We used an alternating schedule to make the jump from high silver to regular gold. That is, we agreed that this week was gold, next week we'd settle for silver, etc.
This (a) showed a commitment that we'd get there eventually, so folks who wanted gold were more willing to have patience in the process, (b) avoided disappointment from unexpectedly missing gold one week, so nobody left impulsively out of frustration, and (c) let everybody who needed breaks have breaks. Folks who didn't want to do it moved along, and eventually we were suddenly getting gold even on our scheduled silver weeks.
Granted, we did all of this a while ago when there weren't many gold groups to jump to. I can see the dynamic is likely different now. The overwhelming majority of our applicants come to us specifically seeking gold, but most of the groups they're leaving don't seem like they're anywhere close. I've only had a few where I thought they should honestly just ride it out until their group got there.