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How a virtual queue with QR code and WhatsApp works

A virtual queue with QR code and WhatsApp replaces paper tickets: the customer scans a code with their phone camera, joins the queue with name and WhatsApp number, gets a numbered ticket, and waits wherever they want. A few minutes before their turn, they receive an automated message. The business runs everything through a web dashboard; a reception TV calls the next ticket out loud. Nothing to install — neither for the business nor for the customer.

How the customer joins — step by step

Four simple steps. No app install, no account creation, no special hardware. Average end-to-end time: under 30 seconds.

  1. 1. Scan the reception QR code

    The QR code is printed on a poster near the entrance or reception. Any phone with a camera (Android or iPhone) detects the code automatically without a dedicated reader app. The browser opens a Lyne page already linked to that business and that queue.

  2. 2. Enter name and WhatsApp number

    The customer fills in a short form with their name and WhatsApp number. At businesses with multiple queues (a barbershop with multiple barbers, for example), they also pick the queue or staff member. Customers entitled to priority service (elderly, pregnant, PwD under Brazilian Law 10.048) flag it here.

  3. 3. Receive numbered ticket and position

    Immediately, the customer sees a numbered ticket on screen (Ticket 42, for example), the queue position (4th), and the estimated wait time, computed by Lyne from the business's own history. At the same time, a confirmation arrives on WhatsApp with a link to follow the queue live.

  4. 4. Wait wherever, get the alert

    The customer can wait at home, in the car, at the coffee shop, anywhere. Five minutes before their turn, they get an 'almost your turn' message. At the moment they're called, an 'it's your turn now' message arrives. The reception TV also calls out 'Ticket 42, [name]' through text-to-speech for accessibility.

How the business sets up the queue

Initial setup takes about two minutes. No technical training required, and no hardware beyond what the business already has — a computer, a regular printer, and (optional) a TV or monitor for the public display.

  1. 1Create the free account and register the first location (name, address, and operating hours).
  2. 2Connect the business's own WhatsApp by scanning a QR code (same model as WhatsApp Web). Scan once on the owner's phone and the session stays connected. Notifications go out from the business's own number, with the WhatsApp cost included in the plan.
  3. 3Print the QR code poster (PDF generated by Lyne, A4, any printer) and post it at the entrance or reception.
  4. 4Open the management dashboard and the TV display at /tv/{slug} on a reception monitor. The queue is live.

What automated notifications does the customer receive?

Lyne dispatches three default messages over the business's own WhatsApp — they come from the number the business already uses, not a generic one. Each message includes a button so the customer can follow the queue in real time.

Queue check-in confirmation

Sent the moment the customer completes check-in. Confirms ticket and position. Example: 'Hi Diego, you're in line at Clinic X. Your ticket is 42 and you're 4th. Estimated wait: 18 minutes.'

Almost your turn (5 minutes before)

Triggered automatically when the remaining-time estimate hits five minutes. Example: 'Diego, you're next. Time to head over. Ticket 42.'

It's your turn now

Triggered when the operator calls the next ticket. Example: 'Diego, it's your turn. Ticket 42 — Room 2.' The reception TV also announces it out loud with Brazilian Portuguese TTS.

Is the TV display required?

Not required, but strongly recommended in venues with an in-person waiting area. The display at /tv/{slug} shows real-time tickets waiting, in service, and served today, plus the average service time. On each call, it plays a chime and uses Text-to-Speech in Brazilian Portuguese to announce 'Ticket 42, [customer name]'. It runs on any monitor with a modern browser — Smart TV, computer hooked to a TV, fixed reception tablet, or kiosk.

What if the customer forgot their phone?

Lyne has a Kiosk mode at /kiosk/{slug} that runs on a tablet or computer kept at reception. The customer checks in through the business's device in a simplified, login-free interface, with the same flow: type name, flag priority if it applies, get the ticket. Notifications still go to the customer's WhatsApp, so they can leave and still get alerted.

Does it work with multiple parallel queues?

Yes. A single location can run several independent queues — one per staff member (clinic with multiple doctors, barbershop with multiple barbers), one per room (lab with multiple sample rooms), or one per service. Each queue has its own color, order, and operator. The customer picks the queue when checking in; the TV shows them all side by side.

What about customer data and Brazilian privacy law (LGPD)?

Lyne stores only what's needed to run the queue: customer name, WhatsApp number, ticket, check-in time, and call time. No clinical data, no financial data, no passive collection. Retention is short (configurable by the business), hosted in a Brazilian data center, with a designated DPO. The full privacy policy is at /privacidade and complies fully with LGPD (Brazilian Law 13.709/2018).

Why replace paper tickets with a virtual queue?

Paper tickets force the customer to wait physically on site — crowded waiting room, noise, AC bill. A virtual queue delivers the same ordering control (FIFO or priority) without trapping the customer in the venue: they wait at home or in the car and get pinged. For the business, it eliminates dispenser waste, paper, and the front-desk ticket workflow. For the customer, it improves the experience dramatically — especially at peak hours.

Full comparison: virtual queue vs paper tickets

Which sectors use QR-based virtual queues?

The model works in any business that serves customers in arrival order and where wait time matters. Lyne has dedicated landing pages with sector-specific flow, copy, and priorities.

Clinics (medical, dental, physio, aesthetics)

Patients with appointments and walk-ins on the same queue. Compatible with EHR via webhook or API.

Clinics

Restaurants

Walk-in (no reservation) at peak hours. Customer steps out and returns when the table opens up.

Restaurants

Barbershops and salons

Each professional gets their own queue. Customer picks who they prefer; per-barber reports match commission payouts.

Barbershops

Diagnostic labs

Blood draws and imaging exams. Fasting patients enter the priority queue; they wait in the car.

Diagnostic

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