The power of fundamentals.
January 13 – In the high-pace world of technology and service delivery, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends. The timeless wisdom: a strong foundation is key to long-term success, holds true. The CWPP (Certified Workforce Planning Professionals) certification is a great tool to master the fundamentals of workforce planning and management. […]
More on validation
January 6 – In a SWPP Tip of the Week recently submitted by my friend, Rick Seeley, he discussed the importance of validating forecasts. I concur 1000%– checking and correcting forecasts and assumptions is one of the critical functions that workforce planners do. It helps us keep our models current, but also acts as an […]
Leveraging Machine Learning for smarter workforce management.
December 30 – Machine Learning (ML) is here, and changing how we do Workforce Management (WFM) by providing more accurate forecasts, optimized scheduling, and improved agent performance. To harness the power of ML, a solid foundation in WFM theory is essential. Understanding the Basics So you want to start using AI and ML, right away. […]
Prepare for the digital CX future with long-term planning.
December 23 – From digital demands to new agent skill requirements, contact centers face a growing list of challenges in today’s fast-paced landscape. Navigating these challenges requires a strategic approach, yet many organizations focus their workforce management tech investments on short-term workforce management, leaving long-term planning as an afterthought. This leaves a key opportunity on […]
A week of gratitude in workforce management.
December 16 – Let’s shift our focus from the usual Workforce Management (WFM) KPIs like adherence, occupancy, and average handle time. Instead, let’s cultivate gratitude, a less tangible but equally powerful metric. Just as a plant needs sunlight to thrive, a team needs appreciation to flourish. A simple “thank you” can brighten a day and […]
Unlocking the Power of PDP Data.
December 9 – When was the last time you dove deep into analyzing your Prior Day Performance (PDP) data? For many workforce management organizations, this data is an untapped goldmine of business intelligence. Hidden within it are the keys to building a compelling business case to transform your staffing strategies and break free from the […]
Assess the productivity impact of different work settings.
December 2 – 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time, per a 2024 Forbes study. However, preferences alone can’t dictate your approach to allow remote, hybrid, or in-office policies. To assess the productivity impact of different work settings, ask yourself these three key questions: Are employees more or less […]
Validate and verify your forecast accuracy.
November 25 – We all spend time gathering history and creating our forecasts (both long and short term). But even after the forecast is created, you need to continue to revisit and validate the accuracy. This will help you to capture trends going forward. If your forecast is substantially higher or lower than what you […]
Blending chats with other contacts.
November 18 – We are always trying to make our agents more productive and cover as many channels of contacts as possible. While chat is a channel that seems to open the opportunity to blend the contacts with other channels, we need to be careful what types of channels we blend it with. Blending concurrent […]
The Workforce Optimization Symphony: WFM, Quality, & Training in Harmony.
November 11 – Imagine a contact center orchestra. WFM sets the tempo, ensuring smooth agent staffing and scheduling. Quality plays the melody, identifying areas for improvement and tracking delivery efficacy trends. Training harmonizes the sound, equipping agents with the skills to excel. Disjointed? Not a chance! In the customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) landscape of 2024, these three teams […]
Embrace AI as your Workforce Management ally.
November 4 – It’s easy to find headlines declaring that AI is a job-killer, but should WFM forecasters, schedulers, RTAs, and agents worry that their jobs will soon be obsolete? In reality, we’re a long way from AI as a complete job replacement for WFM roles. Human intelligence is too complex, and creating an AI […]
What do great planners do? (Part 5)
October 28 – This is the last in this little Tip-of-the Week series. I am certain I missed some of the tasks that great planners do every week, and will publish any of my misses in a later SWPP tip. So please let me know what I have left out or gotten wrong! In the […]
