App lets consumers wait in line remotely

Estonian Qminder is a queue management system that spares consumers from waiting in line in person.

No one likes to wait in line, and we’ve already seen several services emerge to help people avoid it. But whereas InQuickER, Queue Watch and TechnowaiT all focus on medical settings, Qminder offers a smartphone app that lets consumers wait in line remotely for just about any kind of service. Now in beta, Estonian Qminder is a queue management system that spares consumers the need to wait in line in person, not just at hospitals and doctor’s offices, but also at banks, restaurants and stores. Consumers begin by downloading the smartphone application, which is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well as Android and Nokia devices. Once that’s done, they can “take a number” remotely, which marks their place in the virtual queue. In return, Qminder estimates how long the wait promises to be and sends a notification when the user’s turn approaches. For venue owners, the app can be used to determine when peak hours are occurring, enabling managers to better schedule extra staff. The app can also be set up to work with existing queue systems, or using a web service. Qminder recently won the Garage48 hackathon event in Tartu. Service businesses around the globe: one to try out on your own time-strapped clientele? Spotted by: John Greene