If a service facility changes from a first-come, first-served basis to a random basis in selecting the next customer to be served, one should expect average customer waiting time to:
A)decrease slightly.
B)remain constant.
C)increase slightly.
D)increase dramatically.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Changing from a first-come, first-served basis to a random basis means that each customer has an equal chance of being served first, regardless of when they arrived. This reduces the likelihood of long wait times for late arrivals who would have been served last under the first-come, first-served system. However, it also means that some customers who arrived earlier may end up waiting longer than they would have under the previous system. Overall, these effects are likely to balance out, resulting in a relatively constant average customer waiting time.

If a Service Facility Changes from a First-Come, First-Served Basis