Managing high volumes with online queuing

When a customer tries to book an item that’s at its customer limit, they’ll see a message before starting the checkout:

Selecting Get in line will place the customer in the queue.

If a customer reaches the checkout page for a queued item without clicking Get in line, or opens a link navigating directly to an item exceeding its maximum number, they will automatically be placed in the line for that item.

Waiting in line

Clicking ‘Get in line’ puts the customer in the queue. If they hit the checkout without clicking it, or use a direct link to a maxed-out item, they’re auto-queued.

While waiting, customers can still browse and see their queue positions at the top of the FareHarbor Lightframe. For example, they might be 2nd for Luau Dinner and next up for Half Day Kayak Rental.

If a customer is waiting in line to check out, they will only see their position in line for that item:

Queue statuses

If a customer is next up, they’ll see “You’re next.” When it’s their turn, it changes to “It’s your turn,” and they can start booking. If they’re browsing, a link to the checkout page appears.:

If they’re on the checkout page when it’s their turn, the page refreshes so they can proceed with booking:

Companies allowing online orders let customers add multiple items to their cart. When it’s their turn to book, they have 15 minutes per item, from adding to checkout. If they miss their turn for any item, they rejoin the queue and can either continue shopping or wait at checkout.

Note: While waiting in line, an item in the cart may become unavailable (e.g., it reaches capacity). If so, the customer gets a message saying the booking is invalid and must remove it to proceed with checkout.

Why did my customer lose their spot in line?

A customer will lose their spot in the queue if:

• They closed or refreshed the page.
• Their computer goes into sleep mode or their mobile device is locked.
• They opened a new app or tab while on their mobile device.

FareHarbor alerts customers in the queue that they will lose their place if they take any of these actions.

How long does it take for a customer to get through the queue?

Time in the queue depends on how many people are in line and the customers’ checkout speed.

Why couldn’t my customer book after queueing?

In rare cases, another customer books simultaneously, using up remaining slots. They’ll get a message to try again or pick a different time.

Can the queue limit be changed?

FareHarbor sets the queue limit to prevent issues. It’s non-adjustable per company or item.

Please read the client-facing FAQs first, and refer to the following FAQs for additional details.

• When is queuing activated?

  • Queuing steps in automatically to maintain a smooth online booking flow amidst heavy traffic. It permits up to 400 customers to book the same item concurrently, with others waiting in a virtual line for their turn to book. Queuing isn’t a toggleable feature but activates automatically during higher traffic, ensuring a positive customer experience.

• What can we do if a client anticipates a high volume or significant rush event?

  • We’ve seen fewer issues with customers getting through the queue when both online cart and Dashboard orders are disabled. If possible, disable both online cart and Dashboard orders in anticipation of a high volume event.

• What’s our booking handling capacity with queuing now?

  • With recent queuing improvements, we manage 4k bookings per hour for items with unlimited capacity and estimate about 2k per hour for limited capacity. For items with multiple availabilities, we’ve seen up to 500 bookings per minute, leading to an estimated 18k bookings per hour. This data gives us confidence in serving high-volume clients effectively.

(Note: Queuing activates at the item level, not the availability level. For high volume events, it’s advisable to structure your setup to have multiple availabilities for an item, or even create multiple items-availabilities for that event, wherever applicable.)

• What are future plans for queuing?

  • We’re actively enhancing the user experience for those in line. Looking ahead, we aim to remove the queuing banner when items are sold out.

• Why did my customer get kicked out of the queue?

  • They closed or refreshed the page
  • Their computer sleeps or their phone is locked
  • Opened a new app or tab on mobile

(FareHarbor warns customers about these actions to keep their spot.)

• What actions should we take if a client reports queue issues? If a client runs into specific queue issues, please ask for the following specifics:

  • Steps before issue
  • Mobile or desktop?
  • Browser used?
  • Any in-between actions (e.g., took a call, switched browsers etc)

• Is there a time cap imposed on the queueing system?

  • Yes, FareHarbor sets a 15-min timer for customers at the front of the queue to complete their booking. If they go over, the booking fails and they’re sent to the back of the queue. No time limit exists for staying in the queue itself.

• Can we adjust the 15-min time cap?

  • No, it’s a FareHarbor setting.

• Can a customer use the same 15-min limit to book different slots for the same item?

  • Yes, the 15-min timer is per-item, so multiple slots can be booked.

• Can a customer book multiple items at once if the online cart is not enabled?

  • No, the online cart must be activated in Dashboard settings for multi-item booking. Otherwise, only one item can be booked at a time.

• Can a customer queue for multiple items simultaneously?

  • Yes, but each item has its own time limit. With the cart enabled, checking out multiple queued items can be tricky.