If you were raised and developed under the guidance of the English language, it probably feels rather normal to you. However, an outsider’s perspective would reveal that the English language is among the most complicated to learn from a neutral perspective. Brimming with idioms, rules, homophones, and unusual sentences, it can take some time to truly grasp what we are reading. Today, we are going to set our sights on the etymology of the word queue, a profoundly powerful word with plenty of meaning in today’s world of e-commerce, as outlined by Ombori Grid.
What is a Queue?
If you were to ask Dictionary.com what a queue was, the platform would tell you two things:
- A braid of hair worn hanging down behind
- A file, or line, especially of people waiting their turn
Used most commonly to refer to a line, we hear the word bandied about in reference to shopping and traffic. The word ‘queue’ is much older than many might realize. The word ‘queue’ originally comes from the French word ‘coe’, dating back to the 12th Century.
By 1924, the consensus was that a queue defined a line or the intention to join one.
Queueing and Queuing
When the doors to the store were first opened, customers began queuing for their purchases. While a complicated word to spell, queuing and queueing are identical in meaning and equally applicable in the English language and defined as “to arrange or form in a queue.”
Ombori Grid has been helping customers since the onset of the pandemic to change the way they approach line management.
Queue Management & Terminology
The team at Ombori Grid is dedicated to developing the adoptive technology necessary to meet the challenges of today’s modern retail sector. To help combat long wait times while reducing potential customer unhappiness, businesses are increasingly turning to queue management systems.
Ombori’s queue management systems aim to improve productivity while reducing turnover, leading to improved rates of employee and consumer satisfaction. The effective implementation of a queue management system can streamline the process, eradicating formal lines.
Common Queueing Terminology
- Queue Jumping – Leaping from one line to the next is known as queue jumping and is immensely frowned upon.
- Queue Area – The designated area where individuals wait while in the queue.
- Queue Length – The length of the queue as defined by the number of people within it.
Virtual queues are also part of today’s modern experience. Virtual queues, or a virtual queue, is a focused and customizable solution that helps stores to control the inflow and outflow of people. Instead of having people physically waiting in line, virtual queues empower customers to wait their turn while still conducting their day-to-day business.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce, and digital sales soared in popularity, which proved the importance of virtual cueing capability. Expect more companies to continue focusing on the development of digital commerce and virtual queuing technology.
While there might be a lot of confusion surrounding the word queue, the depth of meaning and its importance to the future has never been more clear. As consumers expect more out of their shopping experiences, businesses are increasingly turning to Ombori Grid to increase queue management results.
