Call Center Scheduling Featured Article
Optimizing Call Center Schedule Adherence
For a call center, one of the biggest resources is your agents. Making sure schedules are properly adhered to is extremely vital in running an efficient center, and deliver the utmost in customer service. This can only occur if schedules are followed properly.
Why are call centers so expensive to run and operate? There are three reasons: infrastructure, staffing, and telephony. But, the agents can cause the most loss if they abuse their time at work, especially after they have clocked in. When scheduling is broken down, about 75 percent of it is work-related, answering calls, handling tasks as the remainder goes towards breaks and set down time.
So, what can cause a schedule to go south? Here are some ways that agents can poorly impact the companies by not being productive during work hours. They do not log into the software when expected because they have gotten unnecessarily distracted. Agents may spend too much time on non-work related activities like checking personal emails and social media. Another big mistake is when agents manually change their call center software agent status to “away” or “busy” because they do not want to handle calls, even on the clock. Taking excessive or unscheduled breaks leave the team short-staffed. Finally, unexpected or last minute absences, coming in late or leaving early, can directly and negatively impact the scheduling process.
All agents are wheels on the bus, and when one tire gets a flat, repercussions are felt across the whole company. Are your call center agents adhering to schedules?
Edited by Maurice Nagle