Workforce Management Featured Article
March 30, 2009
How to Select the Right Workforce Management Solution
Workforce management is a solution that should be a “must have” for the call center, as it can help to create a more efficient environment that can produce measurable results. Not only will a workforce management solution deliver accurate forecasting, it will also optimize agents’ schedules to ensure every hour on the clock is used to the benefit of the company.
Once it is clear that you need a workforce management solution, you need to be able to know how to select a robust solution that will fit your environment. There are a variety of workforce management solutions and vendors on the market and it is critical that you know what to look for and how to compare solutions to make the best decision for your particular call center.
The first thing to evaluate in a workforce management solution is the feature set offered. Examine whether or not the solution offers accurate forecasting; flexible and erratic scheduling that include agent exceptions; intra-day changes to forecasts and scheduling; visibility into agent adherence and management reports. Monet Software delivers on each of these points, customizing the solutions according to the needs of the center.
The first thing to evaluate in a workforce management solution is the feature set offered. Examine whether or not the solution offers accurate forecasting; flexible and erratic scheduling that include agent exceptions; intra-day changes to forecasts and scheduling; visibility into agent adherence and management reports. Monet Software delivers on each of these points, customizing the solutions according to the needs of the center.
Next, consider how much time and resources are necessary to implement the workforce management solution. The benefits promised in a workforce management solution mean very little if you need to wait months for them to start to materialize. It is also important to find out if the solution can be used over the Web and how many people are necessary to complete the implementation.
Total cost of ownership is also sure to be at the top of your list of points to evaluate. It is important to understand not only upfront costs, but also ongoing costs or how much is needed to keep the solution going. Perhaps most importantly, find out if there are any hidden costs as they can be a deal breaker. Working with a provider like Monet Software ensures there are never any hidden costs so you can estimate overall value right out of the gate.
Risk and usability are also important points to consider when evaluating workforce management solutions. The selected solution must be easy to use for everyone in the call center or its adoption will be resisted. The solution must also focus on the needs of your call center. If it doesn’t or fails to work as promised within your center, can you turn it off or return it with limited financial risk?
Total cost of ownership is also sure to be at the top of your list of points to evaluate. It is important to understand not only upfront costs, but also ongoing costs or how much is needed to keep the solution going. Perhaps most importantly, find out if there are any hidden costs as they can be a deal breaker. Working with a provider like Monet Software ensures there are never any hidden costs so you can estimate overall value right out of the gate.
Risk and usability are also important points to consider when evaluating workforce management solutions. The selected solution must be easy to use for everyone in the call center or its adoption will be resisted. The solution must also focus on the needs of your call center. If it doesn’t or fails to work as promised within your center, can you turn it off or return it with limited financial risk?
Finally, does the workforce management solution enhance your ability to grow business or reduce your operational costs? Even better, will it do both? It is important to clearly understand just how long it will be until you can successfully add business or save money to recoup the cost of implementing the system. Monet Software can show you specifically how its workforce management solution will produce a strong return on investment and deliver on its promised benefits.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Patrick Barnard