Get in Virtual Line with EnLiiigne

When you go to a store or restaurant, the last thing you want to do is stand in a seemingly never-ending line, especially in the era of COVID-19. That’s where EnLiiigne comes in. Co-founded by Bishop’s Computer Science student Mariya Zinchenko, EnLiiigne is an app-based service that allows you to wait in line from wherever you are, virtually.  

It was during the beginning of the pandemic that Zinchenko and her co-founders, Brian McWilliams and Alexandre Ratté, found themselves with a little more time on their hands and a growing frustration with never-ending lines. There had to be a better solution to help with both lineups and physical distancing.   

“A friend referred us to a website that was talking about the Post-Covid Challenge,” a virtual competition that was launched by Desjardins, Bonjour Startup Montréal and Google to find innovative solutions to societal issues resulting from COVID-19 in Quebec, explains Zinchenko. “The three of us started brainstorming about the problems we were having. Lineups, especially back in April, were everywhere. So, we decided to look into how we could fix that,” says McWilliams. Signing up for the challenge, the three young entrepreneurs went on to win the competition in the Employment and Social Solidarity category from amongst a total of almost 400 projects. 

“Our goal with our solution is that no one should have to wait in line anywhere. There’s a better way to do it,” explains McWilliams. “Everyone has a smart phone, and especially with a potential second wave coming, you shouldn’t have to wait outside in the cold. Use EnLiiigne.” The app is straightforward and easy to use, allowing one to easily find shopping destinations from the partnered stores, restaurants and more. EnLiiigne then lets you line up virtually, keeping track of how long customers spend inside to provide accurate wait times. When it’s your turn, you simply have to show up to the main door, show your phone, and head inside. The app even includes opening hours and Google maps to help you get to your destination.   

Having been adopted by Bishop’s University, students can now download the app and save themselves the time it would take to line-up, all the while remaining physically distanced, as required. “I remember going to the Gait and never knowing how long I was going to have to wait, and you don’t really want to be stuck outside in the cold listening to the music and waiting to be let in,” remembers Zinchenko. “Just knowing that you can just walk right up somewhere and not wait is awesome.” Logging onto the EnLiigne app, you can now wait in virtual line at the Gait, the Quad bar, Dewhurst Dining Hall, the Student Services Walk-in-Clinic, Doolittle’s Co-op, and Tim Hortons on campus.  

Bishop’s is only the beginning for the young entrepreneurs, as they have caught the attention of some major retail players and hope to continue aiding to ensure a return to work that respects individual integrity in a context of physical distancing. Download Enliiigne via the App Store or Google Play.