Enter the service rate and arrival rate into the calculator to determine the average waiting time for customers. The calculator assumes a simple queue such as an M/M/1 queue in queuing theory.
Waiting Time Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the average waiting time in the system (W).
W = 1 / (μ - λ) * 60
Variables:
- W is the average waiting time in the system (minutes)
- μ is the service rate (customers per hour)
- λ is the arrival rate (customers per hour)
To calculate the average waiting time, divide 1 by the difference between the service rate and the arrival rate, then multiply by 60 to convert from hours to minutes.
What is Waiting Time?
Waiting time is the average time a customer spends waiting in the system before being serviced. It is a key performance indicator in service industries and is used to assess the efficiency of service delivery. A lower waiting time generally indicates a more efficient system with sufficient capacity to handle the incoming customer flow.
How to Calculate Waiting Time?
The following steps outline how to calculate the average waiting time.
- First, determine the service rate (μ) in customers per hour.
- Next, determine the arrival rate (λ) in customers per hour.
- Next, gather the formula from above = W = 1 / (μ – λ) * 60.
- Finally, calculate the average waiting time (W) in minutes.
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
Service rate (μ) = 15 customers per hour
Arrival rate (λ) = 10 customers per hour
