Fostering Well-being: The Crucial Role of Self-Care for WFM Leaders

Call Design on July 26, 2023

As workforce management leaders we often live in a world of chaos and exhaustion. I know, such a cheerful way to start a blog. But the reality is that many of us are constantly staring burnout in the eyes. Whether it’s ourselves, our teams, or the agents we support, our environment is full of people pushing themselves to the limits and hoping they’ve got more gas in the tank. This is why the topic of self-care is incredibly important for WFM leaders, but all too often it’s something that we leave for the HR team to take care of. We assume that it has nothing to do with us or our ability to impact our contact centers. When in reality self-care is critical to our ability to grow personally, and professionally, and create an environment we want to work in. So, what is self-care?

Defining Self-Care:

Self-care is both comprehensive and intentional care for our well-being. It involves us paying attention to our physical, mental, and emotional needs and then taking planned steps to meet them. Whether it’s going for a run, practicing mindfulness, or creating space for our feelings, self-care is a conscious investment in ourselves.

Debunking Misconceptions:

It’s selfish: Unfortunately, many of us have a misunderstanding of self-care and so we typically avoid it. We see self-care as selfishness. We think that it’s focusing on our own needs at the exclusion of others and it inherently feels wrong. We see ourselves as servant leaders and believe we’re benefiting our teams and our families when we constantly give of ourselves. But what we’re missing is that we cannot pour into others if we are empty.

Self-care is not selfishness, and in fact, it’s likely the best thing we can do to help those around us. We are more effective in our support and help to others when our tank is full or nearly full. Prioritizing self-care enables us to replenish our energy, compassion, and empathy, allowing us to better serve those around us.

It’s a one-time act: We also have to remember that self-care is not a one-time event. We get little to no credit for taking a vacation 2 years ago or getting a massage 6 months ago. Think about self-care like a garden. If you do some heavy weeding and planting on a day and then let it go for 6 months all of your work will have been for nothing. Instead, we need to continually water, weed, and care for the plants. In the same way, we need to be paying attention to our physical, mental, and emotional needs and addressing them today, not in 6 months.

Why WFM Should Care: 

The impact: I have a sense that at this point I may be losing some of you. “That’s all great Dan, but how does this impact my WFM or contact center team?”. I’m so glad you asked!

The stats are in and our contact center industry is in a full-on forest fire of burnout. 75% of call center agents are at risk of burnout (source). The average agent turnover is at a 25-year high (source). Burned-out employees are 63% more likely to take a sick day (source). Employees who frequently experience burnout are 2.6 times as likely to be actively seeking a new job (source). If anyone is going to care about employees taking sick days and high attrition rates it’s going to be the WFM team.

When burnout is left unchecked we see productivity decrease, shrinkage increase, and attrition rates increase. This in turn creates an incredibly challenging environment to forecast, schedule, and real-time manage. Simply put WFM should care about burnout because ignoring it makes our jobs harder!

Our environment: Plus, many of us are ripe for burnout. The WFM team sits at the crossroads of IT, HR, Finance, Marketing, Operations, etc. This gives us a great opportunity to know what’s going on in the organization and possibly help lead conversations. But it also easily leads to a sense of overwhelming burnout. When each of these teams brings its own “top priority” we are left holding the bag trying to figure out which one is the “most top of all tops”.

On top of this, we have likely created a career by being right. “Why did we miss service level yesterday?” “How many calls are going to come in on October 25th?” “When should we start hiring to make sure we have enough people for the busy season?” We are used to being the person that people come to for all sorts of questions. We have added value by always being connected, available, and quick with the right answer. I mean, can you think of a better environment for a burned-out leader?

It spreads: In the same way that burnout spreads, so does self-care. WFM leaders should care about self-care because when we do we lead by example. We help create the environment we want to work and live in. Those that are watching us, whether at home or at work, can see the value and benefits of intentionally and comprehensively taking care of our well-being.

Self-care is not a luxury or an afterthought for WFM leaders—it is an essential ingredient for personal well-being, professional success, and cultivating a positive work environment. By understanding the comprehensive and intentional nature of self-care, debunking misconceptions, and recognizing its impact on our industry and teams, we can embrace self-care as a strategic investment. Let us lead by example, prioritizing our own well-being while inspiring others to do the same. By integrating self-care practices into our lives and organizations, we can foster a happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned workforce while driving positive business outcomes.

This was part 1 of a 2-part series on self-care so make sure to check out our other blog (coming next week) that will give tips on how to practice self-care. Also, feel free to reach out to us anytime with questions about workforce management best practices, and how to build team cultures that encourage self-care. WFM is often full of chaos and exhaustion, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. We’re here and we’ve got your back.

—Dan Smitley

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.

SWPP Tip of the Week for May 8 is from Call Design!

Call Design on May 12, 2023

The Society of Workforce Planning Professionals (SWPP) is a membership association designed specifically to facilitate education and networking among workforce planners and managers in the contact center. They are an amazing group whose can’t-miss annual event is coming up May 15-17 2023 in Nashville! Be sure to catch Call Design there, and don’t miss our own Dan Smitley’s speaking session “Managing More Than Just Your Workforce: You’re Taking Care of Everyone Else, But Who’s Taking Care of You?” on the 15th at 11:00! 

One of the benefits of signing up with SWPP is the timely views and advice in their Tip of the Week. It just so happens that May 8’s Tip of the Week is from Dan. Check it out and follow Call Design (as well as Dan’s own LinkedIn) for more insights on leadership and employee experience!

Is your forecast accuracy above goal? Yep! Are service levels being met consistently? Yep! Are you absolutely killing your role and yet it doesn’t feel like anyone is paying attention? Also, yep.

In WFM we are used to being at the crossroads of so many teams: Finance, HR, Operations, IT, Marketing, on and on and on. We are excellent at consuming these different voices and producing a plan that meets our goals. The problem is that we’re used to receiving this information and then forget we also need to push the information back out. Or worse yet, we push out information and no one is paying attention! Here are two things to help you make sure you are receiving and sending information well.

1. Don’t assume. Just because you know what the marketing team is doing doesn’t mean the operations team does. Just because HR has put a focus on X doesn’t mean that finance is aware. Work to be the middle person that shares the knowledge across teams. Position yourself not just as a receiver of information but as a giver as well. Don’t assume everyone knows what you know.

2. Listen and help. Sure, you need to know the information to adjust your forecast and staffing plans. Along with listening to the information to inform your plans, make sure you’re also listening and adding value to their environment. Marketing says they need to improve Product X and so they are going to take Action Y. Don’t just add Action Y into your plans, help them refine it to make sure it’s the best action possible.

You can have the best plans and the best information to share, but if no one is listening then it doesn’t matter. It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of simply executing our job descriptions. Making sure our roles and responsibilities are covered. When we position ourselves as someone that receives and gives good information, people will start to listen. When we start investing in other departments’ environments, helping them improve ideas and actions, then people will care what you have to say.

– Dan Smitley

Investing in Your future: How WFM Analysts Can Advance Their Careers

Call Design on April 28, 2023

As a WFM analyst, you play a crucial role in managing and optimizing the performance of your contact center. You’re responsible for forecasting, scheduling, and real-time monitoring, among dozens of other tasks that fall into your lap. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself whether you’re reaching your full potential in this role? Are you taking advantage of opportunities for growth and development?

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of WFM and lose sight of the bigger picture. But investing in your own development is essential for achieving long-term success in your career. Not only will it help you perform better in your current role, but it will also position you for future opportunities within the organization.

So, how can you ensure that you’re reaching your full potential as a WFM analyst? Here are a few tips:

1. Set goals for yourself

It’s important to have clear goals for what you want to achieve in your role as a WFM analyst. This could include improving your forecasting accuracy, mastering new software tools, or taking on additional responsibilities. By setting goals, you’ll have a roadmap for your development and a clear sense of progress.

2. Seek out training and development opportunities

There are many training and development opportunities available for WFM analysts, both within your organization and outside of it. Look for workshops, webinars, and courses that can help you improve your skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in WFM. Don’t be afraid to ask your manager or HR department for support in finding and funding these opportunities.

3. Build relationships with other WFM professionals

Networking with other WFM professionals can be a great way to learn from others and expand your knowledge and skills. Attend industry events and conferences, participate in online forums and groups, and connect with other WFM analysts on LinkedIn. Building these relationships can also help you stay on top of new job opportunities within the industry.

4. Take on new challenges

If you feel like you’ve hit a plateau in your current role, look for opportunities to take on new challenges and responsibilities. This could include volunteering for cross-functional projects, leading a new initiative within your team, or taking on a temporary assignment in another department. By stretching yourself and taking on new challenges, you’ll continue to grow and develop as a WFM analyst.


At Call Design, we believe that employees have the right to be happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned at work. Part of achieving this is through professional development. As a WFM analyst, you play a critical role in the success of your contact center, and investing in your own development is essential for achieving long-term success. If you’re interested in learning more about how Call Design can support your development in WFM, please reach out!

– Dan Smitley

¿Donde encaja CHATGPT dentro de un Contact Center?

Call Design on April 13, 2023

¿Increíble, aterrador o ambos? ChatGPT ha creado una tormenta de atención desde que se hizo público en noviembre pasado, ganando un millón de usuarios solo en la primera semana después de su lanzamiento. ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) es un chatbot de OpenAI, una empresa de investigación de inteligencia artificial. Su chatbot ChatGPT permite a los usuarios interactuar con la tecnología de inteligencia artificial de OpenAI. Puede escribir poesía (¡increíble!), así como contenido de blog (¡aterrador! hablando como un ser humano que crea contenido), así como textos, canciones, código de software, etc., utilizando el aprendizaje automático para generar texto similar al humano.

Supongo que muchos de nosotros tuvimos el mismo primer pensamiento: “¿Cómo de bueno puede ser realmente? ¿Realmente puede escribir tan bien como un humano? A juzgar por el ejemplo generado por ChatGPT que presento a continuación, mis respuestas son: “Bastante bien” y “Todavía no”. Su experiencia puede ser diferente. Para cualquiera que aún no lo haya probado, le animo a que vaya al sitio web de OpenAI y le haga una pregunta a ChatGPT. Para aquellos de nosotros que hemos sido profesionales de centros de contacto durante años, nuestro segundo pensamiento bien podría ser: “¿Qué impacto podría tener esto en el centro de contacto?”

Los centros de contacto ya están implementando chatbots por muchas razones: desvío de llamadas, el deseo de automatizar contactos que los humanos encuentran abrumadoramente repetitivos, o simplemente para ajustarse a los clientes que desean una experiencia automatizada. Pero todos tenemos evidencia anecdótica de que esas experiencias de chatbot no siempre son exitosas. Uno de mis colegas estaba contando ayer una historia de una experiencia de chatbot CX que la llevó a un callejón sin salida sin respuestas y sin opciones para continuar en otro canal, y mucho menos comunicarse con un agente humano. ¿Podría ChatGPT ser diferente?

Las señales apuntan a que sí: ChatGPT utiliza inteligencia artificial generativa, entrenada con cantidades gigantescas de datos de texto que le enseñaron a reconocer patrones. Su algoritmo utiliza aprendizaje supervisado para proporcionar potencialmente a los clientes respuestas rápidas que sean relevantes para sus consultas. Pero ChatGPT puede superar a los chatbots tradicionales con su capacidad para aprender y adaptarse a las nuevas demandas de los clientes y a una industria de centros de contacto que cambia rápidamente.

Pero no confíe solo en mi palabra, escuchemos lo que ChatGPT tiene que decir por sí mismo. No soy la primera persona en incluir contenido real creado por ChatGPT en un artículo, pero sí le pedí que escribiera un artículo específicamente sobre ChatGPT en el Centro de contacto.

ChatGPT y el Contact Center: revolucionando el servicio al cliente

En los últimos años, el uso de la inteligencia artificial (IA) en la industria del servicio al cliente ha ido en aumento. Uno de los modelos de IA más prometedores para este propósito es ChatGPT, un gran modelo de lenguaje desarrollado por OpenAI. ChatGPT tiene la capacidad de comprender y responder a textos en lenguaje natural, lo que lo convierte en una herramienta valiosa para automatizar el servicio al cliente en el centro de contacto.

Una de las principales ventajas de usar ChatGPT en el centro de contacto es su capacidad para manejar una amplia gama de consultas de los clientes. Con su amplia base de conocimientos y capacidades de comprensión del lenguaje natural, ChatGPT puede comprender y responder a las preguntas e inquietudes de los clientes, independientemente de su complejidad. Esto elimina la necesidad de que los clientes naveguen a través de menús telefónicos automatizados o esperen en la cola un agente humano disponible, ahorrándoles un tiempo valioso y aumentando su satisfacción general.

Cabe señalar que ChatGPT no es un reemplazo completo para los agentes humanos, sino que puede trabajar junto a ellos para mejorar su rendimiento. Los agentes aún pueden estar disponibles para gestionar problemas más complejos, mientras que ChatGPT puede manejar las consultas más rutinarias. Este enfoque permite a las empresas reducir la cantidad de agentes necesarios, sin dejar de brindar un servicio al cliente de alta calidad.

En conclusión, ChatGPT tiene el potencial de revolucionar la industria del servicio al cliente al brindar respuestas eficientes y precisas a las consultas de los clientes. Su capacidad para manejar múltiples conversaciones, comprender texto en lenguaje natural y recopilar datos valiosos de los clientes lo convierten en una herramienta valiosa para el centro de contacto. A medida que la tecnología continúa evolucionando, podemos esperar ver más empresas que adopten ChatGPT y otros modelos de IA para mejorar sus operaciones de servicio al cliente.

No es una mala aproximación al tema. ChatGPT reunió algunos puntos importantes sobre los beneficios potenciales para la Experiencia del Cliente. Incluía un concepto crucial que podría ofrecer cierto consuelo a muchos lectores, que ChatGPT no es un reemplazo “completo” para los agentes humanos. Si yo mismo estuviera escribiendo ese artículo, no haría esa declaración en el mismo párrafo y luego hablaría de reducir el número de empleados. Preferiría centrarme en la idea de que la experiencia del empleado podría mejorarse y todos los beneficios que conlleva un mejor EX: mejor CX, mejor bienestar de los agentes, menor desgaste y una lista de cosas adicionales que podrían llenar un artículo de blog completo por sí mismas.

En esa misma línea de no reemplazar completamente a los agentes humanos, fue el propio CEO de OpenAI quien tuiteó:

Chat GPT es increíblemente limitado, pero lo suficientemente bueno en algunos aspectos para una engañosa impresión de grandeza.

Sería un error confiar en el para algo importante en este momento. Es un adelanto de lo que está por llegar; tenemos mucho trabajo que hacer en los ámbitos de robustez y veracidad.

-Sam Altman

Con algunos penadores eminentes advirtiéndonos que herramientas como ChatGPT eventualmente afectarán la demanda de trabajadores del conocimiento, es posible que el tweet de Altman no alivie nuestra ansiedad. Sin embargo, tiene razón. La versión actual de ChatGPT tiene algunos problemas, uno de los cuales son los errores de hecho en sus respuestas a preguntas directas. También tiene un problema que comparte con otras herramientas de IA, que es que hereda el sesgo de sus datos de entrenamiento. Pero volviendo al problema real de CX de mi compañero de trabajo con el chatbot de una empresa, ¿podría haber estado más insatisfecha con una respuesta plana y sobreescrita de la versión actual de ChatGPT?

Al menos por ahora, ChatGPT no es un reemplazo para la escritura humana que suena a autenticidad, o para un agente humano que está facultado para ser embajador de la marca de su empresa. Herramientas como ChatGPT continuarán evolucionando y mejorando su capacidad para atender algunas necesidades de los clientes, y eso es genial. Es probable que se conviertan en herramientas increíbles para el centro de contacto. Es ese crecimiento de las herramientas de IA lo que hace que sea aún más importante para nosotros tratar a nuestros agentes como seres humanos que necesitan ser reconocidos por sus esfuerzos, recompensados por preocuparse por sus clientes y nutridos con formación, soporte y herramientas de empoderamiento (una que podría ser descendiente de ChatGPT) que necesitan hacer su mejor trabajo.

From Micro-Shifts to Schedule Adherence: The Benefits of Remote Agents for Workforce Management Teams

Call Design on April 5, 2023

As the world becomes more connected, remote work is becoming increasingly popular, especially in our post-pandemic environments. And in the world of contact centers, workforce management teams should be the biggest champions of remote agents!

Why? Well, here are five quick reasons:

  1. Split-shifts
  2. VOT and VTO
  3. Micro-shifts
  4. No longer worrying about seat allocation
  5. Increased schedule adherence

One – Split-Shifts

When agents work remotely your scheduling team suddenly has a lot more options. When people aren’t having to commute to the office, schedules that didn’t make sense before now have great value. Working from 6am-8am and then again from 12pm-6pm might be horrible for people coming and going into the office. However, for someone working from home this now gives them the chance to work some, then get the kids off to school, head to the grocery store when it’s fairly empty, grab some lunch, and then head back to work. It’s likely not for all of your agents, but for some people, this is a huge win.

Two – VOT and VTO

Then there’s voluntary overtime and voluntary time off. How many real-time teams are constantly chasing people to either add a few hours to their shift or drop hours off to help service levels and budget constraints? When agents work from home you can increase your chances of someone willing to work an extra 1 or 2 after their shift if they know they don’t have to commute home. Or agents might be willing to leave after only working 2 hours if they didn’t just waste 45 minutes driving to work. You give your RTA team a fighting chance with VOT and VTO when your agents work from home.

Three – Micro-Shifts

Micro-shifts can be a game changer for many organizations.  Working remotely now opens up the possibility of having someone work just 1-3 hours at a time. When you can create work segments that small you can start having agents self-select their schedule and use micro-shifts as building blocks. Now if you create those segments just when you have staffing shortages you suddenly have a way of giving your agents autonomy and control over their schedules while also flatting out your staffing variations and meeting a more consistent service level. Win-win!

Four – Seat Allocation 

The fourth benefit may be easy for non-contact center folk to overlook, but WFM and operation teams that work in overstaffed centers know the pain of seat management. When scheduling and managing remote agents you no longer have to worry about so-and-so sitting next to each other and talking the whole time, throwing off your shrinkage. Or so-and-so both loving sitting next to the window, but only having one seat available. As a WFM team, you can simply avoid the relational and logistical issues that come with physical contact center seats and simply focus on meeting the demands of the business and customers. 

Five – Schedule Adherence

Our final benefit is close and dear to many WFM hearts, schedule adherence. When agents aren’t getting stuck in traffic their schedule adherence will increase. Now add in schedules with varying start times and lengths, like we already discussed, and pair that with a shift-bid, where agents select their schedules, *chefs kiss*. It may not be magical but it’s as close as we get in the WFM world!

For many WFM teams working from home may seem like a non-issue. Whether the agents work in locations A, B, or at home it’s still just numbers and schedules. Forecasts will be what they are and service level goals will remain the same. However, I believe that perspective is short-sighted and hopefully you now see the benefits to the WFM team when their agents work from home. So let’s get off the sidelines, WFM teams, and start championing remote work efforts. Your agents and their schedule adherence will thank you!

At Call Design we believe employees have the right to be happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned at work. Remote agents are a way start to make that happen, but managing, scheduling, and engaging remote workers can be challenging. If you agree that remote agents can benefit your organization, but aren’t sure how to make that happen then reach out! We’d love to help you strategize and implement a great remote program for your contact center.

– Dan Smitley

Gamification for onboarding success

Call Design on March 16, 2023

For new hires, inhouse or work at home, gamification can help improve readiness and reduce attrition.

Call Design recently made some changes to our onboarding process. Like you, we’ve got a more than full plate of tactical work to do on any given day, so making time for improving infrastructure processes like onboarding is a real challenge. But we felt that having the best possible onboarding process was critical to keep employee experience (EX) at a continued high level. Making new hires feel welcomed, valued, and equipped for success on day one is key to that high level EX. 

Lots of companies are looking for ways to improve onboarding, it’s just that many of them are failing. A recent Gallup study shows that only 12% of surveyed employees “strongly agreed” that their organizations did a great job of onboarding new workers. 

Plus, as many of you do, we’ve got many of work-at-home employees, so we’re very familiar with the challenges of communicating culture and making remote team members feel supported. This experience drives us to search for the very best solutions to help our contact center and back office customers find new ways to solve new problems with onboarding, for inhouse as well as work-at-home agents. 

While there are different methods available to train new workers and prepare them for the job, one effective solution we offer for promoting fast employee growth and success is the gamification of the training process. Here’s how it can help onboarding in a contact center.

How Does Gamification Work 

Gamification is a motivational tool that uses game mechanics like leaderboards, challenges, dashboards, points, rewards, and recognition. It has been gaining traction across many industries with proven results at providing a fun and effective way of training new workers. While traditional training methods may involve one-on-one’s with busy team leads, or passively watching study modules, gamification can add to these methods by providing interactive gaming elements to motivate agents and boost training efficiency and engagement. 

Gamification can significantly enhance the training experience while giving supervisors and training managers more opportunities to provide meaningful feedback and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their trainees. An Aberdeen study cited by ERG shows that a gamified onboarding process boosted engagement by 48% for new hires and decreased attrition by 36%. 

Gamifying the Onboarding Process

There are different ways to watch an introductory video or a module on HR standards—it can play in the background while an employee multitasks, or the new hire can actively listen, knowing they will be tested and rewarded based on the score. With a colorful scoreboard that’s accessible anytime, there’s no mystery to the new hire’s progress. When it comes to developing new training modules and processes, there are different ways to gamify the process. Some ideas include implementing leaderboards and experience points as workers progress through their training. It not only allows trainees to have a firmer grasp of their training development, but it also provides a means to measure their progress while adding a competitive element to their training. Healthy competition, when carefully managed, can boost engagement and promote new staff to quickly hone their abilities and learn new skills to keep up with their peers and stay ahead of the game. 

In addition to leaderboards and experience points, other means of boosting trainee development and motivation are adding achievements and shareable badges. We’ve all seen social media posts in which our contacts share their accomplishments by posting earned badges. For some, the thumbs-ups we get from our network are a more powerful motivator than a gift card. These game mechanics provide a measurable means for trainees and trainers to analyze personal development and growth while giving staff goals to work towards actively. 

By having benchmarks and achievements to strive for and actively seek, employees will be more motivated to actively engage with modules on company culture, new hire instructional videos, or tutorials on the tools the employee will use. The key is to find ways that workers and trainees can measure their progress and have goals to work towards actively. 

Benefits of Gamification for New Hires

  1. Getting to know you

Gamification is a proven way to improve objective performance, but even more importantly for new hires, it is an active path to becoming part of the team. It gives new employees a way to introduce themselves to their new teammates by encouraging social interaction. Trainees can appear on leaderboards, post their achievement badges, and receive likes and positive comments from established employees. 

  1. Team Building

Not only does competition between trainees and staff promote the development of the skills necessary to succeed, but it also encourages new teammates to work together towards shared goals. Some goals are for individuals, other goals can be set on a team level, and teams can compete against each other. For some trainees, individual competition with another individual agent may not be a strong motivator. But these same employees may feel highly motivated to help their teammates reach a collective goal. 

  1. Good First Impression

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. We want our new hires to get started on the right foot, with the right mindset, and at the right pace for learning. You believe that great Employee Experience is important, and you want your new hires to believe that you believe it. They must feel in their hearts that your commitment to your employees is as real as your commitment to your customers. That way, your new hires will immediately align with that commitment.

  1. Training

From the jump, it’s absolutely vital that our employees have the training they need to deliver the extraordinary experiences that our customers expect. Gamification encourages new hires’ development throughout the training process and helps to lock in the knowledge they need to master a challenging job. Having a tool that actively pushes employees to grow and learn will ultimately lead to better-equipped staff that not only make customers happy, but also stay with the company longer.

  1. Feedback

While providing goals and achievements that employees can seek is the first step towards encouraging development and growth, providing better and more meaningful feedback is also crucial for success. New hires can be anxious about hitting the floor to take real customer interactions—having measured feedback can help them confidently feel ready. 

Progress bars and milestones give trainees a measure of their progress and provide supervisors with data they can use. Depending on the growth rate or the achievements that staff attain, team leads can look at their progress bars to provide accurate feedback and encouragement to help teams develop even further. 

The Future of Onboarding

A robust onboarding and training regimen that promotes employee growth and development is a crucial foundation for every contact center, and with gamification you can take your onboarding process to the next level. If you are interested in learning more about gamification and how it can supercharge your workspace, Call Design is here to help. Contact us today to get started!

– Shawn McCormick

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