For call center executives, what does efficiency imply? It might include lowering the number of customer escalations or improving key performance indicators like Average Handle Time or First Call Resolution.
Running a successful call center entails a lot of work. Employee training, consistent management, and the correct call center software are all crucial, but one factor that stands out is call center workforce management (WFM).
First, what’s the point of Workforce Management?
Because your call center workforce is one of your most valuable assets, and good management leads can improve operational efficiency.
Let’s look at the importance of workforce management and the top best practices you can take to improve your customer experience.
Importance of Call Center Workforce Management
As a call center manager or leader, what is your main objective? We understand you have a lot of KPIs to meet, but most people will agree that profitability and success are built on a foundation of consistent customer satisfaction.
The pillar for your agents to achieve this with your consumers is call center workforce management. Why? Because WFM can provide all the components for delighted consumers.
Here are 3 of the most significant advantages of Workforce Management:
1. Consistent High-Quality Service
Every time a customer interacts with your company, they have high expectations. Unfortunately, one bad experience isn't forgotten because of a previous good one.
WFM helps managers ensure that agents have the necessary training, skill sets, and knowledge to assist with all the customer needs that come through the queue. This contributes to creating consistent support experiences, which will pay off in the long run in terms of customer loyalty.
2. Improve Agent Engagement
Agent satisfaction can also be improved through workforce management. After all, a happy call center agent is more likely to share their positive energy with consumers, resulting in a more enjoyable experience.
But what if your call center is always understaffed, and each agent is expected to handle a higher number of calls? This puts a lot of stress on agents, increasing the risk of burnout and agent attrition in the worst-case scenario. The correct implementation of WFM can make agent engagement and satisfaction easier to achieve.
3. Cost-Savings
When it comes to workforce management, you need to know how many agents you'll need at every time. Without this information, you may be tempted to overstaff your team to avoid being overwhelmed by call traffic. However, this can lead to more agent idle time and wasted agent earnings.
On the other hand, understaffing puts you in danger of losing money in the long run. This approach will not only degrade the quality of your client experience by lengthening hold times, but it will also result in higher agent turnover and worse customer satisfaction.
In addition, correct workforce management can help you save money by identifying:
- Wage miscalculations
- Unplanned overtime
- Labor law violations
- Administrative errors
To keep your contact center operations running smoothly, try adopting these best practices:
Consider Investing in Workforce Management Software
Spreadsheets and agent schedules posted on paper are no longer sufficient for managing a modern call center.
With many organizations moving to a remote/hybrid workforce, having a sophisticated solution to help your WFM efforts is important. A WFM solution will assist you in:
- Minimize discrepancies
- Inform strategy and scheduling for fluctuating call volume
- Manage a remote workforce
- Track metrics and attendance
Analyze Historical Data and Real-Time Insights
Every performance manager requires access to data and analytics. After all, what you can't measure, you can't improve. You need to use data and results to inform your labor management strategy.
Record peak times of employee absenteeism and keep track of previous high call volume times to prepare for staffing issues. Historical data can also be used to find patterns that can be used to inform forecasting and scheduling.
Include Your Agents in The Decision-Making Process
Your agents aren't just a collection of numbers. They may desire more control over their schedule and the ability to pick when they take vacation time. While your analytics and business strategy may suggest that you book the same, most experienced agents throughout each peak call volume period, you risk burning them out.
Include your agents in your workforce management process to improve agent engagement. Allow them to notify you when they require time off so that you can plan accordingly.
CCSI’s Best Asset
At CCSI, we take pride in our agents' excellent interpersonal skills, motivated spirit, IT knowledge, and service-oriented mindset. Our Mexico call center agents are also known for their ability to communicate, accomplish tasks, and achieve goals and their diligent work ethic.
We not only focus on equipping the agents with the proper knowledge and call center skills required but also on improving efforts towards quality service, communication, active listening, computer, and negotiation skills needed for the interaction part of the job.