The first option for service managers is to design the operation in such a way as to minimize actual waiting times, until a point is reached at which the cost of improving response time is greater than the value added by doing so.

However, an alternative option is available. It is commonly assumed that the average customers' perception of waiting time is different from the reality. Indeed, this assumption has been developed by Maister (1985) into the eight propositions outlined in another FastFact that offer a rationale for such behavior. What is more, people's perception of waiting time is believed to be distorted unidirectionally, so that most customers think they have waited longer than they really have.

Managers may adopt a second option, namely to change customers' perception of the time they have spent waiting in line by implementing changes recommended by Maister’s propositions. One common example is announcing the time of the wait to the customer in queue. This alleviates the “uncertain wait” component.