It’s no secret that the contact center industry is always changing. Whether its routing calls more precisely or being able to provide better agent assistance, technology continues to drive different ways of innovating.
One solution which is a part of the innovation wave is contact center workforce management (WFM) software. It’s technology that not only is the backbone of a contact center but is also utilized to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Below are a few of the ways contact center workforce management solutions are changing to improve operations.
They are providing a unique blend of automation and AI features to solve problems – It feels like right now AI messaging and marketing is everywhere in the contact center industry. But how much of it is true? When it comes to workforce management, the software is still very much rooted in automation and less so in AI. Cornerstone features of WFM technology, such as forecasting and scheduling, have a foundation in automation which has existed for decades. However, AI is being leveraged more for intraday planning to better predict staffing needs based on what has already happened earlier in the day.
They are providing agents with more control over when and how they work – The days of posting a 9 to 5 schedule for everyone are long gone. Now, modern contact center WFM software offers solutions where agents have more control of their hours and schedule. For example, a contact center may have had an unforeseen event occur and now is short on agents for the evening shift. Instead of texting agents nonstop to see if they can work tonight, a contact center WFM analyst can leverage their software to quickly ask all relevant agents if they are interested in taking on the extra shift. Best of all, an agent is able to accept the shift in real time from anywhere through a WFM mobile app. The technology also allows agents to have more control over completing their training and compliance tasks. Each individual agent can choose to complete tasks at a time that works for them and receive approval instantly without manager intervention. The software automatically handles all of the checks and balances against their schedule and staffing needs to ensure no conflicts exist.
They are focusing on the agent experience to improve the customer experience – Happy agents often make happy customers. As a result of this, more companies are looking for contact center WFM solutions to help them improve agent morale. Having an agent portal with a built in communication framework is a good start, but agents are also looking for other ways the technology can make their life easier. One feature that is popular with busy agents is the ability to submit a time off request directly through a mobile WFM app. Getting instant time off approval at a doctor’s office or a school can save the agent significant time and effort in their personal life.
They are continuing to improve personal data compliance offerings – Especially for global contact centers, data privacy and compliance has become a hot and important topic. Each company now has a data management policy and it’s important that every technology vendor they select is able to fulfill their internal data privacy requirements. Modern contact center workforce management software continues to improve in this area by allowing agents to submit automated requests at any time to view their data, change their personal information, have their data anonymized, or even have data deleted entirely with no restore options.
To summarize, contact center WFM software solutions are changing to ensure they continue being at the forefront of providing widespread value. Whether it’s improving agent happiness or reducing overhead costs by driving efficiency, WFM technology will continue to be a solution that strives to improve operations while also being cognizant of the bottom line.
