SUPPLEMENT

Waiting Line Models

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Waiting Line System

A waiting line system consists of two components:
The customer population (people or objects to be processed) The process or service system

Whenever demand exceeds available capacity, a waiting line or queue forms

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Terminology
Finite versus Infinite populations:
Infinite - large enough that one more customer can always arrive to be served Finite - countable number of potential customers

Balking
When an arriving customer chooses not to enter a queue because its already too long

Reneging
When a customer already in queue gives up and exits without being serviced

Jockeying
When a customer switches back and forth between alternate queues in an effort to reduce waiting time
Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Service System
The service system is defined by:
The number of waiting lines The number of servers The arrangement of servers The arrival and service patterns The service priority rules

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Number of Lines
Waiting lines systems can have single or multiple queues.
Single queues avoid jockeying behavior & all customers are served on a first-come, first-served fashion (perceived fairness is high) Multiple queues are often used when arriving customers have differing characteristics (e.g.: paying with cash, less than 10 items, etc.) and can be readily segmented
Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Servers
Single servers or multiple, parallel servers providing multiple channels Arrangement of servers (phases)
Multiple phase systems require customers to visit more than one server Example of a multi-phase, multi-server system:
1 4

Arrivals

2 3

5 6 Phase 2

Depart

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Phase 1

Arrival & Service Patterns

Arrival rate:
The average number of customers arriving per time period Modeled using the Poisson distribution

Service rate:
The average number of customers that can be serviced during the same period of time Modeled using the exponential distribution
Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Priority Rules
First come, first served Best customers first (reward loyalty) Highest profit customers first Quickest service requirements first Largest service requirements first Earliest reservation first Emergencies first

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Common Performance Measures

The average number of customers waiting in queue The average number of customers in the system (multiphase systems) The average waiting time in queue The average time in the system The system utilization rate (% of time servers are busy)
Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Infinite Population, Single-Server, Single Line, Single Phase Formulae

lambda mean arrival rate mu mean service rate average system utilization L average number of customers in system

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Infinite Population, Single-Server, Single Line, Single Phase Formulae

LQ L average number of customers in line 1 W average time in system including service WQ W average time spent waiting Pn 1 probability of n customers in the system
n

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Example
A help desk in the computer lab serves students on a first-come, first served basis. On average, 15 students need help every hour. The help desk can serve an average of 20 students per hour. Based on this description, we know:
Mu = 20 (exponential distribution) Lambda = 15 (Poisson distribution)

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Average Utilization

15 0.75 or 75 % 20

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Average Number of Students in the System

15 L 3 students 20 15

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Average Number of Students Waiting in Line

LQ L 0.75 3 2.25 students

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Average Time a Student Spends in the System

1 1 W 0.2 hours 20 15 or 12 minutes

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Average Time a Student Spends Waiting (Before Service)

WQ W 0.750.2 0.15 hours or 9 minutes

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Probability of n Students in the Line

P0 1 1 0.751 0.25
0 1 2 2

P 1 1 0.750.75 0.188 1
3 3

P2 1 1 0.750.75 0.141 P3 1 1 0.750.75 0.105

4 4

P4 1 1 0.750.75 0.079
Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Changing System Performance

Demand management:
change customer arrival rates through non-peak discounts or price promotions

Modify the number of servers Division of labor:

change the number of phases in the system change the number of workers at each station (e.g.: add a bagger to assist each cashier)

Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002

Changing System Performance

Apply technology to improve efficiency
e.g.: price scanners

Change priority rules

e.g.: implement a reservation protocol

Change the number of lines:

Reduce multiple lines to single queue to avoid jockeying Dedicate specific servers to specific transactions
Reid & Sanders, Operations Management Wiley 2002