocated for servicing a customer at a given station;
• first address and data buses coupled to said main processor and to said main processor memory means for transmitting information relating to service station activity to the main processor, and for enabling communication between said main processor, said main processor memory, and other elements of the system;
• a speech processor capable of receiving information from the main processor and for controlling the generation of voice messages to customers;
• speech processor memory means for storing information relating to customer-directing voice messages;
• second address and data buses coupled to said speech processor and said speech processor memory means for transmitting message information from said main processor to said speech processor, and for enabling communication between the speech processor and the speech processor memory means;
• buffer means controlled by said main processor for coupling said first and second address and data buses for enabling communication between said main processor and said speech processor;
• signal means at each service station to enable the operator of that station to signify the status of that station;
• detection and encoding means coupled to said signal means and to said main processor for receiving status information from all stations and for transferring said information to said main processor;
• presence indicator means coupled to said main processor for indicating the presence of a customer at the head of the main queue;
• and
• speech synthesizer means coupled to the speech processor for receiving message data from the speech processor memory means via the speech processor and for converting said data to an audible message for directing a customer at the head of the main queue to proceed to a selected local queue.

A method for customer queue control in an establishment having multiple customer service stations, including the following steps:

• (a) providing a main customer queue;
• (b) providing a plurality of local customer queues, each associated with a customer service station;
• (c) detecting whether each station is in an open or closed status;
• (d) detecting whether a customer is present at the head of the main customer queue;
• (e) establishing a delay period for each station related to the median customer service time at that station;
• (f) utilizing the information provided by steps (c), (d) and (e) to determine which local queue is likely to provide the minimum customer waiting period;
• and
• (g) directing the customer at the head of the main queue to the selected local queue.

A method for customer queue control in an establishment having multiple customer service stations, including the following steps:

• (a) providing a main customer queue;
• (b) providing a plurality of local customer queues, each containing a maximum of two customers and associated with a customer service station;
• (c) detecting whether each station is in an open or closed status;
• (d) maintaining a count of the number of customers in each local queue;
• (e) detecting whether a customer is present at the head of the main customer queue;
• (f) establishing a delay period for each station related to the median customer service time at that station
• (g) utilizing the information provided by steps (c), (d), (e) and (f) to immediately add a customer to an empty local queue and to determine which local queue having one customer therein is likely to provide the least customer waiting period;
• and
• (h) directing the customer at the head of the main queue to that local queue which has been selected in step (g).