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At one time, forecasting, staffing and scheduling formed the nucleus of the call center manager's job. Not today. Many organizations have evolved these functions into their own entity. While sometimes that role encompasses just those three key tasks, other times, they're combined with related functions that can best be handled in a more centralized environment (see box, below). Most often, a team is assigned to this role, rather than one individual. While the functions vary and the names of the group differ from one company to the next (e.g., Workforce Management Team, Resource Management Team, Command Center, etc.), there is a common thread that ties them together. The teams are dedicated to forecasting workload and scheduling staff to meet service level commitments with the fewest possible resources. |
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It has never been an easy assignment, but in light of the increased complexity of the call center environment over the past decade, today it can be particularly onerous. Skills-based routing, multimedia queuing and other advancements have created a mathematical nightmare that can baffle even a skilled statistician. However, given the current multichannel environment, the decision to create (or upgrade) a workforce management team (WMT) is one of the most significant moves an organization can make in the quest to consistently meet service level and response time objectives. But pulling together a team is not enough to guarantee improved performance results. Creating the ideal WMT
Building a Team Structure So how do you decide which responsibilities to assign to the WMT? I recommend that the organization views this team as the planning arm of the call center. The WMT creates the blueprint that assures the best chance for success. The call center floor is responsible for the execution of that plan, which, in a call center, is determined by adherence. Obviously, both parties have to meet their objectives in order for service level goals to be met. Within the WMT, make sure the focus is on planning. The team must constantly look ahead to the next minute, the next day, the next month and the next year to ensure that the center has the required resources. But keep in mind, this kind of planning takes time, which is often in short supply. Too many call centers waste valuable time and WMT resources overanalyzing historical results. History is important, but only to provide lessons on how to improve on past performance. A
The One Key Activity This information allows the center to create a plan to address staff shortages (and surpluses) in the most effective manner possible. And while looking ahead one week or a month is a good practice, there's no substitute for running a gap analysis for the very next day. That allows you to capture all but the last-minute activities that will affect staff availability, thereby ensuring the most accurate analysis. And you will still have time to respond to any projected staffing gaps.
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Published: Monday, November 18, 2002
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