If you can't make it shorter, make it feel shorter

Indefinite waits seem longer than defined ones, writes David Maister in his paper The Psychology of Waiting Lines, which is why Disney theme parks use complex formulae to calculate and display wait times. Pre-process waits seem longer than in-process waits, which is why restaurants will seat you before they’re ready to serve you.

Customers are happier when queues are acknowledged: when a supermarket calls “all staff to the checkouts”, it’s as much about you hearing it as about staffing. And occupied time passes faster than unoccupied time: mirrored walls are especially effective, apparently because most people love looking at themselves.