Appointments that aren't appointments

El Queso Grande came up with a smart way to deal with requests for service by appointment. He puts a dated note into the queue, and calls the customer when the note nears the top. It's like a virtual waiting area. All warnings apply: the repair may not be done on the same day. It depends on the actual condition of the bike when it arrives. It does little more than leave the bike in the customer's hands rather than hanging on a hook in our shop, but it lets them ride the bike if it's still rideable.

We've already had one customer ignore the call to come in, and another tell me that she should have just left it in the queue two weeks ago. But the others who have taken the option seem to like it. The shop is stuffed with repair bikes taking the place of the new inventory we can't get, so the virtual queue is a win for everyone.