Workforce Management and Scheduling
What is Workforce Management?
At its most basic, workforce management is the process we use to ensure that they have the right people and the right skill sets available to successfully handle your customer interactions in a timely manner.
You may hear us use a term term called “service-level” as the basis for your workforce scheduling. This is a goal we set together in establishing how quickly you want us respond to your phone calls, chats or emails. We base your service levels on desired service model and expectations for the customer experience.
Why is it important?
Workforce Management and Scheduling is important in providing outstanding and unparalleled service to our customers for many reasons, including:
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To ensure agents with the correct skillsets and attributes are on the system at the right time
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To make sure that we have the right number of agents available to handle the anticipated volume of phone calls, chats, emails or tickets
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To verify that staffing levels will meet or exceed service level expectations across all client channels
How do we do it?
We use the basic building blocks of call center workforce management and scheduling, such as:
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Forecasting – Using historical statistics, business trends and known factors (such as anticipated call spikes due to marketing campaigns), we forecast the anticipated workload needed to service all client channels.
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Managing Resource – During the day, analysts monitor service levels to determine if client transactions are meeting or exceeding agent availability. Then they can make real-time adjustments to agent schedules to meet higher-than-expected demand or take advantage of opportunities to shift workforce around.
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Scheduling – Schedules are then created that place the right agents in the right spots for the right clients to meet service-level goals throughout the day, week or service period.
In short, workforce management and schedule is all about figuring out how to meet your needs and expectations without over- or under-burdening available resources.
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