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Workforce Optimization Featured Article

April 24, 2008

Workforce Optimization for the Back Office

By Stefania Viscusi, Assignment Desk Editor

As the demand for around the clock availability of resources from businesses increases in demand from customers, a key focus is being placed on the back office of these operations.

Business with agents working on the weekends and after hours are no longer efficient or useful if customers are reaching out to them for billing questions or order processing help during this time. Because the back office is needed for these functions, it is beginning to play an increasingly unique role in today's businesses.

The back office is not only the "gatekeeper" of all pricing and purchasing decisions, but many times, also handle the most important and more complicated queries.

Not having access for customers can mean a decrease in satisfaction, and a negative impact on the entire customer service operation.

Using workforce management techniques like flexible and skills-based scheduling as well as performance evaluations and reviewing average handle times, can all prove effective.

Staffing in the back office can be improved through more flexible scheduling of personnel during times when they are most needed as opposed to a standard 9-5 business work day. Skills-based scheduling can also be beneficial as employees are staffed based on their skills, which results in maximum efficiency at all times.

Much like in a contact center setting, it is important to also understand how long it's taking an employee to complete a task. Also, to improve use of the back office performance evaluations to not only promote employee productivity and goal setting, but help management to track trends, find areas needing improvement, and more.

In response to the changing overall environment of today's business world as well as changing customer needs, employing workforce management techniques that have proven successful in the contact center, are a sure way to help optimize even the back office workforce.

For more, be sure to check out the Workforce Optimization channel on TMCnet

Stefania Viscusi is an established writer and avid reader. To see more of her articles, please visit Stefania Viscusi’s columnist page.

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