Preparing for Workforce Management in the Contact Center

As contact centers are continually under pressure to improve the customer experience while keeping costs under control, one of the best ways to do so is by implementing a robust workforce optimization program, which includes a modern workforce management (WFM) platform. WFM helps contact centers achieve and maintain maximum operational efficiency and a great customer experience by ensuring that the right agents with the right skill sets are working at the right time. It’s a vital tool in forecasting and scheduling, as well. A good schedule can also raise the quality of customer support while simultaneously lowering costs.

That said, there will be some challenges to businesses switching from manual, Excel-based workforce management to a WFM platform, according to according to a recent blog post by Monet Software (News - Alert).

Selling Agents on the Concept

As with any solution, WFM will bring change and unfamiliar tasks to the way schedules are created, shifts are assigned, hours are calculated, and exceptions are considered. Many agents may express concern about learning a new solution or being “watched.”

“Some agents may view WFM as “Big Brother,” a system that evaluates how they do their jobs and is just waiting for them to slip,” according to the Monet blog. “This hurdle can be overcome by stressing how the benefits of WFM extend to agents as well. Now, it will be easier for them to request shift swaps or days off, so they can better balance work with their personal lives. As the new system becomes familiar, these concerns will disappear.”

Ensuring the Flexibility of the Workforce

Your newly accurate schedules might require some flexibility in order to take advantage of the efficiencies and benefits.

“Schedules created with WFM will be easier to create and more effective than those derived from spreadsheets,” according to Monet. “But even the best schedules can go awry. Workforce management is prepared to deal with exceptions, but managers still must be ready to act upon the real-time information WFM delivers and make adjustments accordingly.”

Setting Up a Hierarchy of Schedule Changes

One of the most compelling features of WFM to agents and managers is the way shift swapping can be automated. Managers set up rules and exceptions for minimum coverage, and workers can change shifts via the solution interface as long as quality won’t be affected. Obviously, however, you need to keep the service levels high, which means prioritizing schedule change requests. Monet suggests that you form a hierarchy of priority (for example, longest-serving or top-performing agents get priority on shift changes over newbies and moderate- to under-performers), and also reasons for the schedule changes.

“A sick child would be a good reason to grant a change; having tickets to a hockey game should not be treated the same way,” according to Monet.

Edited by Maurice Nagle