Call Center Scheduling Featured Article
Call Center Scheduling Software: The Perfect Tool to Control Shrinkage
Shrinkage is a topic that is getting even more attention in the call center today. As companies are struggling to weather the recession and budgets keep getting tighter, making the most of every dollar is essential.
When controlling costs within the call center, the first place management will look is to its people. After all, labor is the single biggest cost within the call center. When a call center manager can effectively account for every minute of every agent’s time, shrinkage is more likely to be under control.
Shrinkage is a key measure of call center efficiency. In order to keep it within an acceptable range, many call center managers will turn to call center scheduling solutions. Such solutions help managers to reduce the amount of lost paid time that companies have to write off as unavoidable – or the cost of doing business that the company simply has to absorb.
The problem is that many call centers can become complacent about shrinkage. Because people are such an important part of the call center structure, the cost to maintain employees is too often considered a given instead of properly managed with call center scheduling solutions.
But let’s take a closer look at what happens when shrinkage in labor cost is ignored. For those groups of agents that consistently clock in before they make a ten minute stop at the water cooler, that can amount to significant hours over the course of the month. The group of agents that routinely uses five minutes after every call to prepare for the next when the standard should be two, consistently wastes three minutes per call.
Failure to adhere to a set schedule is the main cause of shrinkage within the call center. By employing the functions of a robust call center scheduling solution, call center managers are better armed to ensure agents remain productive when they are on the clock. This can be an overwhelming task without a solution designed specifically for this purpose.
Call center scheduling solutions also allow managers to have a bird’s eye view of the workings of each individual agent. The manager will know who is arriving late, who is leaving early, who is taking long lunches, who routinely asks for time off and who is taking excessive breaks. By capturing and measuring this information, the call center is much more prepared to account for all labor cost.
When the call center manager is complacent about this type of shrinkage, the minutes start to add up to hours and hours to days of lost paid time. When call center scheduling solutions are introduced into the mix, these managers can account for every minute of an agent’s day and the expectations that are to be met within that time. As long as agents can meet these expectations, shrinkage should remain at a more manageable level.
Monet Software is a leading provider of Web-based call center scheduling solutions that meet the changing needs of today’s innovative call centers. Whether the call center is seeking a turnkey solution or one that is customized specifically to their surroundings, Monet works with call center managers to ensure the implemented solution is the best fit for the environment.
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 Patrick Barnard