2014 Tip of the Week Archive2018-05-09T13:42:24-04:00

What is the “industry standard” for abandon rate percentages?

December 29 – I was recently asked what the “industry standard” is for abandon rate percentages.  Actually there is no “industry standard” as this can vary a lot by type of call and business. However, most people would say that somewhere between 2-5% is reasonable performance for most call types.  Of course, if this is […]

Solicit feedback for the WFM team during Performance Management review time.

December 15 – As we begin to wrap up this year, Performance Management reviews start coming into mind.  What have we done well?  What could we have improved upon?  What do our clients (agents, supervisors, managers) believe can help them?   Use this time to solicit feedback for continuous improvement of the WFM team. You […]

Good workforce management starts with a great forecast.

December 8 – A forecast should be your best estimate of future results based on observations from the past along with known impacts of future events.  Known future events are things that are planned that have predictable timing, intensity, and duration.  Known future events can be things such as marketing campaigns, holidays and planned closures […]

More reasons to use work-at-home agents.

December 1 – There are many reasons to consider using work-at-home agents including the flexibility to meet odd schedule requirements, saving space in the center, and tapping into a workforce that might not otherwise be accessible.  But let’s explore some other good applications. First is the need for seasonal help at times such as the […]

Make sure to analyze your day-end performance in your center.

November 24 – One of the most important aspects of workforce management analysis is seeing how the business/team has performed on an intraday basis. In the call center environment, we have peak intervals and off-peak intervals. To measure day-end performance on service level, calls offered, and calls answered, we need to check what transpired during […]

Look at schedule adherence from a historical perspective.

November 17 – Schedule adherence has always been a challenge for workforce management teams to calculate, document, and seamlessly disposition time associated with “out of compliance time.”  The primary schedule compliance efforts have centered upon real-time adherence:  “Where is Bob, and why is he not taking calls?”  This is an important function and has a […]

Asking a few small questions can go a long way!

November – 10 Take a journalistic approach to workforce management and ask these questions: WHO do we support? WHAT needs do they have, and are we meeting them? WHEN are we following up with them? WHERE do our customers need the most support, and are we meeting that need? WHY do they need us? (Make […]

Try a “Workforce Planner for a Day” program.

October 27 – Want to get your workforce more in tune with what workforce management is asking of them?  Try increasing their exposure to the world of workforce management.  Agents who gain a better understanding can then help educate others.  Consider designating a Workforce Planner for a Day program, which can not only increase knowledge, […]

Plan ahead for seasonal bidding.

 October 20 – Do you struggle with having to mandate extra hours or overtime during your peak season and time off during your lulls?  This rollercoaster can be inevitable at times but can come at a cost of higher than planned attrition. Consider calibrating your shift bids to align to your seasonal forecast swings.  When […]

Close down the exception factory.

October 13 – The one facet of Workforce Management that can counted on to stir controversy whenever it comes up is handling adherence in a way that is fair.  It’s tough to balance being equitable to agents who don’t want to feel like their supervisor is standing outside the restroom with a stop watch with […]

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