CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The study of waiting lines, called queuing theory, is one of the
oldest and most widely used quantitative analysis techniques.
Waiting lines are an everyday occurrence, affecting people
shopping for groceries buying gasoline, making a bank deposit, or
waiting on the telephone for the first available airline
reservationists to answer. The word queue comes via French and
the Latin Cauda meaning tail. Customers waiting in line to
receive services in any service system are inevitable and that is
why queue management has been where the manager faces huge
challenge. Queues, another term for waiting lines, may also take
the form of machines waiting to be repaired, trucks in line to be
unloaded, or airplanes lined up on a runway waiting for
permission to take off. Queuing theory is the study of queue or
waiting lines. Some of the analysis that can be derived using
queuing theory include the expected waiting time in the queue,
the average time in the system, the expected queue length, the
expected number of customers served at one time, the probability
of balking customers, as well as the probability of the system to
be in certain states, such as empty or full.
Queueing theory has enjoyed a prominent place among the
modern analytical technique; it deals with one of the most
unpleasant experiences of life, the emphasis has been on
developing a descriptive mathematical theory. This theory
provides part of the information needed to conduct a study
attempting to find the best design for a queuing system. Since it
is associated with queue or waiting line where customers who
cannot be served immediately have to queue (wait) for service for
a long time and time being a resource ought to be managed
effectively and efficiently because time is money.
Waiting lines are a common sight in restaurants especially during
lunch and dinner time. Hence, queuing theory is suitable to be
applied in a restaurant setting since it has an associated queue or

waiting line where customers who Cannot be served immediately

have to queue (wait) for service. Researchers have previously
used queuing theory to model the restaurant operation, reduce
cycle time in a busy fast food restaurant as well as to increase
throughput and efficiency.
This paper uses queuing theory to study the waiting lines in GT
Plaza Restaurant at Ekpoma in Edo State. The restaurant provides
20 tables of 6 people. There are 8 to 9 waiters or waitresses
working at any one time. On a daily basis, it serves over 400
customers during weekdays and over 1000 customers during
weekends. This paper seeks to illustrate the usefulness of
applying queuing theory in a real-case situation.
Queuing theory Is the mathematical study of queues or waiting
lines. It is generally considered a branch of operations research
because the results are often used when making business and
operational decisions about the resources needed to provide
service (Wikipedia, 2008).

Queuing theory is also known as the theory of overcrowding; it is

the branch of operational research that explores the relationship
between the demand on a service system and the delays suffered
by the users of that system (A.K. Sharma, 2013)
The study of queues deals with quantifying the phenomenon of
waiting in lines using representative measures of performance,
such as average queue length, average waiting time in queue and
average facility utilization (H.A. Taha 2002)
Queuing theory is a major topic for applied mathematics that
deals with phenomenon of waiting and arises from the use of
powerful mathematical analysis to describe production processes
(M. Masurdi, 2011). It can also be applied to a variety of
operational situations where it is not possible to accurately

predict the arrival rate (or time) of customers and service rate (or
time) of service facility of facilities. This theory permits the
derivation and calculation of several performance measures
including the average waiting time in the queue or the system,
the expected number waiting or receiving service and the
probability of encountering the system in certain states, such as
empty, full or having an available server or having to wait a
certain time to be served.(Biju, M.K (2011) queuing models
provide the analyst with a powerful tool for evaluating the
performance of queuing systems( Bank, Carson, Nelson & Nicol,
2001)

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study is required to investigate the expected waiting time of
customers and the actual waiting time in the store, where the gap
between the actual and expected waiting time can be analyzed to
know how to improve on the efficiency and effectiveness of their
store. Such problems are

Poor service pattern affects queue discipline.

How poor service facilities has affected the overall stock

performance.

Time of costumers is affected because of poor service

facilities.

How poor service delivery impacts on time.

Customers behaviour is affected due to poor services

delivery.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to determine the amount or average time
customers spend on a queue and actual time of service delivery
using the application of queuing theory. Therefore the objectives
of this study are as follows

To examine the impact of time wasting on the weak

performance.

To improve on the efficiency and effectiveness of their

operations.

To help mangers improve customers satisfaction through

queue management.

To improve on time management which is a resource.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

We will be studying an airport and our concern is the single queue
multiple service point because of lack of time and resources to
embark on large scale study. The queue discipline is first in first
out (FIFO) and the arrival is strictly random.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study when completed will be significant to many people and
organisations especially big firms in Nigeria. First of all, it will add
to the literature on queuing theory and management which will be
accessed by lecturers and scholars.
Most importantly, Bank Managers will benefit a lot from this study
as they will apply this theory in their various banks, thereby
reducing the amount of time spent on queues which might lead to
customers satisfaction and improve on their overall efficiency
and effectiveness.