What a virtual queue is
A virtual queue is a system that hands out numbers and keeps people in order automatically. A person does not stand in a physical line: they know their number, see how many people are ahead and come when called. People can be called on a screen, by voice or with a notification on their phone.
For a business it is also a record: the system knows how many people came, how long they waited, when the peak was and how many left without being served. Without it these numbers are guesses.
How it works
- 1
A person joins the queue
They take a ticket at a terminal, scan a QR code or pick a booking time. The system issues a number.
- 2
The system keeps the order
Every number is placed in the queue by the same rule, and the person sees how many people are ahead of them. Some systems also forecast the waiting time.
- 3
A staff member calls the next person
The staff member calls the next person with a single click in their interface. The system knows who is first, so the order does not depend on memory.
- 4
The person comes when called
The call is shown on a screen, said aloud or sent as a notification. The staff member then completes the visit or marks the person as a no-show.
Types of virtual queues
| Type | How a person joins | Where they wait | What the business needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket terminal | Presses a button on the terminal and takes a ticket | In the waiting area, near the screen | A terminal, a ticket printer and a screen |
| QR-code queue | Scans a QR code with the phone camera | Anywhere | A poster with a QR code; a screen is optional |
| Booking | Picks a convenient slot in advance | Arrives by the booked time | A schedule and slots |
| Mixed | A booked visitor checks in on site; others scan the QR code | Anywhere until called | Booking and a QR-code queue together |
Who needs one
A virtual queue helps wherever people wait to be served at a counter or by a specialist and cannot predict how long it will take: car repair and tyre fitting, beauty salons and barbershops, clinics and labs, device repair centres.
Note. If few people come and there is almost never a line, a virtual queue may not be necessary. If you work by appointment only, booking alone is enough.
How to choose a virtual queue system
- Whether the visitor needs an app or the phone browser is enough.
- How a person learns about the call: a screen, a voice, a notification, a sound on an open page.
- Whether walk-ins and bookings can share one queue.
- What data is collected about visitors, who sees it and how long it is kept.
- What equipment is needed: a terminal, a printer, a screen, or just a poster and a phone.
- What the business sees: waiting time, people who left without being served, busy hours, data export.
- Which interface language your visitors and staff get.
- What it costs and what the price includes: limits on locations, queues, screens and staff.
How Kyuko does it
- Type
- A QR-code queue with booking: the visitor scans the code on a poster or a screen and gets a number in the browser.
- Equipment
- A poster with a QR code, printed from the dashboard. A screen is a TV, monitor or tablet with a browser.
- Call
- A notification in the browser or in Telegram, sound and vibration on an open page, and the number on the screen.
- Booking
- Slots from a schedule and an “I am here” check-in, on the Business and Network plans.
- Analytics
- Waiting time, people who left without being served and busy hours for a chosen period.
- Feedback
- A rating and a comment after the visit; only owners and managers see them.
- Data
- By default the visitor enters nothing. Form answers, if the form is on, are deleted after 30 days.
- Language
- The dashboard, the queue pages and the emails are in Ukrainian only.
- Provider
- The provider’s details are on the About Kyuko page.
Frequently asked questions
What is a virtual queue in simple terms?
It is a system that hands out numbers instead of a physical line. A person knows their number and place, waits wherever they like and comes when called.
How is a virtual queue different from booking?
Booking means choosing a time in advance: the person comes at the booked time. A virtual queue works on site: the person arrives, gets a number and waits for the call. They can be combined: a booked visitor checks in on site and joins the same queue as walk-ins.
Do visitors need an app?
It depends on the system. With Kyuko, no: the visitor scans the QR code and uses the queue in the phone browser.
Is special equipment needed?
For a QR-code queue, a poster and the visitor’s phone are enough. A screen in the waiting area is optional: the queue can be shown on a TV, a monitor or a tablet with a browser.
How does a person learn they are being called?
It depends on the system: a screen, the voice of a staff member, a notification. With Kyuko, it is a notification in the browser or in Telegram, a sound and vibration on an open page, and the number on the screen. On an iPhone, browser notifications work only once the site is added to the home screen, so Telegram is easier there.
Is a virtual queue suitable for businesses and institutions?
Yes, if people wait to be served: a QR-code queue needs no special equipment, and Kyuko has a free plan for one queue. See Pricing.
What about people without a smartphone?
A staff member adds a ticket by hand, and the person is called by voice or on the screen. These tickets do not get notifications.
What does the business see in analytics?
How many people joined and were served, how long they waited, how many left without being served and which hours are the busiest.
Create your first queue for free
Free plan: 1 queue and 3 service points. Paid plans are there when you need more.