What Is Workforce Management?
Introduction
If the term “workforce management solution” conjures up images of temporary agencies outsourcing staff on short notice, then writing a white paper to explain this concept is justified. For the uninitiated or those unfamiliar with the term, at its simplest, workforce management (WFM) solution refers to software solutions for contact centers, back offices, and stores that help put the right person with the right skills in the right place at the right time, resulting in a quality customer interaction - regardless of the method of contact.
If this definition sounds too simple, establishing sound processes and respecting them to achieve this end is not; try satisfying customers, staff, and management all at the same time, and you probably know it is a tricky balancing act that makes the life of a contact center planner a nightmare. This is particularly true if scheduling is still done manually, using Excel spreadsheets.
With multi-channel interactions proliferating today, requiring multi-skills on the part of agents that may be located in a geographically dispersed contact center, the headaches are even worse. With organizations acknowledging that it is in the contact center where vast improvements, savings, and profitability can be made, a sophisticated WFM software solution can definitely play an important role in achieving these improvements, which sometimes seems to be a miracle.
Abstract
This white paper attempts to provide a basic understanding of the processes that workforce management (WFM) encompasses that make the modern customer service operation possible. Each of the six processes – namely forecasting, planning, scheduling, operating, reporting and performance analysis - is examined closely. The interconnectedness of the processes is emphasized.
In light of the prickly challenges many contact center managers face today – e.g. runaway costs, scheduling for multi-skilled agents and multi-channel interactions, losses in revenue opportunities, or savings to name a few – the benefits automated WFM brings to contact centers can seem mind-boggling. Boiled down, it amounts to increased customer satisfaction, enhanced staff satisfaction (translating into lower absenteeism, attrition, and training costs) as well as improved efficiency and profitability.
The white paper further addresses what an automated WFM solution might do for your contact center, and some basic questions about WFM solutions: e.g. Who is a suitable candidate? Where and when can you see your return on investment (ROI)? It concludes with some thoughtful tips about what to consider when contemplating a WFM solution for your contact center. It is by no means comprehensive, but rather a thought-provoker to get you started on the road toward WFM optimization.
by IQPC
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