diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Frontdesk/ServiceQueueController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Frontdesk/ServiceQueueController.php
index db38e5b..b4412fc 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Frontdesk/ServiceQueueController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Frontdesk/ServiceQueueController.php
@@ -81,12 +81,30 @@ class ServiceQueueController extends Controller
         ]);
 
         try {
-            $queue->consoleAction($owner, $counterUuid, $validated);
-        } catch (RequestException) {
-            return back()->with('error', 'Queue action failed. Try again.');
+            $result = $queue->consoleAction($owner, $counterUuid, $validated);
+        } catch (RequestException $e) {
+            $message = $e->response?->json('message')
+                ?: $e->response?->json('error')
+                ?: 'Queue action failed. Try again.';
+
+            return back()->with('error', is_string($message) ? $message : 'Queue action failed. Try again.');
         }
 
-        return back()->with('success', 'Queue updated.');
+        $success = match ($validated['action']) {
+            'transfer' => sprintf(
+                'Handed off %s to %s. Ticket number unchanged.',
+                (string) ($result['ticket_number'] ?? 'ticket'),
+                (string) data_get($result, 'queue.name', 'next queue'),
+            ),
+            'call_next' => ! empty($result['ticket_number'])
+                ? "Called {$result['ticket_number']}."
+                : 'No tickets waiting in that queue.',
+            'available' => 'Counter marked available.',
+            'offline' => 'Counter went offline.',
+            default => 'Queue updated.',
+        };
+
+        return back()->with('success', $success);
     }
 
     protected function integrationEnabled(\App\Models\Organization $organization): bool
diff --git a/app/Services/Queue/QueueClient.php b/app/Services/Queue/QueueClient.php
index 52867d5..63ab626 100644
--- a/app/Services/Queue/QueueClient.php
+++ b/app/Services/Queue/QueueClient.php
@@ -108,9 +108,13 @@ class QueueClient
 
     /**
      * @param  array<string, mixed>  $payload
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
      */
-    public function consoleAction(string $owner, string $counterUuid, array $payload): void
+    public function consoleAction(string $owner, string $counterUuid, array $payload): array
     {
-        $this->http($owner)->post($this->base().'/counters/'.$counterUuid.'/console', $payload)->throw();
+        $response = $this->http($owner)->post($this->base().'/counters/'.$counterUuid.'/console', $payload);
+        $response->throw();
+
+        return (array) ($response->json('data') ?? []);
     }
 }
diff --git a/resources/views/frontdesk/service-queues/console.blade.php b/resources/views/frontdesk/service-queues/console.blade.php
index a41f932..5a3d170 100644
--- a/resources/views/frontdesk/service-queues/console.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/frontdesk/service-queues/console.blade.php
@@ -3,7 +3,16 @@
   $current = $state['current_ticket'] ?? null;
   $queues = $state['queues'] ?? [];
   $waiting = $state['waiting_by_queue'] ?? [];
-  $transferQueues = $state['transfer_queues'] ?? [];
+  $transferQueues = collect($state['transfer_queues'] ?? []);
+  $handoffQueues = $transferQueues
+      ->filter(fn ($q) => ($q['uuid'] ?? '') !== ($current['queue']['uuid'] ?? ''))
+      ->values();
+  $statusLabel = match ($current['status'] ?? null) {
+      'called' => 'Called',
+      'serving' => 'Serving',
+      'on_hold' => 'On hold',
+      default => $current['status'] ?? null,
+  };
 @endphp
 
 <x-app-layout title="Console · {{ $counter['name'] ?? 'Counter' }}">
@@ -13,67 +22,103 @@
       <h1 class="mt-2 text-xl font-semibold text-slate-900">{{ $counter['name'] ?? 'Counter' }}</h1>
       <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-slate-500">{{ $counter['branch'] ?? '' }} · Ladill Queue console</p>
     </div>
-    <div class="btn-group">
-      <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}">@csrf<input type="hidden" name="action" value="available"><button class="btn-secondary text-sm">Available</button></form>
-      <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}">@csrf<input type="hidden" name="action" value="offline"><button class="btn-secondary text-sm">Offline</button></form>
+    <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+      @if (! empty($counter['status']))
+        <span class="rounded-full bg-slate-100 px-2.5 py-1 text-xs font-medium capitalize text-slate-600">{{ $counter['status'] }}</span>
+      @endif
+      <div class="btn-group">
+        <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}">@csrf<input type="hidden" name="action" value="available"><button class="btn-secondary text-sm">Mark available</button></form>
+        <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}">@csrf<input type="hidden" name="action" value="offline"><button class="btn-secondary text-sm">Go offline</button></form>
+      </div>
     </div>
   </div>
 
+  @if (session('success'))
+    <p class="mt-4 rounded-lg bg-emerald-50 px-3 py-2 text-sm text-emerald-800">{{ session('success') }}</p>
+  @endif
+  @if (session('error'))
+    <p class="mt-4 rounded-lg bg-rose-50 px-3 py-2 text-sm text-rose-800">{{ session('error') }}</p>
+  @endif
+
   @if ($current)
     <section class="mt-6 overflow-hidden rounded-2xl border border-indigo-200 bg-gradient-to-br from-indigo-50 via-white to-white shadow-sm">
       <div class="border-b border-indigo-100 px-6 py-4">
         <p class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-indigo-600">Current customer</p>
       </div>
       <div class="px-6 py-5">
-        <p class="text-5xl font-bold tracking-tight text-slate-900">{{ $current['ticket_number'] }}</p>
-        <p class="mt-2 text-sm text-slate-600">{{ $current['queue']['name'] ?? '' }}</p>
-        <p class="mt-1 font-medium text-slate-800">{{ $current['customer_name'] ?? 'Walk-in customer' }}</p>
+        <div class="flex flex-wrap items-start justify-between gap-4">
+          <div>
+            <p class="text-5xl font-bold tracking-tight text-slate-900">{{ $current['ticket_number'] }}</p>
+            <p class="mt-2 text-sm text-slate-600">{{ $current['queue']['name'] ?? '' }}</p>
+            <p class="mt-1 text-base font-medium text-slate-800">{{ $current['customer_name'] ?? 'Walk-in customer' }}</p>
+          </div>
+          @if ($statusLabel)
+            <span class="rounded-full bg-indigo-100 px-2.5 py-1 text-xs font-semibold text-indigo-700">{{ $statusLabel }}</span>
+          @endif
+        </div>
+
         <div class="mt-6 grid gap-2 sm:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3">
           @foreach ([
-            'recall' => 'Recall',
-            'start' => 'Start serving',
-            'hold' => 'Hold',
-            'skip' => 'Skip',
-            'complete' => 'Complete',
-            'no_show' => 'No show',
-          ] as $action => $label)
+            'recall' => ['Recall', 'btn-secondary'],
+            'start' => ['Start serving', 'btn-primary'],
+            'hold' => ['Hold', 'btn-secondary'],
+            'skip' => ['Skip', 'btn-secondary'],
+            'complete' => ['Complete', 'btn-primary'],
+            'no_show' => ['No show', 'btn-secondary'],
+          ] as $action => [$label, $btnClass])
             <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}">
               @csrf
               <input type="hidden" name="action" value="{{ $action }}">
               <input type="hidden" name="ticket_uuid" value="{{ $current['uuid'] }}">
-              <button type="submit" class="btn-secondary w-full text-sm">{{ $label }}</button>
+              <button type="submit" class="{{ $btnClass }} w-full text-sm">{{ $label }}</button>
             </form>
           @endforeach
         </div>
-        @if (count($transferQueues) > 1)
-          <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}" class="mt-4 flex flex-wrap items-end gap-2 border-t border-indigo-100 pt-4">
+
+        @if ($handoffQueues->isNotEmpty())
+          <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}" class="mt-4 border-t border-indigo-100 pt-4">
             @csrf
             <input type="hidden" name="action" value="transfer">
             <input type="hidden" name="ticket_uuid" value="{{ $current['uuid'] }}">
-            <select name="to_queue_uuid" class="rounded-lg border-slate-300 text-sm">
-              @foreach ($transferQueues as $q)
-                @if (($q['uuid'] ?? '') !== ($current['queue']['uuid'] ?? ''))
-                  <option value="{{ $q['uuid'] }}">{{ $q['name'] }}</option>
-                @endif
-              @endforeach
-            </select>
-            <input type="text" name="reason" placeholder="Reason" class="rounded-lg border-slate-300 text-sm">
-            <button type="submit" class="btn-secondary text-sm">Transfer</button>
+            <div class="mb-3">
+              <p class="text-sm font-medium text-slate-800">Hand off to another queue</p>
+              <p class="mt-1 text-xs text-slate-500">Sends this visitor to the next service while keeping ticket <span class="font-mono font-semibold text-slate-700">{{ $current['ticket_number'] }}</span>.</p>
+            </div>
+            <div class="flex flex-wrap items-end gap-2">
+              <div class="min-w-[12rem] flex-1">
+                <label class="block text-xs font-medium text-slate-500">Next queue</label>
+                <select name="to_queue_uuid" required class="mt-1 w-full rounded-lg border-slate-300 text-sm">
+                  @foreach ($handoffQueues as $q)
+                    <option value="{{ $q['uuid'] }}">{{ $q['name'] }}@if (! empty($q['prefix'])) ({{ $q['prefix'] }})@endif</option>
+                  @endforeach
+                </select>
+              </div>
+              <div class="min-w-[12rem] flex-1">
+                <label class="block text-xs font-medium text-slate-500">Reason (optional)</label>
+                <input type="text" name="reason" placeholder="e.g. Host unavailable" class="mt-1 w-full rounded-lg border-slate-300 text-sm">
+              </div>
+              <button type="submit" class="btn-primary text-sm">Hand off</button>
+            </div>
           </form>
         @endif
       </div>
     </section>
   @else
-    <section class="mt-6 rounded-2xl border border-dashed border-slate-300 bg-slate-50 px-6 py-10 text-center text-sm text-slate-600">
-      No active customer — call the next ticket from a queue below.
+    <section class="mt-6 rounded-2xl border border-dashed border-slate-300 bg-slate-50 px-6 py-10 text-center">
+      <p class="text-sm font-medium text-slate-700">No active customer</p>
+      <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-slate-500">Call the next waiting ticket from a queue below.</p>
     </section>
   @endif
 
   <div class="mt-6 grid gap-4 lg:grid-cols-2">
     @foreach ($queues as $queue)
+      @php $waitingTickets = $waiting[$queue['uuid']] ?? []; @endphp
       <section class="rounded-2xl border border-slate-200 bg-white shadow-sm">
         <div class="flex items-center justify-between border-b border-slate-100 px-5 py-4">
-          <h2 class="font-semibold text-slate-900">{{ $queue['name'] }}</h2>
+          <div>
+            <h2 class="font-semibold text-slate-900">{{ $queue['name'] }}</h2>
+            <p class="text-xs text-slate-500">{{ count($waitingTickets) }} waiting</p>
+          </div>
           <form method="POST" action="{{ route('frontdesk.service-queues.action', $counterUuid) }}">
             @csrf
             <input type="hidden" name="action" value="call_next">
@@ -82,9 +127,9 @@
           </form>
         </div>
         <ul class="divide-y divide-slate-50 px-2 py-2">
-          @forelse ($waiting[$queue['uuid']] ?? [] as $ticket)
-            <li class="flex items-center justify-between px-3 py-2.5 text-sm">
-              <span class="font-mono font-semibold">{{ $ticket['ticket_number'] }}</span>
+          @forelse ($waitingTickets as $ticket)
+            <li class="flex items-center justify-between rounded-lg px-3 py-2.5 text-sm hover:bg-slate-50">
+              <span class="font-mono text-base font-semibold text-slate-900">{{ $ticket['ticket_number'] }}</span>
               <span class="text-slate-500">{{ $ticket['customer_name'] ?? 'Walk-in' }}</span>
             </li>
           @empty