Change Management Archives - Aaron Johnson Site

Overcoming Resistance to New WFM Software

Call Design on October 25, 2023

After a long road, you’re finally ready to implement. You did the research and selected the platforms you wanted to look at. You sat through too many demos and sales calls and finally selected your new Workforce Management (WFM) platform. The platform has been installed, you’ve set up the initial configuration, and you’ve gone through the training. Everything is ready to go, and then, like an amusement park ride at Disney World, the resistance begins to rise. You start getting pushback from the agents, their supervisors, or maybe even your own WFM team. What is this all about?!

Well, let’s start with why you might be getting some of this internal resistance.

Understanding the Resistance

Internal resistance to change isn’t unique to WFM or contact centers. From professional to personal, non-profits to Fortune 10 companies, the world is full of people who are scared or uneasy about change. Whether it’s because of loss of control, excess uncertainty, or past resentments we need to stop and consider the environment of our key stakeholders. Why might they be resistant to a WFM software change?

1. Agents: Balancing Work and Life

Agents often view changes in WFM software through the lens of their daily routines. This software, more than others, directly impacts their work/life balance. Issues like schedule selection and management, PTO requests, and overtime availability are vital to them. Study after study has shown work/life balance can have huge positive impacts on employee engagement. When WFM software is introduced to an environment agents are rightly going to be concerned that it may negatively impact their work/life balance and be resistant to this change.

2. Agent Supervisors: The Changing Roles

Agent supervisors are often the bridge connecting management’s directives and the agents on the frontline. When new WFM software is introduced, it can signify a shift in their roles, and this can lead to resistance.

Imagine you’re a supervisor accustomed to handling PTO approvals, schedule adjustments, or real-time monitoring. These responsibilities are integral to maintaining team performance. However, as the new WFM software takes its place, these tasks might transition to automation. For supervisors, this shift can be met with skepticism and apprehension. They may wonder if their importance is diminishing, as the software now handles functions they previously managed.

3. WFM Team: Embracing Automation

Similar to the supervisors, the WFM team may see the new software as a threat to their roles. Automated forecasting by just clicking a few buttons can feel threatening to a forecast analyst who has built a career on the accuracy of their Excel spreadsheets. Schedule optimization and what-if scenario building can also look like a threat to the WFM professional who has always heard “Your schedules are so creative!” Automation can appear to replace their expertise, potentially leading to downsizing, and this will consistently lead people to resist change.

4. Company Leadership: The Big Picture

For company leaders, software changes represent more than just a shift in tools; they can affect the entire organization. These leaders, responsible for steering the company toward its goals, often view such transitions with a critical eye. They may be concerned that these changes could disrupt daily operations and potentially divert attention from primary objectives. Anything that may negatively impact customers, employees, or the business is going to be met with resistance.

(Sure, we might have forced a dog picture into this blog off of the “adoption” header… but aren’t you enjoying this blog a bit more now that this picture is in here?)

Fostering Buy-In and Adoption

Now you better understand why the people around you may be resistant to change, but what do you do about it? Regardless of role, there are three keys to fostering buy-in and adoption that you need to keep in mind:

1) Know and Connect with Stakeholders

Before you can connect the software to what matters to them, you have to know what matters to them. Get to know your stakeholders and understand their priorities and challenges before you start implementing new software.

Once you know their priorities and challenges you can then connect the new WFM software to what’s important to them. Coming to them with WFM bells and whistles that aren’t grounded in what they care about will do nothing to reduce or eliminate their resistance. Get to know them, and then show them how the new software will help remove their challenges and reach their goals.

2) Don’t Stop Training

You’ll certainly adjust the training of the platform to the audience, but you at least need to introduce the product to all of your stakeholders. Company leaders need a walk-through, the agents need to understand how to submit requests, and the WFM team needs to understand how to administer the platform. We all know the value of training, and differing that training for the audience, but one training isn’t sufficient.

Of course, the contact center environment is often hard-pressed to find another 30-60 minutes for classroom training. However, there are a variety of ways that you can go after additional training.

WFM team members can get additional training through the user groups, WFM networking groups, or 3^rd party consulting. This is especially critical as new features are released in the tool and new functionality is made available. They can also sign up for online webinars that they can either attend live or watch the recording afterward.

Agents and supervisors may need less access to consistent training, but the adoption of the platform will benefit from the WFM team making themselves available. This might look like Office Hours where WFM is available to field any questions they may have. It could also take a more structured approach where WFM shares best practices during a town hall or webinar.

The key to long-term adoption is consistent training. Helping people understand the value the platform provides, how it continually adds value to their environment, and how to best use it for their needs. You may not have another 30-60 minutes for in-classroom training, but you shouldn’t need it to still provide additional training.

3) Communicate Throughout the Process

One of the best ways to create buy-in from all your stakeholders is to keep them in the loop throughout the process. You should have already connected with them and you’re able to show how the platform benefits them. But if you’re not communicating with them about the changes that are coming, before they happen, then all of the benefits in the world won’t be able to overcome the resistance to sudden and unknown change.

Agents and Supervisors – You may want to wait until you’ve settled on which platform you’re going with, but letting them know a change is coming in a few months will help. This gives you a chance to explain to them why it’s happening and how the new platform can help them.

WFM Team – You’ll probably want to include them in the research and vetting process. Maybe the whole team doesn’t need to be involved, but you’ll get great buy-in from your team if they feel like their opinion is being heard when it comes to selecting the tool they’ll use every day.

Company Leaders – Varying what you share can be important for this group. You don’t want to overshare details with them that they aren’t going to find helpful. However, keeping them in the dark until rollout will also likely frustrate them. Pay attention to how involved they are with the contact center. If they are heavily involved then they’ll likely want updates throughout the selection, training, and implementation process. If they have little to do with the contact center, then just give them an overview as you select the tool and roll it out to the team.

Understanding the Benefits

You get the resistance to change, and you understand how to get buy-in, but maybe you aren’t sure about why people would care about WFM software. As a leader in WFM, we can easily miss the larger picture and just see the value of our environment. Ease of use, increased forecasting, better reporting, and visibility, all these features clearly benefit WFM, but they can benefit others in the organization as well.

As mentioned above, knowing how the software can benefit others is critical for adoption, and you still need to hear from them before you can sell them. But as you’re listening to their challenges and priorities having these benefits in mind may help you highlight the value of the software.

For Agents

Improved Work/Life Balance: WFM software can streamline scheduling, making it easier for agents to request time off, pick up extra shifts, and maintain a better work/life balance.
Empowerment and Autonomy: The ability to indicate their shift preferences and availability can give agents a sense of empowerment and greater control over their work schedules.
Fair Scheduling: With the help of the software, agents can ensure a fair distribution of shifts and opportunities, reducing any perceived scheduling biases.

For Agent Supervisors

More Time for Coaching: With automation handling administrative tasks, supervisors can focus more on coaching and providing support to agents to improve their performance.
Data-Driven Decisions: WFM software provides valuable data and insights that can highlight performance gaps for supervisors and enable more data-driven decisions.
Team Visibility:It can be challenging, especially in remote environments, for supervisors to see who is working and when their team might be able to meet for a team meeting. WFM software can provide them visibility, and could even go a step further in scheduling team meetings at optimal times.

For WFM Team

Enhanced Efficiency: Automation in forecasting and scheduling simplifies complex processes, increasing efficiency and accuracy in their roles.
Creative Scheduling: WFM software can help the team develop more creative scheduling solutions, enabling them to create schedules that meet business needs, while still providing exceptional customer service and employee schedule flexibility.
Real-Time Monitoring: The software provides real-time data, enabling the WFM team to make informed, timely decisions based on the latest customer and employee data. It isn’t just seeing what is happening in the moment, but also better predicting what will happen the rest of the day and making adjustments accordingly.

For Company Leadership

Optimized Staffing: WFM software ensures that staffing aligns with customer demand, reducing unnecessary labor costs and increasing operational efficiency.
Improved Customer Experience: Through efficient scheduling and staffing, the software helps maintain high service levels, leading to improved customer satisfaction.
Increased Employee Engagement: The software can also provide agents the schedule flexibility they’ve been asking for without having to sacrifice customer or business outcomes. This will increase employee engagement, helping the organization retain talent that they likely see as their strategic advantage in the marketplace.

Implementing new WFM software comes with its share of challenges. Agents, supervisors, the WFM team, and company leaders may resist the change, but it can be effectively managed by understanding their concerns and offering ongoing training. Embrace the software’s benefits, such as improved work-life balance for agents, streamlined decision-making for supervisors, and better staffing alignment for company leadership.

At Call Design North America, we’re here to guide you through this transformative journey, ensuring your organization is fully prepared for the transition. We don’t just implement or train and leave, we make sure you are thinking through all of the challenges of change management and helping you avoid common pitfalls. We can also help with continuous training, ensuring you’re getting the most out of your WFM platform.

Change may be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity for growth and success. With the right strategies and the right partner, resistance can transform into enthusiastic adoption, propelling your contact center to new heights.

Complex WFM Software Integrations Made Simple

Call Design on October 11, 2023

We may be a little bit biased, but we believe that the role of Workforce Management (WFM) software cannot be overstated. It’s the linchpin that keeps operations optimized and agents in sync. However, we also realize that implementing WFM software is not without its hurdles. One of the most prominent challenges that contact centers face is the complexity of integration. Whether that’s integration to your ACD, HRIS/payroll, or even your performance management platform, all of these systems can benefit from WFM data and your WFM platform can benefit from their data. But too often it isn’t as simple as plug-and-play, but could it be that simple?

Why is Integration Complex?

To grasp the essence of integration complexity, it’s crucial to understand the inherent intricacies that come into play. First and foremost, the challenge arises from the need to synchronize data seamlessly between various systems. When you integrate with WFM software, you’re essentially building bridges between databases and applications that may use different data formats, protocols, and technologies. Too often may feel like you’ve integrated a system but then find out that the data doesn’t match the original system and the WFM system. The challenge to build well-structured and consistently available “data bridges” can be incredibly challenging.

Moreover, the availability of data adds to the complexity. Many systems will say that they integrate with your WFM platform, but they may only mean 2 to 3 data points. This can leave WFM leaders incredibly frustrated as they need a full system integration between ACD to WFM and WFM to HRIS. Also, the data may be available, but the lack of timeliness can often make it pointless. How is WFM supposed to forecast intraday when the interaction volume is only updated daily? Or how can we provide intra-day flexibility to agents when we only get updated PTO allotments weekly?

Lastly, by integrating systems you may disrupt existing workflows, something that most contact centers strive to avoid at all costs. Agents rely on smooth, efficient processes to deliver top-notch customer service, so any disruption is a cause for concern.

Key Platforms for Integration

We’ve already mentioned how WFM can benefit from integration with other platforms. Here are a few key ones to consider:

1. Communication Channels: Integration with various communication channels such as phone, email, chat, and others is essential. Without the ability to access interaction volume, workload time, and unproductive activities, WFM teams will fly blind when creating forecasts and schedules.

2. Reporting and Analytics Tools: For data-driven decision-making, integration with reporting and analytics tools is paramount. WFM may be able to analyze data inside of the channel distribution platform, and they may be able to pull that data into the WFM platform for further review. The ideal scenario, though, is being able to have all of that data in a BI tool. When WFM data is integrated with performance, productivity, and customer experience data WFM leaders are able to better justify the impact of their processes.

3. HR and Payroll Systems: Integrating WFM software with HR and payroll systems streamlines workforce management processes. Sure, your WFM platform may be able to create schedules, but if it isn’t integrated with the time-keeping software then schedule adherence can become an incredibly manual process for the WFM team. The manual work for WFM also increases when PTO approval has to be reviewed in two different systems. When WFM teams can see both the employee’s personal account balance and the forecasted net staffing the PTO approval process can be significantly streamlined. Add an ability to apply checker rules that automatically approve PTO requests based upon If/Then logic and you’ll really be moving!

Additional Considerations

1. Selection of Compatible Software and Tools:
Compatibility is not just about technical integration; it’s about harmonizing the various components of your technology ecosystem.

This is where third-party integration companies specializing in building WFM connectors come into play. Companies like Call Design, with decades of experience in this field, offer a unique value proposition. They bring a deep understanding of WFM software and its intricacies, which means they can tailor integration solutions to match your specific needs and platforms.

The advantage of working with such experts is their ability to bridge the gap between your existing systems and the WFM software you’re integrating. They not only ensure compatibility but also optimize the integration for maximum effectiveness. This can save your organization valuable time and resources, as you’re not left grappling with technical challenges.

2. Thorough Planning and Assessment:
If we don’t know the value of good planning, are we even doing WFM?!

There’s no sense in looking to ingrate systems “just because”. The platforms need to be helping the WFM team move towards a particular goal, or set of goals, that are supportive of the larger organizational strategy. Sure, improving automation of manual processes is great by itself, but once that manual work is automated what do you do with the labor associated with it? Where will we now have the WFM coordinator’s focus?

The planning and assessment process includes the project and change management necessary for all effective software rollouts, but it also includes mapping out how the WFM team will conduct their work differently once the integrations are complete.

3. Continuous Monitoring and Optimization:
Implementing the integrations is just the start of a long process. The WFM team needs to continually review and refine how the data flow is helping or could help additional processes.

It could be that the integration was just meant to improve the connection and accuracy of PTO balances between the WFM and HR teams. However, WFM may also be able to help HR with payroll accuracy based on ACD data coming in for schedule adherence. Or maybe there’s an ability to tie all three systems together. Where the agent logs into the phone system, which logs a clock-in action for payroll, and then submits a schedule adjustment for WFM schedule adherence all done automatically through integrations.

The key here is to continually review what additional systems, processes, and teams might benefit from deeper integrations.

As you consider how your WFM team can benefit from additional integrations, rest assured that experienced partners are here to assist. Call Design, with over 20 years of expertise in building and implementing WFM connectors, stands ready to walk you through the full process. From identifying which platforms you want to integrate with, to building the actual connectors, and implementing the solutions; we are here to help. We understand the challenges you face and are well-equipped to help you navigate the path to seamless integration, ensuring your WFM efforts yield optimal results for your employees, customers, and business leaders. Integrations can be complex, but they don’t have to be intimidating when you have the right partner with you.

Cómo Call Design proporciona estabilidad en medio del caos de WFM

Adolfo Pedraz on October 4, 2023

Los responsables de Workforce Management (WFM) se encuentran a menudo en una lucha constante por adaptarse. Call Design entiende los retos y frustraciones únicos que acompañan a este entorno dinámico. En este blog, abordamos los obstáculos a los que se enfrentan los gestores de WFM, incluidos los cambios de liderazgo y los cambios internos, y mostramos cómo Call Design es un socio sólido que proporciona estabilidad en medio del caos.

El reto de los cambios de software:

Imagínese esto: usted invierte en una solución de software WFM, creyendo que es la respuesta a sus necesidades, sólo para descubrir que la empresa detrás de ella ha sido adquirida o fusionada con otra plataforma. De repente, el software en el que ha llegado a confiar se enfrenta a un futuro incierto, y usted se queda luchando con la frustración de una vida útil limitada.

Aunque no podemos protegerle de las maniobras corporativas del sector, sí que podemos guiarle a través del laberinto. Call Design tiene conexiones en todo el espacio de WFM, incluidas las principales plataformas de WFM. Conocemos a los actores, entendemos sus trayectorias y estamos bien equipados para ayudarle a navegar por el difícil terreno de los plazos de fin de servicio. Con nosotros a su lado, no tendrá que enfrentarse solo a estas incertidumbres.

Seguir el ritmo de los nuevos actores:

El panorama de la WFM es un mercado en ebullición en el que año tras año aparecen nuevos participantes. Mantenerse al día y discernir qué plataformas merece la pena tener en cuenta se ha convertido en una tarea de enormes proporciones. Además, el riesgo de que los gigantes heredados absorban a los nuevos actores añade otra capa de complejidad al proceso de toma de decisiones.

Nosotros tomamos el pulso a los actores emergentes y conocemos a fondo sus posibles trayectorias. En lugar de ahogarse en una lista cada vez mayor de plataformas, puede recurrir a nosotros para obtener las últimas perspectivas y orientación.

Navegando en los cambios de liderazgo:

Los cambios de liderazgo dentro de los proveedores de software pueden ser increíblemente desafiantes. Imagínese tener que volver a formar repetidamente al gestor de cuentas de su proveedor debido a la constante rotación de empleados. Es frustrante cuando la visión y las promesas hechas por un grupo de líderes se desvanecen con su marcha, sólo para ser reemplazados por caras nuevas con nuevas estrategias.

Call Design proporciona una sensación de estabilidad que a menudo falta en este sector. Nuestro equipo central, dirigido por Michelle y Burke, ha sido una presencia constante desde nuestros inicios. Esta continuidad garantiza que sus relaciones con los clientes permanezcan ininterrumpidas, y no tendrá que adaptarse repetidamente a nuevos estilos de liderazgo.

Plataformas estancadas:

A veces, el problema no radica en que las plataformas cambien demasiado, sino en que lo hagan demasiado poco. Las grandes empresas heredadas pueden carecer de las características y funciones que usted necesita urgentemente para sus nuevos procesos y proyectos, lo que le deja atascado con un sistema que no está a la altura de sus necesidades.

Llevamos años ayudando a configurar las hojas de ruta de los productos de las empresas de software WFM. Aunque no podemos prometer el desarrollo inmediato de todas las funciones deseadas, podemos asegurarle que su voz no pasará desapercibida. Aportamos nuestra experiencia en el sector y nuestro apoyo incondicional para amplificar sus peticiones y esfuerzos. Aunque el cambio no se produzca de la noche a la mañana, con el apoyo de Call Design, su viaje hacia una plataforma más receptiva será mucho más factible.

Navegar por los cambios internos:

En el panorama siempre competitivo de las organizaciones, los contact centers se encuentran a menudo sujetos a rápidos cambios de prioridades y retos imprevistos. Ya sean las directivas cambiantes de la alta dirección o la influencia de otros departamentos, los equipos de WFM se enfrentan con frecuencia a cambios abrumadores.

Entendemos los retos únicos de los cambios internos. Nuestros consultores están profundamente arraigados en el espacio del contact centre, habiendo pasado la mayor parte de sus carreras en las trincheras. Aunque no podemos eliminar los cambios internos, abogamos por un enfoque más estratégico. Animamos a los equipos de WFM a pasar de un modo reactivo a una postura proactiva, alineando sus esfuerzos con objetivos organizativos más amplios. Con nuestro apoyo, podrá afrontar los cambios internos con resistencia y determinación.

En un panorama de contact centers definido por su incesante ritmo de cambio, Call Design se erige como un faro de estabilidad y apoyo. Aceptamos la inevitabilidad del cambio, reconociéndolo como un aspecto fundamental del sector. Sin embargo, también comprendemos el valor de la estabilidad y la continuidad en las relaciones con nuestros clientes. A medida que se enfrenta a los retos del entorno cambiante de los centros de contacto, recuerde que Call Design está aquí para proporcionarle experiencia, orientación y soluciones a medida para mejorar sus operaciones.

How Call Design Provides Stability Amidst the WFM Chaos

Call Design on September 27, 2023

Workforce Management (WFM) managers often find themselves in a constant battle to adapt. Call Design understands the unique challenges and frustrations that accompany this dynamic environment. In this blog, we address into the hurdles faced by WFM managers, including leadership changes and internal shifts, and showcase how Call Design stands as a steadfast partner, providing stability amidst the chaos.

The Challenge of Software Changes:

Picture this – you invest in a WFM software solution, believing it’s the answer to your needs, only to discover that the company behind it has been acquired or merged with another platform. Suddenly, the software you’ve come to rely on faces an uncertain future, and you’re left grappling with the frustration of a limited service life.

While we can’t shield you from the industry’s corporate maneuvers, we can certainly guide you through the maze. Call Design has connections throughout the WFM space includes the major WFM platforms. We know the players, we understand their trajectories, and we’re well-equipped to help you navigate through the challenging terrain of end-of-service timelines. With us by your side, you won’t have to face these uncertainties alone.

Keeping Pace with New Players:

The WFM landscape is a bustling marketplace with new entrants popping up year after year. Staying updated and discerning which platforms are worth your consideration has become a daunting task. Moreover, the risk of new players being absorbed by legacy giants adds another layer of complexity to the decision-making process.

We keep our finger on the pulse of emerging players and maintain a deep understanding of their potential trajectories. Instead of drowning in an ever-growing list of platforms, you can turn to us for the latest insights and guidance.

Navigating Leadership Changes:

Leadership changes within software providers can be incredibly challenging. Imagine having to retrain your vendor’s account manager repeatedly due to constant employee turnover. It’s frustrating when the vision and promises made by one set of leaders vanish with their departure, only to be replaced by new faces with new strategies.

Call Design provides a sense of stability that’s often missing in this industry. Our core team, led by Michelle and Burke, has been a constant presence since our inception. This continuity ensures that your client relationships remain uninterrupted, and you won’t have to repeatedly adapt to new leadership styles.

Dealing with Stagnant Platforms:

Occasionally, the challenge doesn’t lie in platforms changing too much, but rather in them changing too little. Large legacy players may lack the features and functions that you urgently require for your new processes and projects, leaving you stuck with a system that falls short of your needs.

We’ve helped shape the product roadmaps WFM software companies for years. While we can’t promise the immediate development of every desired feature, we can assure you that your voice won’t go unheard. We lend our industry expertise and unwavering support to amplify your requests and efforts. While change may not happen overnight, with Call Design behind you, your journey towards a more responsive platform becomes all the more achievable.

Navigating Internal Changes:

In the ever-competitive landscape of organizations, contact centers often find themselves subject to rapid shifts in priorities and unforeseen challenges. Whether it’s the shifting directives of upper management or the influence of other departments, WFM teams frequently face overwhelming changes.

We understand the unique challenges of internal changes. Our consultants are deeply ingrained in the contact center space, having spent most of their careers in the trenches. While we can’t eliminate internal changes, we advocate for a more strategic approach. We encourage WFM teams to shift from a reactive mode to a proactive stance, aligning their efforts with broader organizational objectives. With our support, you can navigate internal changes with resilience and purpose.

In a contact center landscape defined by its relentless pace of change, Call Design stands as a beacon of stability and support. We embrace the inevitability of change, recognizing it as a fundamental aspect of the industry. However, we also understand the value of stability and continuity in our client relationships. As you navigate the challenges of the evolving contact center environment, remember that Call Design is here to provide expertise, guidance, and tailored solutions to elevate your operations.

Your journey toward a more stable and strategically aligned contact center begins with us. Contact Call Design through our contact page or by emailing us at [email protected]. Let’s work together to transform today’s challenges into the successes of tomorrow.

Excel in Workforce Management: A Versatile Tool with Limitations

Call Design on September 6, 2023

As professionals who have spent decades in the contact center space, we understand the chaotic landscape you have to navigate daily as WFM leaders. Although not the newest or shiniest, Excel stands out as a trusted ally for many. Yet, like any tool, it shines in some situations and dims in others. In this week’s blog, we’ll share when and where Excel can be a steadfast companion for WFM teams, and when it might be time to explore new horizons.

When Excel Steps into the Limelight:

Cost-Efficiency and Accessibility: The practicality of Excel’s cost-effectiveness and universal availability is undeniable. For those of us managing leaner budgets, Excel offers a lifeline to craft WFM solutions tailored to our needs without breaking the bank.

Familiar Terrain: There’s comfort in the familiar. If, like us, you’re well-versed in Excel’s realm, employing it for WFM can expedite processes and minimize the adjustment period. WFM goals become attainable with less time spent on the learning curve when you’re leveraging tools you already use daily.

Tailored Flexibility: We’re no strangers to the intricate dance of workforce variables. Excel’s flexible nature can help create custom solutions, from formulas to macros, that can align perfectly with your unique workforce rhythms.

When Excel Takes a Step Back:

Scale and Complexity: The journey of growth often unveils Excel’s limitations. As our operations expand, the sheer volume of data and intricate analytics can bog down the trusted spreadsheet. Go try applying a SUMIF on a few tens of thousands of rows and let us know how well it scales.

The Risk of Human Touch: Mistakes happen. Manual data entry and formula manipulations can introduce errors into our meticulously crafted WFM processes, leading to misguided forecasts, inefficient scheduling, and skewed reports. Plus, there’s always that chance that someone will accidentally delete a spreadsheet full of approved time-off requests (yep, we’re looking at you Bridget).

An Oasis of Advanced Features: Excel serves us well, but it’s not equipped with the arsenal of advanced WFM-specific tools that dedicated software offers. Automated scheduling algorithms, advanced forecasting functions, integrated communication platforms, real-time data sync, and the list goes on. There are plenty of bells and whistles that Excel just can’t come close to providing.

When Excel Is a Great Sidekick

Even after adopting a robust WFM enterprise platform, Excel can maintain an important role on your WFM team. Think of it as a great sidekick for your team, just don’t expect it to provide any awe inspiring business-high-fives. It’s still not human.

Data Interpretation and Validation: Excel’s data manipulation can help you validate and interpret the outputs of your WFM system. It allows you to cross-check and ensure that your enterprise platform’s insights align with your understanding. There’s little better in life than when the math of your WFM system matches the math of your spreadsheet. *chefs kiss*

Customized Reporting: Excel empowers you to craft tailor-made reports that address specific needs, offering a level of customization that might not be readily available in your enterprise software.

Side note: If you’re having issues getting data into or out of your WFM system, let us know. We probably have an integration that could help.

Skill Development: Training your team on Excel can serve as a stepping stone toward understanding more advanced analytics concepts and formulas. That might look like your team applying great analytics inside your WFM system or it maybe your team moving into the data analytics within your organization. It’s not a crazy thought to think someone might be able to move from Excel, to SQL, to Python.

While a dedicated WFM enterprise platform expands your capabilities, don’t underestimate the continued relevance of Excel. It’s like a trusted friend who’s always there to lend a hand, even as you venture into new territories.

Excel has been the cornerstone of WFM for many of us, offering a dependable foundation for smaller teams and tighter budgets. However, as operations grow in scale and complexity, it’s essential to recognize when Excel’s limitations start to show.

If you resonate with these scenarios, we want to hear from you. Your challenges, your successes, your strategies – they all contribute to the collective wisdom that guides us. Reach out to us; let’s engage in an authentic conversation, no sales pitch involved. We’re seeking to connect with industry leaders who’ve harnessed Excel beyond reporting and dashboarding. Your voice matters, and together, we’ll continue to navigate the intricacies of workforce management in pursuit of EXCEL-lence…. See what we did there?

From Collaboration to Confidence: Building Leadership Buy-in For WFM Strategies

Laura Horton on July 12, 2023

In the quest for operational efficiency, back offices can harness the power of WFM through forecasting accuracy. Forecasting accuracy is one key factor that contributes to leadership buy-in.

Gaining the Back Office management buy-in is crucial for the success of the WFM strategy. As WFM experts, our goal is to engage with and provide insights/guidance to our business leaders and all influencing departments, including HR.

All team managers have a requirement to understand workload demand, impacts, drivers, and the resources required to service the work. They are challenged with understanding and justifying their staff requirements to ensure they can meet their objectives and service the demand. In my many years of working with leaders, there is a common theme. Managers know their business; they know their staff and they’ve acquired that knowledge without the use of WFM tools, but by working it out the hard way! Understandably, this can create a sense of protection over their information and their staff.

So, the challenge is how do you get them to share that knowledge? It’s important to set expectations as to our intentions, responsibility, objective, and purpose. We intend to work collaboratively, to complement and support them, to achieve common goals. For them, our supporting will free up some of their time to allow focus on other activities such as coaching, developing and support their staff, working on process improvements, completing administration tasks, and so on…

A robust workforce management plan is an art and a science. While we excel in the scientific aspects and have strong knowledge of the practicalities of forecasting – the artistic side lies in acquiring insights through collaboration with leaders, accumulating collective knowledge on the driving influencers of demand over time, and applying this knowledge and lessons learned to the forecast.

By leveraging our Back Office leaders’ knowledge and supporting open and consistent communication, we can build leadership confidence and trust in the WFM process. Two of the best ways to build that confidence are being able to clearly articulate the benefits of forecasting to leadership and establishing an effective operating rhythm. Here are some ways to do just that!

Benefits of Forecasting Accuracy:

Business Performance Evaluation: Accurate forecasting allows businesses to evaluate their performance by comparing results with forecast predictions. This evaluation helps identify areas for improvement and assess the customer impact.
Decision-Making with Confidence: Reliable forecasts provide leaders with the necessary information to make informed decisions across various business functions. Having confidence in the accuracy of forecasts helps drive strategic decisions, resource allocation, and operational planning.
Resource Optimization: Accurate forecasts enable organizations to allocate resources effectively. Right people, right skill, right place, right time. Optimization of resources improves operational efficiency and productivity.
Risk Mitigation: With reliable forecasts, businesses can proactively identify risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate them effectively. This proactive approach minimizes the impact of unforeseen events and changes in demand.
Stakeholder Confidence: By providing reliable forecasts, leaders can demonstrate their competency and transparency, strengthening their relationship with their stakeholders and staff.
Continuous Improvement: By analyzing forecast deviations and identifying problem areas, organizations can refine their forecasting models, data sources, and methodologies. This iterative process leads to better employee engagement, enhanced customer experience, and operational efficiency.
Performance Benchmarks: Forecast accuracy allows businesses to benchmark their performance against industry standards and internal targets. It provides insights into areas of improvement, drives innovation, and encourages the adoption of internal best practices across the organization.

A well-designed operating rhythm sets the stage for decision-making, collaboration, and accountability.

Effective Operating Rhythm:

Clear Communication: Encourage alignment and effective collaboration by establishing clear communication channels. This includes regular meetings, status updates, and feedback sessions. Being a trusted advisor means providing accurate and timely information, addressing concerns, and facilitating resolution of issues. Building strong communication channels fosters transparency and trust.
Structured Workflow: Define roles, responsibilities, and accountability. Clearly outlining each role’s responsibilities helps avoid confusion, duplication of effort, and gaps. Collaboration is the key to ensuring a smooth transition of handoffs and seamless coordination.
Prioritization and Time Management: Optimize results by prioritizing and managing time effectively. Prioritize the jobs to be done and ensure the timely delivery of useful information. Keep a record of any deviations and document the outcomes and lessons learned. You will be held somewhat accountable for the outcomes, so collaborate with your leaders to define priority tasks and manage your time effectively.
Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of improvement through evaluation and feedback. Regularly assess processes and identify areas requiring improvement and potential opportunities for innovation.
Training and Skill Development: Investing in employee development and leadership training is crucial for building a capable and high-performing workforce. Providing training to the leadership team and staff, on the principles of workforce management, can equip them with the necessary knowledge and tools to excel in their role.
Performance Monitoring and Metrics: Document the established KPIs between Leadership and WFM. Regularly monitor and measure progress against these metrics to gauge performance and identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.

As WFM experts, our primary objective is to provide valuable insights and business guidance. We recognize that the transition can be challenging to overcome. By fostering a collaborative environment and valuing the leaders’ experience, we can bridge the gap between science and knowledge, enhancing the effectiveness of the WFM strategy.

This partnership approach not only facilitates the successful implementation of WFM initiatives but also fosters confidence and trust between WFM experts and business leaders. At Call Design, we are committed to enabling our clients to overcome challenges that drive positive change within their organizations. Contact us today to learn how we can partner with you in achieving your business outcomes and empowering your back office workforce. Together, let’s unlock the full potential of your operations and create a happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned work environment.

From Chaos to Clarity: Building a Robust Workload Forecast for Back-Office Operations

Laura Horton on June 27, 2023

In the world of back-office operations, designing an effective workload forecast is crucial for efficient staff planning and decision-making. A well-designed forecast provides valuable insights into the volume of work coming in, the time required to complete it, and the deadlines these tasks need to be completed by. It serves as a foundation to making various staffing decisions. Additionally, it helps to guide employee development, fill skills gaps, and allows leaders to meet their objective.

In this blog, we will explore the process of designing a back-office workload forecast.

Vision and Mission: To begin, it’s important to understand the company’s vision, mission and strategy. These statements provide valuable insights into the organization’s current state and company direction. Gathering information about the company’s goals and objectives is a good way to sanity check work priorities and align those with the broader business objectives.
Gathering Documentation and Insight: Next, gather as much relevant documentation as possible. Prepare in advance and make the most of leader’s and subject matter expert’s expertise. During discussions, be sure to capture the following information:
- Operating practices
- Work priorities (from highest to lowest)
- Work that is not captured in the existing system
- Tasks that require special handling or segregation
- Service level expectations for each type of work (consider the end-to-end process)
- Interdependencies with other teams or departments

Drafting the Task List: Based on the insights gathered, create a draft task list. The task list should be designed logically and tailored to meet the business needs, but don’t overcomplicate it. Remember that you are building a workload forecast, not a list of reporting requirements.
Analyzing Task List Data: Ideally, you should have at least six weeks of intraday or daily data to identify intraday patterns and day-of-week trends. To identify seasonal and growth trends, a minimum of 13 months of daily historical data is required. Running trial forecasts using the new task list data will help demonstrate its value to each team. Be on the lookout for volatility or large fluctuations in the volume and then dig into why the fluctuations are happening.
Turn around time: How do you measure how long it takes to complete tasks in the task list? There are numerous ways in which the data can be collected. Source systems, time and motion studies, 80/20 rule. If using time and motion studies, be sure to utilize middle of the pack workers. The ones who are not your superstars and not your poor performers. Setting a standard for what is expected gives you a good baseline to grow and improve on.
Service level expectations: Most of the work in the back office will come with a goal to complete. Each task type will have different expectations depending on the priority, and importance of the work to be completed. Be sure that when you present your staffing requirements to leaders that the service level is included.

Validation Workshops: Schedule a workshop where the task list and forecast workload demand are presented for validation. You should present your numbers in terms of volume, workload, and resource requirements. An open forum discussion allows for clarification regarding the task list, task mapping, and forecast details. Be mindful that not has a deep understanding of forecasting and its metrics, so explain the information in a way that can be understood by everyone. Encourage participants to challenge the insights and provide their input. This calibration process draws out missed information and outliers which improve the forecast process and to build trust. Make sure to allow sufficient time for participants to digest and reflect on the presented information.
It’s time to get sign-off: Implement the pilot team with the finalized forecast. Take the time to get everything right, as gaps or omissions will quickly become apparent and could generate a lot of rework.
Replicate the process from Step 2 for each team, considering the complexity of their specific operations. Following these steps diligently will result in a valid and usable forecasting task list, building confidence in achieving forecasting goals.

In conclusion, designing a robust workload forecast for back-office operations is a critical step in optimizing staff planning and resource utilization. At Call Design, we are committed to helping contact centers and back-office operations overcome challenges and drive positive change within their organizations. Stay tuned for the next instalment in our three-part blog series, where we will continue to explore WFM back-office tips and best practices. Contact us today to learn how we can partner with you in achieving your business outcomes and empowering your workforce. Together, let’s unlock the full potential of your operations and create a happy, engaged, and aligned work environment.

Unleashing the Potential of Back-Office WFM: Mastering the Forecasting Challenge

Laura Horton on June 16, 2023

Workforce Management (WFM) is the art and science of scheduling the right number of people with the right skills, at the right time, to handle work within service level and budget.

Forecasting is the key to solving the puzzle of scheduling the right number of people. It lays the foundation for efficient staffing levels and optimal resource utilization. Drawing from my 15 years of experience in consulting and training Workforce Optimization (WFO) teams, I’ve discovered that crafting a forecast that yields effective outcomes is a fundamental challenge when implementing Workforce Management (WFM) into the back office.

Amidst the dynamic landscape of back office, it’s common to feel overwhelmed by the various systems and processes involved. It’s crucial not to overlook the importance of getting your forecast process right. By investing extra effort and time, you can unlock significant benefits for your organization and enhance resource effectiveness, utilization, and budget. Trust me, the rewards are well worth the investment.

Now, let’s delve into some practical tips to help you conquer the forecasting challenge and elevate your WFM strategies to new heights. Here are three key areas to focus on:

1. Forecasting Expertise

Partner with a forecasting expert who understands the unique practices of back-office work. Back-office work is handled differently than contact center work, so be sure these differences are factored in.
Never assume – always ask. Collaborate closely with leaders, second-in-command individuals, and subject matter experts to gain their insight. They know the work better than anyone else so be sure to ask lots of questions.
Validate that your workflow solutions can handle the varying factors that impact processing time, as not all systems are designed to seamlessly integrate with forecasting needs.
Pick 1 team and master their forecast! Once you have the first forecast right, you can quickly move to the rest.
There will still be some differing factors between teams so be sure to conduct interviews and find out those differences. Making assumption is the best way to tank your forecast.
Promote the value of forecasting as a tool that helps leaders make better decisions and achieve their objectives. Make it the path of least resistance and empower team leaders to use it to their advantage.

2. Forecasting Task Structure Consideration

One of the biggest challenges for back-office forecasting is the lack of data. But you still have to account for work that is conducted and not captured in any system or documentation.
Remember that the structure of your task list can be influenced by service levels and expected handle times. Service levels will be a factor if you are looking to merge some of your tasks together for forecasting purposes. Group similar work together when possible.
Blend where it makes sense. But be aware! Inaccurate blending of work leads to inefficiencies, delays, and compromises service. Your customers rely on your business to address their needs promptly, and any delays or errors can result in frustration and dissatisfaction.
While reports provide valuable insights, remember that WFM is more than just a reporting tool. Use reports as a starting point to identify critical business factors but continue to refine and validate your forecast beyond the reports.
Be flexible and adapt as new information emerges. Omitting important details can hinder your forecasting success, so revise, review, and revalidate regularly.

3. Team Collaboration

Involving the right staff is a critical step to getting the task list right. Team Leaders, subject matter experts, and workflow coordinators all play a part at getting to the right data.
Document conversations and monitor for inconsistencies. As a key player, you have a special vantage point to spot potential triggers that could harm operation of the business. By offering recommendations based on your observations, you can enhance overall performance and minimize adverse effects.
Capture lessons learned from past forecasting experiences to continually improve future forecasts.

Building a robust workload forecast takes time and effort, but it’s a valuable tool that can transform your WFM operations. Remember, forecasting is both an art (understanding demand influencers) and a science (analyzing the numbers). So, let’s embrace the challenge, fine-tune our forecasting skills, and elevate our WFM teams to become strategic assets that drive positive change in our organizations. WFM isn’t just for the contact center anymore.

If you’re eager to dive deeper into the world of back-office WFM and gain valuable insights, I invite you to join our upcoming webinar series. This blog is just the beginning of a three-part back-office series where we’ll explore more tips, strategies, and industry best practices.

Why Call Design Isn’t the Right Company for Everyone

Call Design on June 2, 2023

Whether it’s personal partnerships or business partnerships, it’s essential to find the right match for your needs and goals. Call Design understands that we may not be the perfect fit for every organization, and that’s ok! We realize our model, approach, and philosophy isn’t for everyone. To help you out we’ve created a short list of reasons why you shouldn’t work with us.

Just Looking for a Platform

You shouldn’t work with us if you’re looking for a vendor that drops off software and leaves. We know some vendors are super successful with a high-touch sales process and low support at or after implementation. That can work for them, but it doesn’t work for us. We believe in building strong relationships with our clients, becoming their trusted partners, and actively collaborating to solve complex business challenges. Our business model revolves around high-touch interactions from sales, to implementation, to account support. We want to invest in your organization’s success. So, if you’re looking for a company to simply provide a platform and not a partnership, you should look elsewhere.

Maintaining Status Quo

Change can be daunting, and not everyone is eager to embrace it. If your organization prefers to maintain the status quo and resists change, we may not be the ideal match. We believe that WFM teams and contact centers can be, and probably should be, the culture champions in their environments. Leading efforts to help transform the organization from the inside out. We love working with companies that want to turn their contact center into a strategic asset, and if you want to maintain a passive, order-taking, tactically focused customer service team. Well, we wish you the best.

Comfortable with High Attrition Rates

“Contact center jobs are hard” – Captain Obvious

High agent attrition rates have become part of an accepted norm in many contact centers. It’s not ideal but it’s a known variable and something that many leaders have gotten comfortable planning for. If you’d prefer to maintain your comfortably high attrition rates, you probably shouldn’t work with us. We believe that WFM solutions can not only enhance operational efficiency but can also boost agent engagement. When done well WFM can provide work/life balance that helps increase engagement and lower attrition rates. We realize the agent engagement play isn’t for everyone, but it’s definitely in our DNA.

One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Lastly, some organizations are looking for a cookie-cutter approach. They want someone to simply come in, plug-in the software, and step away. They don’t want personalization or customizing when it comes to the platform, the training, or the support. Sadly, our approach is all about understanding the customer’s needs and creating a unique plan with them. We check in at least monthly to see if we’re still meeting their needs and we meet in person annually to reassess and align with our customer’s goals. That’s of course on top of our weekly Ask the Expert and bi-weekly Tip of the Fortnight sessions we host. If you’re looking for a one-size-fits-all approach to implementation and support, we can’t help you.

We get it, we aren’t for everyone. Some companies love just getting a platform, maintaining the status quo, continuing high attrition rates, and a cookie-cutter approach to support. To those companies, we probably shouldn’t work together.
However, if you are looking for passionate a partnership instead just a platform, for transformation to shake up the status quo, for ways to knock down that attrition rate, or possibly for customized support that puts you at the center; well, we should probably talk. You can reach out to us today and let us know why you think we would be a good fit for your organization.

– Dan Smitley

It’s time to check in with your team

Call Design on February 8, 2023

With all the layoffs in the news, your team may be assuming the worst. In a challenging environment, those assumptions are additional stress that your team doesn’t need.

It was only 90 days ago that we found out Twitter was laying off roughly half of its workforce, and the layoff stories haven’t stopped since then. Meta, Salesforce, Amazon, Microsoft of course make headlines, and we all know of smaller scale (but still painful) layoffs within the contact center industry– we’ve got the posts on our LinkedIn timelines to prove it. A friend of mine directed me to Layoffstracker.com but a quick online search reveals many more layoff tracking sites, all showing the grim timeline. And even though I try to avoid doomscrolling in general, it sometimes seems like that’s the only kind of scrolling there is.

Every day my news feed brings another clickbait anecdote about how employees laid off from Google feel particularly poorly treated, either because of the way their termination was handled, or because they feel like they company saw them as “disposable”, or because of the perceived randomness of who got picked for a pink slip. The stories range from a new mother who received her layoff email hours after giving birth, to married couples who went from two incomes to none, to employees with 20 years of service getting a mass email instead of a call. I don’t mean to single out Google, but I do think their status as a household word has made them a particular focus in the media. Meanwhile, the employees who still have jobs are confused and upset, some suffering from survivor’s guilt.

On top of all that, some companies are announcing plans to pull remaining employees back into the office whether they like it or not. So many of us have come to value the flexibility that a work from home situation has afforded us. And while some employees say they’re fine with a hybrid home/office scenario, there’s something about the stories of large companies mandating that move that rubs a lot of employees the wrong way. A study by Monster shows that two-thirds of workers would quit if forced to return to the office! Hearing stories about large, well-known companies announcing the end or partial reduction of Work from Home is just another factor that is likely weighing on the minds of your team.

That level of stress isn’t just the employees’ problem though; the whole organization has a stake. Research confirms something that we see in colleagues and also feel in ourselves on a personal level: stress has an impact on productivity. Stressed employees are more likely to be absent, and more likely to exhibit presenteeism (which means that they sign in for work, but are less productive because of physical illness or mental stressors). You don’t need a study to tell you that stressed employees find it more difficult to focus on creating schedules, interacting positively with their co-workers, or delivering the kind of “delight” level experience that customers demand today.

Employee wellbeing has been a trending topic that is growing out of the overall interest in Employee Experience (EX). Most of us are on board with the idea that EX is important, not just because we care about our colleagues as fellow human beings. Our companies have a real material stake in EX because it impacts Customer Experience (CX), and ultimately the bottom line. So our companies have to have a real interest in employee mental wellbeing.

Maybe your company isn’t planning layoffs and you’re happy allowing employees to work from home. But is that something your teams know? Is it something they have a gut feeling to be true? The current economic climate, the layoff news, the ratio of tough calls to easy ones– it all makes now a great time to check in with your team.

Make time to meet with your team, treat that time as sacred.

One thing we’ve always said about the contact center is that you can always expect the unexpected. We’re already facing a staffing crisis, doing our best with the employees we’ve got. And then there are the unpredicted contact volume spikes, the unplanned absences, the many customer service fires that break out during the day. In spite of all this, meetings have to be treated as critical priorities. Making time to talk to your team as a group and as individuals sends a clear message that they matter. Feeling like easily-replaceable cogs in an uncaring machine is a common complaint in the tech company layoffs, and we don’t want that contagious feeling spreading to our teams.

Communicate what you can.

So your company may not even be considering layoffs or cutting off Work from Home. Even if that’s true, you can’t make promises that it would never happen, especially in this economic climate. Focus on what you can communicate with honesty. If upper management has given out any messages on this topic, share what you can. Thinking back to my time as a frontline agent, I might have taken messages from upper management with a grain of salt, but I still appreciated some transparency from my team leaders, even if they couldn’t make promises.

Ask them how they feel.

Most of us have one-on-ones that are scheduled as frequently as we can manage given the massive workload we have to deal with. Talking to our team members about goals, stats, and key performance indicators is certainly important, that’s a given. But can you make time in those meetings to mention the layoff elephant in the room, and ask just how your team member is feeling? This kind of communication can build a sense of trust, openness to collaboration, and a sense of being valued. Don’t underestimate the power of making a team member feel seen.

Listen actively.

It’s not a given that any of us can easily focus in a meeting, especially in a multitasking world. But making the time with a team member count is crucial. Actively listen to you what your team member is saying, don’t spend that time formulating a response. Make them feel safe to be as honest as they can, and be attentive to non-verbal cues that might tell a story of their own. This is especially important when bringing up a topic like the layoff trend. Active listening can go a long way to building trust and a feeling of partnership between you and your team.

Follow up.

Team members are a rich source of insight into the employee experience. If your team is telling you about layoff fears or any other stressor making it difficult to deliver great customer experience, listen and follow up. If there are causes of stress that your company can do something about, make sure that message is communicated to the right people. Then make sure to let your team know that they have been heard and their concerns have been made known to the decision makers.

Consider a Voice of the Employee (VoE) tool.

With more concern shown to Employee Engagement, we’ve seen many VoE solutions hit the market. Some of them measure employee sentiment by doing regular automated “How are you feeling” surveys that can run far more often than any of us could possibly schedule face to face meetings. These scores and survey results can become another valuable data point that gives insight into Employee Experience that is trackable in our performance dashboards. And it gives the team members another channel to tell us how they feel.

Nature hates a void, and that goes double for an informational void. Something will fill the empty space left by that lack of information, and because of human nature, it’s usually our worst assumptions. Don’t let the rumor mill interfere with the hard work you’ve invested into building your contact center operation. Now is a great time to check in with your team to let them know you feel some of same stresses they do, you’re listening, and you’ll be as transparent as you can be in these challenging times.

– Shawn McCormick