Empty Waiting Rooms: Phone Turn Alerts for Clinics and Workshops

October 19, 2026 · Cortex Solutions

Crowded waiting areas and shouted names frustrate customers. See how Zaheb calls patients and customers on their phones with a QR code, no app or pagers needed.

The scene is familiar in many Saudi businesses: a clinic waiting room packed with patients, a pharmacy with customers standing at the counter, a car workshop where the owner waits for hours in an uncomfortable corner, or a salon where everyone keeps asking "Is it my turn yet?". Waiting is not just lost time for the customer; it is part of their impression of your business.

Why traditional calling methods fail

• Calling names out loud: noisy, embarrassing for some customers, and easily missed if the customer steps away for a moment.
• Paper numbers: the customer must keep watching the counter and cannot leave the place.
• Pagers: they must be bought in bulk, charged every day, and replaced when lost or broken.
• Phone calls and WhatsApp messages from staff: they consume the receptionist's time, especially at peak hours.

The result is a crowded waiting area, a busy front desk, and customers who leave with a worse impression than they should.

The solution: let the customer wait wherever they like

The idea is simple. Instead of the customer staying close to the counter, they receive a number linked to their phone, and you notify them the moment their turn comes or their order is ready. They can sit in their car, take a walk in the mall, or have a coffee nearby, then come back at the right time.

How Zaheb does it

Zaheb from Cortex Solutions is a customer calling service without pagers, built for any place where people wait. Its official site lists restaurants and cafés, clinics for calling patients when their turn comes, workshops for telling a car owner the vehicle is ready, salons for calling the next customer, and pharmacies. It works in three steps:

• A ticket is issued: a large number and a QR code are printed on the receipt.
• The customer scans the code once: a web page opens in the browser showing the status, with no app to download, no account, and no phone number required.
• You tap "ready": with one tap on the orders screen the status changes and the customer's phone vibrates and sounds an alert, even when it is locked.

Features that matter for your branch

• A counter display on any screen: any TV can show today's numbers, in preparation and ready, through a web link without special hardware, and it can show announcements to waiting customers.
• A louder alert on iPhone: an optional lightweight App Clip gives a louder alert even when the phone is on silent.
• One dashboard for staff: issue tickets, call customers and close orders from a single screen, with live status refreshed every 10 seconds, including tickets whose customers have not opened the page yet.
• Timing records: each ticket records issue, ready and pickup times, and when the customer opened the link, so you can see your average preparation or service time and improve it.
• Your brand: the customer page can carry your logo and identity, and you can show an offer or campaign while the customer waits.
• Customizable message text, to suit a clinic, a workshop or a salon.
• Unlimited alerts.

Tips for organising waiting at your business

• Print the code clearly on the receipt and place a small sign at reception asking customers to scan it to receive the alert.
• Put the numbers screen somewhere visible and use it for useful messages such as working hours or current offers.
• Watch for tickets whose customers have not opened the page, and remind them at reception before they walk away.
• Review your average service time weekly and compare peak hours to schedule staff better.

Does it need a cashier system?

No. Zaheb works on its own and tickets can be issued from its dashboard. If you use Cortex POS, tickets are issued automatically with takeaway orders and calling becomes automatic. You can also add other Cortex modules such as point of sale, full management, HR and an online store to the same account and dashboard.

Price and trial

According to the official site, Zaheb costs 200 SAR per branch per year excluding VAT, with all features in one plan, and a 14-day free trial that does not require a credit card. Setup takes minutes with no server to prepare, and you can cancel at any time.

Start today

If your waiting area is crowded or your front desk is busy calling customers, try Zaheb in your branch and judge the difference in your customers' experience yourself.

• Product page: https://cortex.sa/solutions/zaheb
• Details, free trial and ordering: https://zaheb.io/
• Request a quote for the full Cortex system: https://cortex.sa/estimator