A computer method enable retail businesses to manage their customers using personal communication devices. The method assigns a customer to a tail of a first wait list when the customer is at a location remote from the store and registers through a software application on a personal communication device. The method also sends a message to the personal communication device when a length of a second wait list is shorter than a predetermined length and the customer is at a head of the first wait list and ready to be moved to a transition pool. The method also moves the customer from the transition pool to the second wait list after the customer arrives at the store, and removes the customer from the second wait list in response to an action by the store.