Call Center Staffing Software

GO TO CARTOON CATEGORIES

10 Copyright Myths Explained   

U.S. Government Copyright Office Website

Email the Artist

Personal use of call center cartoons is free

Call center staffing software

Call center managers normally invest a lot of time and effort into working with formulas and other forecasting tools to determine expected call levels, as well as their accompanying staffing numbers.   However, as contact centers have begun moving from straight cost centers into profit making organizations, managers and reps alike have started to struggle to keep up with the many variables that now make up the staffing equation.  

One of the biggest challenges in staffing is the fact that call center are no longer single channel “call” centers.  Most operations today are filled with a multitude of channels that must be serviced.  There are lots of operations handling web, IM or other self-service portals, just to name a few.  While the introduction of multiple channels has made agents more accessible, it has also created a scheduling nightmare for the folks who must keep the operation humming along. 

The more vanguard operations in the industry utilize a host of call center software solutions to simplify the staffing conundrum.   By using sophisticated tools to determine the most efficient staffing numbers, call volumes, average talk, service levels, and wrap-up time for each call, managers are able to mitigate wasted overhead often associated with call centers.  

Unfortunately, not all call centers have the budget to invest in state-of-the-art software, so they must rely on simple spreadsheets and gut feeling to optimize staffing levels.  Nevertheless, data points such as the following should be included as part of the overall staffing approach:

• Service Level agreements

• Queue length

• Agent occupancy

• Caller abandonment,

• Expected call volumes

• Cost per call

• Known call arrival patterns

Once the right staffing number has been determined, a second challenge is hiring enough people to handle the work at hand.  While some of the more common practices include using seasonal workers, part-time agents, outsourced and home agents, some centers are taking more inventive approaches, such as calling on reserve agents.  These reps are normally former agents that are called upon to help the call center handle planned and unplanned volume spikes.

More Cartoons - Visit our various cartoon categories.

Search Jobs & Resumes

NOTE - You may use the cartoons on this site free of charge as long as they are for personal use.  Free cartoons may not be reproduced or distributed in any way. 

TOPICS

Find Call Center Virtual Agent

Free Online Call Center Training

Home Call Center Employment Work

Innovative Call Center Consulting

Manager Of Sales Call Center

Online Call Center Job

Outbound Call Center Agent

REFERENCE: CARTOON # 55