Where the queue forms is decided by the layout
People queue where the equipment points them. Put the dispenser near the door and the line runs outside; put the display where it cannot be seen from the seats and people stand instead of sitting. These are layout decisions, and they are free at design stage.
What to measure before adding staff
Waiting time, service time and the share of tickets served within target. Those three numbers, broken down by hour and by transaction type, show if the problem is real capacity, or just how the work is spread. In most branches we measure, the critical window is ninety minutes of the day: outside it there are desks to spare. It is one of the questions branches ask us most often: queue at the branch.
Two languages, fewer interruptions
When screens speak only one language, the customers who do not read it turn to staff instead. Adding the second language removes a steady stream of interruptions at the counter, which shows up as shorter service times.