We Keep Building ‘Express Queues’ That Slow Our Sellers Down

There’s something a little absurd about an “express” queue that takes longer than the standard one.
The other week, at a conference, I found myself in exactly that position. Two queues sat side by side. One labelled “express”, the other just… normal. The benefit was, at least in theory, crystal clear. Scan a QR code, breeze through, collect your badge.

Modern, efficient, frictionless.

The alternative? Wait in line and be helped by a person.

Naturally, I chose express. We all would. We’ve been conditioned to believe that anything powered by technology must be quicker, smoother, better.

Except it wasn’t.

The QR code scanned, but the page struggled to load. The Wi-Fi couldn’t cope. Mobile signal barely helped. The login process needed a password reset, which introduced more delay. Each step by itself didn’t feel like much of a roadblock. But stacked together, one after the other, they quickly compounded into tangible friction.

Five minutes passed. The express queue had barely moved.

So I stepped out and joined the standard queue. A person greeted me, found my name, printed my badge, and handed it over. I was done in under a minute.

In trying to make things simple, the end result was actually more complex.

This isn’t really about conference logistics. It’s about a pattern I see everywhere, particularly in sales enablement.

We talk a lot about enabling sellers. Giving them faster access to content. Making knowledge easier to find. Supporting them in the moment. Yet when you step into most organisations, the experience feels remarkably similar to that express queue.

Need a case study? That’s in one platform. Looking for a pitch deck? That sits somewhere else.

Pricing guidance? Different system entirely. Logins? Multiple. Passwords? Forgotten. Permissions? Inconsistent.

And just when you think you’ve found what you need, you’re presented with a form. Fill this in. Tell us why you need it. Submit a request. Wait for approval.

None of it is catastrophic. Some of it is even essential. But every step adds resistance.

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