Technology is designed to make our jobs less tedious; however, many contact centers struggle with implementation or full deployment of software designed to automate the forecasting process.

For example, many centers find it challenging to transition from using spreadsheets to utilizing a workforce management tool that not only streamlines processes, but provides a strong return on investment.

There are three common reasons for reluctance to proceed with process automation:

Belief that internal productivity metrics cannot tie in with workforce management tools
Size of the center
Cost prohibitive – no buy-in from management

Internal Productivity Metrics

Centers that have used spreadsheets exclusively may believe that their metrics cannot be integrated with a workforce management tool. While it is more comfortable to continue with something that is known versus trying something that is unknown and unproven, the truth might surprise you.

Workforce management solutions are available that offer spreadsheet integration tools that open reports in Microsoft Excel using data from an Oracle database and allow reports to be created and automatically refreshed in the spreadsheet view.

Tools of this nature allow users to upload existing spreadsheets with the formatting already in place, and to create additional tabs with the background data needed to populate the report. These tabs can be linked to the final report tabs using formulas or VBA scripts. The reports can be set to auto-update with a refresh rate selected by the administrator. Dynamic dates and rolled-up totals are available to help facilitate ease of use by reducing the additional functions that would need to be added to the workbook.

Custom metrics such as Average Sales, Contacts per Order, Contacts per Hour and Average Wage can be integrated into the workforce management system and displayed in the spreadsheet integration tool, rather than manually reporting on them from a separate external system.

Manual reporting processes can be revolutionized through use of a workforce management solution, saving hours of time and labor to effectively deliver multiple dashboards and reports needed by executives. Real-time views of performance data allow for actionable results.

Real-time KPIs ensure no delay in communication of information, and monitoring this data is critical to provide accurate and up-to-date feedback. Once KPIs are delivered and acknowledged, agents can quickly change measured behavior. This is not true in a manual environment where agents often do not receive their KPIs for weeks or even months later.

By communicating real-time KPIs to agent desktops, productivity is instantly improved, specifically for typical targets such as AHT, adherence, contacts handled, and any other goal by which agents are measured.

The best contact center managers know their statistics, develop a training budget which includes ongoing workforce management training, and move away from manual processes to take advantage of the workforce management tool.

Size of the Center

Size of the center is a consideration when investing in workforce management solutions. While Excel spreadsheets and Erlang calculators are less costly, experts maintain that these tools are ineffective for centers employing more than 25 agents, having widely fluctuating call volumes, or for centers with locations across different time zones. There is an increased chance of errors and decreased level of accuracy. Making changes quickly also becomes difficult, if not impossible.

Cost

Management is often conflicted about the value of workforce management software because of the costs associated with implementation, training and perceived return on investment versus benefits realized. Cost is a major consideration in acquisition of workforce management software, with most in-house installations exceeding six figures.

One viable alternative to purchasing a full-blown platform is to consider a hosted versus in-house system. A hosted structure offers many advantages over in-house models:

little or no capital investment
no risk of major systems failure
pay as you go and only for what you need
no interruption to business as upgrades can be performed during slow times
fast implementation
little or no need for in-house IT support
rapid adjustment to changing business conditions
benefits for staffing contingent on varying workflow
users experience the benefits before purchasing an in-house system
same benefits as in-house installations

Next Page: Hosted or In-House

Whether you choose a hosted system or in-house installation, each choice quickly pays for itself through better staff utilization, reduced administrative costs, and the ability to run “what if” scenarios before making costly changes.

Forecasting can be performed for both multi-channel and multi-site environments. Real-time adherence options provide an extraordinary benefit in ensuring agents are in the right seat at the right time and performing assigned tasks.

An unexpected benefit can be realized through agent empowerment as workforce management software allows agents to have a degree of control over their schedules. This can have a direct impact on attrition rates as well as a reduction in supervisory administrative tasks.

Management Buy-In

An additional issue faced by contact center personnel responsible for conveying to management the importance of automating the forecasting system can be the inability to define and articulate how workforce management can improve service levels and increase efficiency.

The vernacular of contact centers may not be understood by those who do not work in that environment, and poor communication can result in the failure to justify the need for a workforce management system. An important point to remember is that people buy benefits and not features. Therefore, decision-makers need to understand what will be gained by the purchase of a software solution and not simply presented with the features.

Conclusion

Workforce management software is instrumental in impacting a company's bottom line through improved customer service. Busies and abandon rates are reduced and target service levels are more easily achieved. An investment in workforce management software in today's contact center environment is critical to remaining competitive and providing the service your customers expect.

Whether you choose a hosted system or in-house installation, making the right purchasing decision to meet your needs on the front-end eliminates the need for future adjustments. Investigate before you buy and talk to more than one vendor to ensure you are getting the right solution.

Lori Kyker is senior consultant at Pipkins in Chesterfield, Mo.

Instant Insights /

Workforce Managment Trumps Spreadsheets in Contact Center

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