Call Center Management: Overcome Challenges to Accurate Forecasting

The constantly changing dynamics of the call center – an environment exciting enough to get the blood pumping of any energetic customer service rep. Those who enjoy rapid activity, satisfying callers and responding to the ebbs and flows in call volumes can thrive in this environment. With so much changing all the time, however, how does call center management keep on top of accurate forecasting?

This concept was explored in a recent Monet Software blog, highlighting the importance of accurate forecasting and why it is critical to the successful management of the workforce. Forecasting methods must be precise if call center management hopes to meet call demand while also avoiding the problems associated with over- or under-staffing.

Such lofty aims can promise real benefits, but they can also be challenging to achieve. It can be difficult to accurately determine the number of agents necessary to handle the volume within the call center at all times. In fact, according to a DMG report in 2010, survey participants highlighted the five biggest challenges in forecasting:

• The need to forecast for multiple skills
• A changing environment that makes historical volume data less valuable
• External events drive the volume, instead of the company
• Volume tends to be seasonal, ensuring it varies greatly
• Projections are challenging when volume patterns change frequently.

Fortunately, Monet Software has a few tips to help call center management in forecasting for accuracy. The first thing suggested is to develop “what if” scenarios, allowing you to explore how a change in call volume or service level goals during the week or a specific day can affect the overall center.

Call center management can also create intra-day forecasts throughout the day, calculating a new forecast based on what has already occurred. This helps call center management to establish trends for assistance in future decisions.

Finally, call center management can forecast and schedule according to time and urgency of the various channels in place. Policies may already exist that determine standards for responding to calls, e-mails, chats and more. You may also have policies in place that give one channel precedence over another. Use these policies to determine the best schedule for optimal service.

Accurate forecasting and scheduling do not have to be the biggest challenge for call center management, but can be without the right tools or approach in place. Take these tips and see what they can do to help you improve your workflow and satisfaction.

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Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell