Planeación de horarios durante la temporada de festividades: ¿estás listo para la época más maravillosa del año?

Rosy Barerra on November 8, 2023

La temporalidad de festividades del Q4 ha llegado, ese momento del año cuando las demandas puestas sobre el equipo de Workforce Management (WFM) presentan más retos. Llegan uno tras otro: Acción de Gracias, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Navidad, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa y Año Nuevo, cuando los centros de contacto deben equilibrar los extremos de lo que quieren los clientes y lo que quieren los agentes.

En nuestra lista de deseos para este blog: consideraciones de planificación específicas que pueden ayudar a su equipo de WFM a lograr ese equilibrio esencial y ganar la temporada navideña del Q4.

Su equipo de WFM (el regalo que sigue dando)

Hasta el peor Grinch de un contact center tiene que reconocer el papel fundamental del equipo de WFM durante las fiestas. Su experiencia y sus conocimientos en la resolución de problemas desempeñan un papel fundamental a la hora de determinar si las vacaciones de un contact center serán felices y brillantes o se convertirán en una Navidad azul.

No se trata sólo de satisfacer las demandas de los clientes, sino también de garantizar que sus agentes dispongan de la flexibilidad necesaria para pasar tiempo con sus familias. No se necesita la magia del Winter Warlock para que tanto los clientes como los agentes estén contentos: una planificación y una comunicación adecuadas pueden hacer que funcione.

Analicemos cuatro categorías clave que le guiarán a lo largo del proceso: Pronósticos, Planificación, Tecnología y Coordinación con otros Departamentos.

Pronósticos (No todas las festividades son iguales)

Los pronósticos son la base del éxito del cuarto trimestre. Revise los volúmenes de las fiestas anteriores, las mermas y cualquier cambio en el comportamiento de los clientes durante la temporada. En estos tiempos de cambio, compare los datos de varios años para crear un pronóstico más preciso. Recuerde que no todas las fiestas tienen el mismo impacto previsible.

El Día de Acción de Gracias es normalmente más fácil de predecir ya que es un jueves, al igual que se sabe en qué días caen el Black Friday y el Cyber Monday. Sin embargo, la fecha real de Acción de Gracias cambia, y si su sector tiene ventas a final de mes, puede que se encuentre en un entorno promocional de Cyber Monday + Fin de Mes. Navidad y Año Nuevo también son un reto para proyectar con los días flotantes y los días observados que van junto con ellos, impactando el volumen de diferentes maneras dependiendo del día de la semana en que caen, y cómo cambia de año en año. La clave está en considerar cómo los días festivos pueden ser los mismos año tras año, y cómo pueden cambiar en función de las nuevas promociones.

Programación (Una cucharada de azúcar ayuda a bajar la OT)

La comunicación efectiva es clave cuando se trata de programar durante las vacaciones. Comience por comunicar su plan de programación con antelación y hágalo repetidamente para asegurarse de que todo el mundo está de acuerdo. Si su centro de contacto está abierto en un día festivo y el volumen es menor, solicite voluntarios entre sus agentes para cubrir la base y luego asigne las horas restantes, que normalmente recaerán en los agentes de menor antigüedad, pero recuerde prever una reducción mayor para los agentes que no se ofrecieron voluntarios.

Si su centro cierra un día festivo, considere la posibilidad de trasladar a los empleados que normalmente tienen previsto trabajar ese día a uno de sus días libres entre semana. De este modo, podrá utilizar más horas de personal sin incurrir en horas extraordinarias.

Para tener en cuenta un mayor volumen después de las vacaciones, añada horas a los horarios de los días siguientes.  Por ejemplo, si cierra el lunes, añada 2 horas a los horarios de los agentes el martes y 2 horas el miércoles antes o al final de los turnos.  Sí, es como las horas extras obligatorias, pero incluir las horas extra en la programación de vacaciones y explicar la razón por la que es inevitable siempre es útil.

Insista a sus stakeholders en que el trabajo en equipo es vital para superar las festividades, y que una cantidad manejable de dolor por parte de todos los miembros del equipo ayudará a evitar que se acumule una cantidad insoportable de horas extras en unos pocos agentes desafortunados.  Además, asegúrese de tener en cuenta cualquier restricción estatal o laboral/sindical a la hora de realizar cambios.

No es mala idea mantener un exceso de personal para hacer frente a picos de volumen inesperados. Esto le permite ofrecer Tiempo Libre Voluntario (Voluntary Time Off or VTO) como forma de gestionar la carga de trabajo sin tener que recurrir a las horas extraordinarias o hacer un esfuerzo de última hora para obligar a los agentes a trabajar más horas. Si aún no lo ha hecho este año, considere la posibilidad de realizar ofertas anuales de vacaciones en el futuro para ayudar a repartir equitativamente la carga de horas extra entre sus agentes. Rote anualmente las asignaciones de vacaciones para evitar que los empleados trabajen los mismos días festivos cada año.

Tecnología

La colaboración con sus equipos de telecomunicaciones y TI es crucial para garantizar que su centro tenga la capacidad de gestionar el volumen de contactos previsto en los días punta. Si su centro utiliza troncales SIP basadas en la nube que ofrecen la elasticidad necesaria para gestionar automáticamente los picos, es increíble, pero asegúrese de que su infraestructura puede gestionar el aumento del volumen de contactos. Un ejemplo real de uno de los miembros del equipo de diseño de llamadas fue un lunes después de Acción de Gracias en el que el centro de contacto se quedó sin licencias de Citrix y los agentes no pudieron iniciar sesión para atender llamadas de voz.

Prepárese para un volumen elevado incorporando mensajes en su IVR para notificar a los clientes los posibles tiempos de espera prolongados; esto también puede ayudar a desviar las llamadas a otros canales si están disponibles. La comunicación regular con su departamento de TI también puede ayudarle a estar al tanto de cualquier congelación de la tecnología de TI prevista para finales de año.

Además, asegúrese de aprovechar al máximo la funcionalidad de cara al agente y al supervisor que debe ofrecer su software de WFM: comunicar los últimos cambios de horario a los teléfonos móviles de los agentes les mantiene al tanto de cualquier cambio repentino que el equipo de WFM tenga que hacer, incluso si los agentes no están conectados. La capacidad de enviar ofertas automatizadas de VOT/VTO en cualquier momento es extremadamente útil, y la capacidad de procesar estas solicitudes automáticamente permite al equipo de WFM responder rápidamente, lo que es crucial durante un cambio repentino en el volumen de contactos.

La oferta de turnos flexibles (shift bidding) puede ayudar a que esas 2 horas extra añadidas a su horario pasen de ser obligatorios (que no sólo son desmoralizadores, sino que además podrían distribuirse de forma desigual accidental, haciendo que algunos agentes se sientan injustamente aprovechados) a experiencias más voluntarias que permitan a los agentes que quieran horas extra elegir solicitarlas cuando estén disponibles.

Por último, las capacidades de previsión What-If son una herramienta extremadamente valiosa para permitirle hacer planes de contingencia para: la posibilidad de cambios repentinos de volumen o AHT y los beneficios de desviar llamadas a canales digitales.

Coordinación (sharing is caring)

La comunicación eficaz con otros departamentos es vital. Manténgase en sintonía con su equipo de marketing y ayúdeles a comprender el impacto de las campañas de marketing que aumentan el volumen de ventas durante las temporadas de gran volumen. También debe coordinarse con Formación y Recursos Humanos para asegurarse de que completan cualquier formación necesaria para los empleados antes de las vacaciones.

Identifique y busque recursos formados disponibles que puedan estar de guardia para apoyar al centro de contacto en caso necesario. Los supervisores, formadores y empleados de back-office pueden servir de apoyo para diversos tipos de contactos con los clientes.

Los sectores de las aerolíneas y el comercio minorista han puesto de relieve la necesidad de planificarse a uno mismo y a sus socios antes de la temporada de vacaciones y rebajas, especialmente si hay socios de BPO implicados. Además de garantizar la exactitud de las previsiones, es necesario asegurar una dotación de personal adecuada, tanto interna como externamente. Los socios de BPO deben ser notificados lo antes posible sobre el personal que se requiere de ellos para que puedan llevar a cabo la contratación y la formación adecuadas para la demanda adicional.

¿Deprimido por el frío? Ponte en contacto con nosotros

La mayoría de los que trabajamos en Call Design sabemos perfectamente cómo se siente el equipo de WFM en esta época del año. Si este año ha recibido carbón en su calcetín de WFM, estamos aquí para ayudarle. Póngase en contacto con nosotros si necesita ayuda para enfrentarse a los retos de previsión y programación que surgen en el cuarto trimestre.

-Asombrosos consejos de Kary Horsley, con la ayuda de Ken Tse y Nathan Hollman. Traducción al español por Rosy Barrera.

Holiday Season Scheduling: Are You Ready for The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

Kary Horsley on November 1, 2023

The Q4 holiday season is here, that time of year when the demands placed on the Workforce Management (WFM) team are the most challenging. One after another they come: Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Day, when contact centers must balance the extremes of what customers want and what agents want.

On our Wish List for this blog: specific planning considerations that can help your WFM team strike that essential balance and win the Q4 Holiday Season.

Your WFM Team (The Gift that keeps on giving)

Even the worst Grinch in a contact center has to acknowledge the pivotal role of the WFM team during the holiday season. Their expertise and problem-solving insights play a huge part in determining whether a contact center’s holidays are Happy and Bright or will become a Blue Christmas.

It’s not just about meeting customer demands; it’s also about ensuring that your agents have the flexibility to spend time with their families. You don’t need Winter Warlock magic to make both the customers and the agents happy— proper planning and communication can help make it work.

Let’s dive into four key categories that will guide you through the process: Forecasting, Scheduling, Technology, and Coordinating with other Departments.

Forecasting (Not all holidays are the same)

Forecasting is the foundation of a successful Q4 season. Review previous holiday volumes, shrinkages, and any changes in customer behavior during the season. In these times of change, compare data from multiple years to create a more accurate forecast. Remember that not all of the holidays have the same predictable impact.

Thanksgiving is normally easier to predict since it’s a Thursday, just as you know what days Black Friday and Cyber Monday fall on. However, the actual date of Thanksgiving changes, and if your industry has end-of-month sales, you may be looking at a Cyber Monday + EoM promotional environment. Christmas and New Year’s are also challenging to project with the floating days and the observed days that go along with them, impacting volume in different ways depending on the day of the week they fall on, and how it changes from year to year. The key is to consider how the holidays may be the same year-over-year, and how they may change based upon new promotions.

Scheduling (A spoonful of sugar helps the OT go down)

Effective communication is key when it comes to scheduling during the holiday season. Start by communicating your scheduling plan early and do it repeatedly to ensure everyone is on the same page. If your contact center is open on a holiday and the volume is lower, solicit volunteers among your agents to cover the base and then assign the remaining hours—usually these will fall on lowest-tenure agents, but remember to plan for higher shrinkage for the agents who didn’t volunteer.

If your center is closed on a holiday, consider moving employees normally scheduled to work on that day to one of their off days during the week. This approach allows you to utilize additional staffed hours without incurring overtime rates.

To account for higher volume post-Holiday, add hours to schedules on the days following.  For example, if you are closed on Monday, add 2 hours to agent schedules on Tuesday and 2 hours on Wednesday before or at the end of the shifts.  Yes, it’s like mandatory OT, but wrapping the extra hours in with Holiday Scheduling and explaining the reason why this is unavoidable are always helpful.

Emphasize to your stakeholders that a team effort is vital to navigating the Holiday Season, and a manageable amount of pain from everyone on the team will help to avoid an unbearable amount of OT piling up on a few unfortunate agents.  Also, make sure to take into consideration any state or labor/union restrictions when making changes.

It’s not a bad idea to maintain excess staffing to handle unexpected volume spikes. This allows you to offer Voluntary Time Off (VTO) as a way to manage workloads without resorting to overtime or scrambling at the last minute to force agents to work extra hours. If you haven’t already done it this year, consider conducting yearly holiday bids in the future to help distribute the burden of extra hours fairly among your agents. Rotate holiday assignments yearly to prevent employees from working the same holidays each year.

Technology (No fast busies!)

Collaboration with your Telecom and IT teams is crucial to ensure that your center has the capacity to handle the expected contact volume on peak days. If your center uses cloud-based SIP trunking that offers the elasticity needed to automatically handle spikes, that’s amazing, but make sure your infrastructure can handle the increased contact volume. A real example from one of the Call Design team members was a Monday after Thanksgiving where the contact center ran out of Citrix licenses and agents could not log in to take voice calls!

Prepare for high volume by incorporating messages in your IVR to notify customers of potential long hold times; this can also help deflect calls to other channels if available. Regular communication with your IT department can also help keep you aware of any IT technology freezes scheduled for the end of the year.

Also, be sure to take full advantage of the agent- and supervisor-facing functionality that your WFM software should offer: communicating the latest schedule changes to agents’ cell phones keeps them aware of any sudden changes the WFM Team has to make, even if the agents are not online. The ability to push out automated VOT/VTO offers at a moment’s notice is extremely helpful, and the ability to process these requests automatically allows the WFM Team to respond quickly, which is crucial during a sudden contact volume change.

Flexible shift bidding can help turn those 2-extra-hours-to-your-schedule additions from mandatory edicts (which are not only demoralizing, but also might accidentally be distributed unevenly, making some agents feel unfairly taken advantage of) to more voluntary experiences that allow agents who want extra hours to choose to apply for them when they are available.

Lastly, What-If forecasting capabilities are an extremely valuable tool to allow you make contingency plans for: the possibility of sudden volume or AHT changes and the benefits of deflecting calls to digital channels.

Coordinating (Sharing is caring)

Effective communication with other departments is vital. Be in sync with your Marketing team and help them understand the impact of volume-increasing marketing drops that are timed during high volume seasons. You should also coordinate with Training and HR to be sure they complete any required employee training before the holidays.

Identify and source available trained resources that can be on-call to support the contact center if needed. Supervisors, trainers, and back-office workers can serve as backup support for various types of customer contacts.

The airline and retail industries have highlighted the need to plan for yourself and your partners in advance of the holiday and sale season, especially if there are BPO partners involved. As well as ensuring forecast accuracy, there’s the need to ensure adequate staffing both internally and externally. BPO partners should be notified as early as possible about the staffing required from them so they can conduct appropriate hiring and training for additional demand.

Snow Miser Got You Down? Contact us!

Having lived through it ourselves, most of us here at Call Design know exactly how the WFM Team feels at this time of year. If you got coal in your WFM stocking this year, we’re here to help. Contact us if you need support facing the forecasting and scheduling challenges that come around in Q4.

-Amazing advice by Kary Horsley, with assistance from Ken Tse and Nathan Hollman. Rankin/Bass references by Shawn McCormick

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?

REGRESO A CLASES: ¿pone a temblar a tu centro de contacto?

Rosy Barerra on September 1, 2023

Ha llegado esa temporada de la que nunca hablamos, pero de alguna manera sabemos que genera caos en nuestro centro de contacto: las vacaciones de verano y el regreso a clases.

De pronto hay más agentes o representantes pidiendo permisos de intercambio de turnos, ausencias, renuncias. Puede ser que ya tengas identificada la razón de estos comportamientos, o puede ser que no sea algo en lo que hayas prestado atención antes. Ciertamente, cuando yo empecé a trabajar en planeación y pronóstico, sabía que teníamos que tomar en cuenta un poco más de reducción del personal, pero no asociaba que podía hacer una planeación para enfrentar esta época.

Elimina la incertidumbre en tu centro de contacto a través de un pronóstico preciso y una buena planeación. Suena un poco más tedioso de lo que realmente es. Lo importante aquí es entender la demografía de tu centro: cuántos representantes son estudiantes, de qué nivel de estudios, o son padres de familia, de qué edades son sus hijos. Con base en este breve análisis, puedes adelantarte a crear planes de contingencia, modificar tus cálculos de personal al incrementar un poco más tus reductores de personal.

Ahora correlacionemos el objetivo y la demografía de nuestra campaña. ¿Somos atención a clientes de tarjetahabientes? ¿Somos cobranza de servicios? Pongamos este último como ejemplo: pensemos en la cantidad de personas que tal vez se puedan retrasar en sus pagos durante esta temporada porque deberán destinar sus ingresos a temas relacionados con reinscripciones, compras de uniformes, útiles escolares, etc. Eso representará un crecimiento en nuestras cargas de trabajo.

Lo más crucial en este tema es poder hacer o tener un plan anual de capacidad (capacity plan) y tomar en cuenta que esta temporada será un reto que podemos ir enfrentando con meses de antelación en términos de flexibilización de horarios y contrataciones. La clave es prevención.

En definitiva, prepararse con anticipación para el regreso a clases es fundamental para mantener la eficiencia y calidad en el centro de contacto. Entender la demografía de los empleados y clientes, así como correlacionarla con los objetivos de la campaña, permitirá establecer estrategias adecuadas para enfrentar los desafíos de esta temporada. Con un buen pronóstico y una planeación cuidadosa, podemos asegurarnos de brindar un servicio óptimo a nuestros clientes incluso en medio del caos del regreso a clases. ¡Adelante y afrontemos este desafío con éxito!

Back-to-School: Forecasting 101 Mastering the Art of Predicting Contact Center Demand

Kary Horsley on August 16, 2023

As the summer sun sets and the back-to-school season approaches, it’s time to sharpen our pencils, gather our knowledge, and delve into the fundamentals of forecasting in the contact center world. Just like students preparing for a new academic year, contact center professionals must equip themselves with the essential techniques to predict future contacts with precision and finesse. Welcome to “Forecasting 101,” where we’ll guide you through the key concepts of forecasting and equip you with the tools to excel in this critical aspect of contact center operations.

You can also find additional tips in Laura’s blog on forecasting for back-office: Unleashing the Potential of Back-Office WFM: Mastering the Forecasting Challenge.

Introduction: Unraveling the Mystery of Forecasting

In the world of contact centers, forecasting plays a crucial role in predicting the future. It’s the process of using historical data and trends to anticipate the volume of incoming contacts, such as calls, chats, and emails. The insights gained from forecasting are instrumental in making informed decisions about staffing, capacity planning, and budgeting.

Let’s take a closer look at the different types of forecasts used in the contact center environment:

  1. Long-term forecast: Spanning from 6 months to 2+ years, this forecast provides a broader view of future contact volumes.
  2. Mid-range forecast: Covering 3 to 6 months, this forecast helps contact centers plan for the medium term.
  3. Short-term forecast: Encompassing one week to 3 months, this forecast focuses on immediate needs.
  4. Daily forecast: This forecast provides a daily snapshot of expected contact volumes.
  5. Intra-day or Interval level forecast: The most detailed forecast, it predicts contact volumes in smaller time increments.

In contact centers, different teams handle various forecasts—the Forecaster, Planner, and Scheduler each contribute their expertise to this complex process.

The Journey of Forecasting: From Data to Patterns

The first step in forecasting is collecting relevant historical data. This data, typically derived from the contact center’s ACD, SQL, PowerBI, or other reliable sources, should cover a timeframe of 1-3 years, if available. Metrics such as contacts handled, contacts abandoned, contacts offered, and average handle time are essential for accurate forecasting. Additional metrics like chat concurrency, IVR, web, or chat deflection rates add depth to the analysis.

Next comes the analysis of patterns in the data. Identifying seasonality, trends, and other significant patterns helps in refining the forecast. Removing outliers and normalizing days with extraordinary events, such as holidays or severe weather impacts, ensure the forecast’s accuracy.

Continuous Improvement: The Refinement Process

Forecasting is not a one-time task but an ongoing journey of improvement. By analyzing forecast errors and discrepancies, contact centers can enhance their forecasting models. Adjusting parameters and incorporating new data sources contribute to the accuracy of future forecasts. Consideration of upcoming marketing campaigns or events helps prepare for potential impacts on contact volumes.

Keeping a Watchful Eye: Monitoring and Adaptation

Once the forecast is set, it requires continuous monitoring and tracking. As new data becomes available, contact centers must update their forecasts to adapt to changing conditions and trends. Regularly reviewing forecast performance ensures it remains relevant and aligned with the contact center’s needs.

Unraveling Variance: The Detective Work

Sometimes, the forecast may not align with actual results, creating variance. In such cases, contact centers need to investigate the reasons behind the discrepancy. Is it due to marketing campaigns, changes in IVR or web pages, or other factors? Talking to frontline employees can provide valuable insights into the drivers behind the variance.

Side note: Check out our very own Nate chat about the importance of machine + human logic when it comes to forecasting in this quick video.

Understanding the Magic and Limitations

While forecasting is a powerful tool, it’s important to recognize its limitations. It’s not an exact science, and there will always be some degree of uncertainty. Contact centers should be aware of the assumptions and constraints of their forecasting models. Rather than seeking absolute predictions, forecasting is about making well-informed decisions based on available data.

Enroll with Call Design – Your Partner in Forecasting Excellence

Are you ready to ace the art of forecasting? As you embark on your journey to excellence, Call Design stands by your side as your partner in forecasting and Workforce Management (WFM) endeavors. Our team of seasoned experts is eager to guide you through the intricacies of forecasting, ensuring you are well-prepared for any challenges that lie ahead. As the back-to-school season commences, don’t miss the opportunity to elevate your contact center’s performance with stellar forecasting. Reach out to Call Design today, and let’s embark on a transformative journey together. With “Forecasting 101” under your belt, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the path to success in your contact center’s future endeavors.

–Kary Horsley

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:

  1. 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. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Stakeholder Confidence: By providing reliable forecasts, leaders can demonstrate their competency and transparency, strengthening their relationship with their stakeholders and staff.
  6. 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.
  7. 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:

  1. 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.   
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of improvement through evaluation and feedback. Regularly assess processes and identify areas requiring improvement and potential opportunities for innovation. 
  5. 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. 
  6. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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
person writing on white paper

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Five Shortcut Keys to Unlock Alvaria Workforce Efficiency

Ken Tse on March 9, 2023

Let me share a little secret with you… there are plenty of keyboard shortcuts in Alvaria Workforce that would make you look like a wizard in front of your co-workers as you blast through your day-to-day tasks in the system with grace. The more shortcuts you use the more efficient you become in completing those tasks, and the more time you save at work. There could even be health benefits in terms of minimizing repetitive strain injury (RSI). Let me promise you, this blog is not just about Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V. 

Tip 1:

How many times have you wondered where a particular module is hiding exactly in the system (especially if you are a new user)? Is Official Schedule Editor in Scheduling or Tracking? Or is it in Advanced Tracking? One of the most underrated shortcuts in my opinion is Ctrl+O (the letter O, not the number zero) to launch the Open dialog. This shortcut allows you to navigate to any specific module immediately. For example, you need to navigate to Official Schedule Editor to do a quick schedule update for an employee. One of the quickest ways to get there is hold down the Ctrl key then hit the O key -> type in the word “editor” without quotes -> hit the Enter key and you are there. No mouse required!

Tip 1.5:

Here is a bonus tip for the above example – if you would like to open Official Schedule Editor in a new window (yes, it is possible to open multiple modules at the same time within the one Alvaria Workforce session just like Tom Cruise did in Minority Report), after you have typed out the word “editor” you can hit the Tab key twice to jump to the “Open in New Window” check box -> hit the Spacebar to place a check in the check box -> hit the Enter key. Magically, a new Official Schedule Editor window pops up! I will let you play around with the tab key more in your own time, it is quite handy to tab your way through the system. Tab away!

Tip 2:Now that I have your attention about tabbing. The moment you land on a field where you need to launch the lookup dialog to select something, your instincts may be to grab your mouse and find that tiny little look up “…” button to launch it. For example, you are in Official Schedule Editor, and you would like to look up an employee. RSI can be a serious issue and relying on your mouse arm heavily to perform this look up function all the time is not ideal. Hold down the Ctrl key then hit the Enter key is the shortcut to launch the look up dialog, and you are on your way to selecting the employee you are looking for.

Tip 3:

How many times have you right clicked and add… in Alvaria Workforce? For example, add an employee record, add a segment, add an Intra Day Performance, the list goes on! If I would get a dollar every time I did that mouse click combo, I would be a millionaire by now (but I think I would still not retire since I love being in Workforce too much). Drum roll… the shortcut is that you could hold down the Ctrl key then hit the Insert key to open that add dialog window. Happy adding!

Tip 4: 

Speaking of adding, this shortcut is not just a mouse click saver but something functional. For example, you need to add in notes for an employee and you also would like to track when exactly you wrote those notes down for record keeping purposes, just like a diary entry. Once you are in the memo field, you can hold the Ctrl key then hit the M key, after which you would see a timestamp appear in the format of <MM-dd-yyyy HH:mm:ss> for the current date and time.

Tip 5: 

Last but not least, this shortcut is a great friend to have, especially when you need help. Pun not intended; it is to launch the Alvaria Workforce Help! In most modules you are working in, if you are not sure about a field within the window, you can simply hit the F1 key, and a help window would pop up that is contextually based on the window you were in. For example, if you are in Forecast Group -> General tab and you are not sure what “Allow long service delays:” is, you can hit the F1 key -> click into the General tab hyperlink and read about Allow Long Service Delays. 

At Call Design we are more than happy to help you with any questions you have about Alvaria Workforce, but this help menu shortcut is a great initial step to see if it can get the help immediately at the tip of your fingers. Of course, if you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!

I hope you are able to start practicing these shortcuts next time you are in Alvaria Workforce. It is no secret that shortcuts can help you be more efficient in your day job, save you time, and can even save you from developing RSI. I have only shared what I believe to be the lesser-known shortcuts and there are a plenty more shortcuts built-in to the Alvaria Workforce system. I would be more than happy to share some more shortcuts with you another time…

– Ken Tse