Workforce Management Featured Article
Why Call Center Scheduling Demands Automation
Running an efficient call center is a lot of work. Not only do agents and management have a lot of interactions to manage every day, they also need to know where the traffic will come in and when so that call center scheduling is as accurate as possible. It’s a tall order and one that banks and financial services firms try to focus on daily.
A recent white paper produced by call center solutions provider, Monet Software (News - Alert) explores the potential benefits when careful, strategic planning goes into the calculating of accurate forecasts and the right schedules. Not only does the call center need to have the right people on the calling floor at the right time, they also need schedules that are flexible enough to support those last-minute changes.
Creating a forecast that provides an accurate representation of staffing needs demands a complete understanding of an organization’s unique business model and the use of a sophisticated and easy-to-use tool. However, there is often hesitation in the financial services call center world to move away from traditional methods as the compliance hurdle for any change in process or technology can seem significant.
What that leaves is an environment where call center scheduling is reliant on processes managed through spreadsheets, which are much more prone to human error and cumbersome steps that get in the way of progress and efficiency. Complex calculations work much better in environments where analysts and managers no longer need to worry about the math and can focus on other tasks. Plus, accuracy improves, which lowers wasted resources and ensures the call center can deliver on customer service expectations.
Consider agents in a scenario where manual processes leave variances in call center scheduling accuracy. The agent sitting idle because there isn’t enough work to do can quickly get bored with the position. Likewise, the agent who can’t keep up with the unanticipated peak in call volume is not only struggling to maintain professionalism on each call, he or she is also likely frustrated and exhausted by being put in that situation.
The call center can instead improve performance and outcomes with a focus on an automated workforce optimization solution to manage call center scheduling activities. Such a tool can improve accuracy, while also optimizing schedule assignments. Managers can easily check Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) against historical data and analyze data in an integrated solution to make more informed decisions.
Overall, the goal should be to produce better outcomes in less time and using fewer resources. With automated systems that support forecasting and call center scheduling, you’re much more likely to meet the needs of your customers, your staff and your organization. When these three are aligned, it’s hard to lose to the competition.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
