| Workforce Management (WFM) is simply the process | | | | any given time. An accurate workforce management |
| of balancing work to be completed with the resources | | | | system has the ability to create such a forecast. |
| available to complete that work. It is a critical | | | | Today's sophisticated systems can not only calculate |
| component for call centers. Large call centers cannot | | | | how many agents will be needed for varying days and |
| operate efficiently without automated WFM software, | | | | times, it also takes into account fluctuations in business |
| while many small centers still calculate workload | | | | and special situations. If a company has just ran a big |
| forecasting on a spreadsheet. However delivered, | | | | promotion or had a catalog drop, incoming calls will be |
| WFM is an absolute necessity for inbound call centers. | | | | higher than usual. Holidays can create increased calls if |
| The importance of WFM is reflected in a company's | | | | a company's product is seasonal in nature. Workforce |
| financial bottom line. If work volume cannot be | | | | management call center software can anticipate and |
| anticipated, over- or understaffing of agents occurs. | | | | predict a higher volume based on past history of the |
| Both scenarios are costly to a company. Understaffing | | | | same or similar situations. |
| results in incoming calls not being answered, poor | | | | Companies are allowed to set objectives for the |
| customer service, and lost sales. Customers lost to | | | | quality of service it wishes to provide. Call center |
| poor customer service are hard to recapture. | | | | managers determine what length of time an incoming |
| Overstaffing has an equally negative effect on bottom | | | | call should be answered as well as how long an agent |
| line profits. Idle, unproductive agents cost money in | | | | should take to handle a particular call. In addition to |
| wasted labor. | | | | basic call forecasting, there are call center software |
| The only solution to finding a balance in workload and | | | | programs that offer solutions for agent adherence |
| resources is to have an effective method of | | | | issues regarding training and attendance. |
| calculating how many incoming calls are anticipated at | | | | |