Simulation: The Next Best Thing to a Crystal Ball
August 02, 2006
Contact centers that have implemented skill based routing (SBR) technology, or are considering doing so in the future, may also want to consider investing in a crystal ball.
SBR, for all of its many benefits, creates several workforce related challenges that can only be solved by predicting the future. However, if the center’s IT department has banned the use of crystal balls, as many have done due to high costs associated with maintenance, a workforce management system capable of simulating the center contact center’s specific SBR environment is a viable alternative.
SBR Related Workforce Challenges
In SBR environments, traditional workforce planning methods result in two primary inaccuracies: agent requirements and agent availability. When managers are unable to rely on the accuracy of either of these elements, their ability to ensure forecast objectives are met efficiently through appropriate staffing levels is eliminated.
SBR Challenge #1: Calculating Accurate Agent Requirements
In non-SBR (or “universal”) environments, the assumption is made that all agents in a particular group are equally equipped to handle the contacts for a corresponding group of skills. Erlang tools base their calculations on this assumption and, therefore, are sufficient to determine the staffing requirements for a non-SBR contact center.
SBR technology, however, makes it possible for contact centers to create a hybrid environment where agent skills sets and proficiencies overlap. To accurately forecast for this type of environment, projected multiskill efficiencies must be calculated in order to avoid overstaffing. Due to their inability to predict the future, forecasting tools that rely solely on Erlang calculations will fall short when in an SBR environment.
SBR Challenge #2: Accurately Reflecting Agent Availability
Accurately reflecting agent availability in a non-SBR environment is no big challenge. Agents in a department are typically dedicated to handle the contacts for a specific skill or grouping of skills, so it is simply a matter of dividing each agent’s time across all the intervals they are scheduled to be available. Even a spreadsheet is capable of handling this task.
In an SBR environment, however, the task is not so simple. Some agents may be dedicated to handle a particular skill, but other agents may handle that skill plus three more. In fact, the combination of agent skills and skill levels in an SBR environment can be virtually limitless, which makes the task of predicting how much time they will spend on each skill seemingly impossible.
Predict the Future through Simulation
Fortunately, there is a solution to the workforce challenges created by SBR: simulation. In fact, the only way to accurately calculate requirements and agent availability in a contact center using SBR is through simulation.
In an SBR environment, Erlang based requirements provide a starting point, but they need to be adjusted to account for the multiskill efficiencies of the center’s particular environment. Otherwise, requirements will be inaccurate. Unfortunately, multiskill efficiency is not just something that you can guess. It only comes through simulating the conditions that will be in place during the forecasted time frame for all of the interrelated contacts the agents handle.
Accurate agent availability is also something that requires simulation. It is not simply a matter of dividing an agent’s time across the various contacts he or she is able to handle. The volume of each contact must be considered as well the routing logic in place. In addition, the skills of the other agents and when they are working must also be taken into consideration. Only simulation makes it possible to accurately predict the percentage of time each agent is likely to be engaged in handling all of their various skills.
Choosing the Right Workforce Management System
Buyers beware. Not all workforce management systems that claim to work in an SBR environment offer simulation. And of those that do, not all are capable of mirroring the center contact center’s exact environment. Some give you a choice of generic routing scenarios to choose from. Some allow you to choose from “best case” and “worst case” requirements. Others require you to have Nostradamus-like vision by making you input contact routing “ratios” for each agent. Warning: any system that requires its users to apply their personal intuition as it relates to the impact of SBR will only result in inaccuracies.
For contact centers both big and small that have deployed SBR technology, automated workforce management with simulation is no longer a “nice-to-have.” SBR provides the perfect excuse to finally throw out that old Erlang calculator you got for free at a call center show in the late 80’s. When looking at systems, here are some things to consider:
10 Requirements for Accurate Skill-Based Workforce Management
|
1.
|
Capable of simulating the center’s exact routing rules at both the site and the network level regardless of the specific ACD or routing platform in place.
|
|
2.
|
Supports date specific routing rules making it possible to test the effectiveness of future routing scenarios.
|
|
3.
|
Simulates date specific skills and skill levels of individual agents.
|
|
4.
|
Uses the agent’s schedule as part of the simulation process.
|
|
5.
|
Provides options to schedule agents by skill profile or by seniority/ranking within the group.
|
|
6.
|
Supports both skill-blended and skill-blocked work assignments.
|
|
7.
|
Displays interval level multiskill efficiency percentages for each forecasted contact type in order to gauge routing effectiveness.
|
|
8.
|
Schedule management tool is capable of filtering agents by a particular skill or user-selected grouping of skills.
|
|
9.
|
Automatically reflects the impact of schedule changes in the coverage line and projected results for all affected contact types.
|
|
10.
|
Capable of intraday re-simulation in order to account for changes in projected contacts and/or agent availability.
|
For more information on skills based routing, download this pre-recorded Webinar at: http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=21777&s=1&k=39ED2AACAC1CA4748721C6BA2125435D
-----
Rebecca Wise is a recognized expert in workforce management. During her tenure at AT&T (News - Alert) (News - Alert) Universal Card Services, she was instrumental in the selection, deployment and ongoing maintenance of the company’s workforce management system. She also held a senior management position at Convergys (News - Alert) (News - Alert) where she supported the forecasting, scheduling and intraday management team. Today she provides consultative expertise and technical support for IEX Corporation, a subsidiary of NICE Systems (News - Alert) Ltd.
Internet Telephony Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
CUSTOMER 
Cloud Computing Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
IoT EVOLUTION MAGAZINE
