Planning Service Capacity When Demand Is Sensitive to Delay
提出一个模型，通过将平均等待时间视为价格，平衡服务器成本与需求带来的收益，帮助零售业确定最优服务人员数量。
This paper presents a model designed to help determine the number of clerks or servers in a retail queuing situation. The model demonstrates a realistic treatment of the effect of waiting time on customer demand and revenues by treating the average waiting time as a form of price. Thus, the demand rate and service level are interrelated. The number of servers is obtained by balancing the cost of additional servers against the revenues and profits arising from greater demand. An example is shown, using data obtained from a supermarket, to demonstrate the insight gained from applying the model. Some extensions and research possibilities are considered, including a treatment of ancillary activities. An appendix examines a continuous version of the model which provides additional insight into the character of the model.