Workforce Management

For
Small Call Centers

Richard Spearrin
NECCF Board of Directors

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Agenda
Introductions and Overview
Small Call Center Distinctives
Basic Workforce Management Ingredients
Excel Examples
Alternatives/ Resources
WIIFM
Conclusion

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Introduction
Objective
Who Am I ???
Who Are You???
Inventory of Center Sizes
Current Challenges

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Small Call Center Distinctives

Calls Still Arrive Randomly
Mondays Are Still Busy
Smaller Call Volumes Make Forecast

Accuracy Difficult
Inherent Schedule Inefficiency
One Person Makes a BIG Difference
Senior Managers Dont See Your Problems

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Actual Random Call Arrival

Calls By Minute

2/25/2002
3/4/2002

3/11/2002

3/18/2002

Calls

3/25/2002

4
3
2
1
0
Minute

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Basic WFM Ingredients

Forecasting

Factors

Monthly
Weekly
Daily

Interval Proportions
Data Validation (Calls and AHT)

Monthly Updates
Holiday Factor

Shrinkage
NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Factors and Proportions Spreadsheet

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

More Basic Ingredients

Scheduling
Develop shifts that
Reflect demand
Are manageable
Build in schedule inefficiency factor
Assigned on phone based on call distribution
Assign breaks/lunch's based on business need
Part Time FTE
On site
Work At Home

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Schedule Inefficiency
Everyone
starts here

But you dont

need everyone
then

Inefficiency reflects
this environment

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Intra Day Management

Use schedules to adjust for

Unplanned absence
Call surges

Manage off phone time

ACD AUX/ Walk Away codes

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Excel Examples

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Alternatives and Resources

http://www.erlang.com/ ----Erlang macro
Portage Communications-

http://www.portagecommunications.com/
Mitan Ltd--http://www.mitan.co.uk/mainhome.htm
Kool Toolz--http://www.kooltoolz.com/
Cloud Based applications (Aspect/IEX/Verint/
InVision/Pipkins/ etc)
Ansapoint---http://www.erlang.com/ansapoint.html
Shift Planning--http://www.shiftplanning.com/callcenter/
NorthEast Contact Center Forum

WIIFM
Better MANAGE the workload
Improved staff management
Better management of surprises
Documented plan for Senior Mgt

How you are managing

Why you need resources
What will happen if

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

Conclusion
.

NorthEast Contact Center Forum

RICHARD SPEARRIN
wrspearrin@thecccg.com
860.767.1451

NorthEast Contact Center Forum