The concept of workforce efficiency in the BPM industry has often been associated with finding a balance between costs and delivering exceptional customer experiences. The dynamic nature of modern BPMs includes handling high volumes over various channels and managing varied client expectations. The prevailing work culture seeks to strike a balance between workforce wellness and the achievement of organizational goals. The implementation of advanced Workforce Management (WFM) methodologies can maximize the potential of the organization’s greatest asset – the people.
Demand Forecasting for Optimized WFM
Accurate demand forecasting is essential for the effectiveness of workforce management strategies. Advanced WFM solutions utilize AI/ML-powered forecasting tools for forecasting. Contact centers can make staffing decisions according to forecasts based on historical data, patterns and emerging trends and factor in deeper variables such as seasonal fluctuations, individual employee skill sets and potential absences, thus avoiding overstaffing or understaffing situations. This helps them achieve a balance between optimizing costs and meeting SLAs.
Contact centers can leverage WFM tools to maximize their productivity & return on investment in their human capital. This multi-dimensional analysis empowers executives to:
Identify gaps & opportunities: WFM tools can enable contact centers to make strategic adjustments in staffing by conducting analysis of historical data to predict future workloads and unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity.
Optimal capacity planning: With forecasts about future workloads and requirements, BPMs can optimize their staffing, eliminate under or over-staffing scenarios and ensure great customer experiences across all channels.
Optimize agent-customer interactions: WFM tools help BPMs to match the right agents with the right skillets for every customer interaction, enabling the BPM to drive customer satisfaction.
Real-Time Monitoring & Insights for Agility
Facing the fluid dynamics of client requirements and market shifts, BPMs must enhance their agility to effectively adapt to these changes. With the prowess of WFM tools, attendance and workload patterns can be identified and monitored swiftly. WFM dashboards track key performance indicators and generate productivity reports, providing a comprehensive and objective view of performance across individuals, teams and departments. Managers can utilize AutoML capabilities to refine the process of scheduling to minimize overtime and ensure adequate coverage during peak periods.
Empowering The Workforce
Empowering the most important resources in the company requires the use of sophisticated methodologies to enhance efficiency, satisfaction and productivity. Modern WFM software often incorporates self-service portals for employees to:
View and manage schedules: Access schedules, request shift changes and receive real-time updates directly within the WFM system. This promotes transparency and allows employees to achieve a better work-life balance.
View performance metrics: Employees can track their individual productivity data and key performance indicators, fostering a sense of accountability and highlighting areas for potential improvement.
Shift adherence: Process leaders can monitor the team’s compliance with assigned schedules to manage late arrivals, early departures and missed shifts. This functionality is essential for maintaining operational efficiency and encouraging a disciplined approach to workforce reliability.
Intelligent rostering: Agents should be assigned to processes according to their skillsets and availability. WFM software can generate optimal shifts that take all this into account along with business needs and demands. This approach enhances efficiency and service levels by ensuring the right people are in the right place at the right time.
Employee engagement: Direct involvement in the scheduling process can encourage employees to proactively input their availability, swap shifts and mitigate absenteeism. This gives the organization greater visibility for meeting client needs.
Conclusion
Investment in WFM tools can prove instrumental in promoting data-driven strategies, continuous optimization and the cultivation of a resilient workforce. As the nature of work evolves, advanced WFM tools maximize contact centers’ competitive advantage in the ever-changing landscape as it equips them to prioritize efficiency, productivity and employee well-being and ultimately, better customer satisfaction
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
