Data is the top dog in today’s face paced world, and especially for workforce management (WFM) analysts. They need accurate information to ensure the right decisions are made to boost customer satisfaction while keeping costs in check as much as possible.
But what happens when the metrics you have aren’t matching up with the data you need? If this is the case, it’s time to review your data collection processes to ensure you’re getting the information that makes a difference.
How can you improve the way you gather data? Here are several strategies to fix common workforce management data collection issues.
Identify the actual KPIs for your workforce and focus on them – If you haven’t taken a step back recently and evaluated your WFM key performance indicators (KPIs), now is the time to do so. Ensure your KPIs are realistic and the exact information you need is accessible and accurate. They should align with both the overall business objectives and your specific WFM goals, so you need the right data to measure actual KPI effectiveness.
Get a WFM solution with highly configurable integration capabilities – We are fortunate to live in an era where manual data entry can be significantly reduced through integrations. Linking up your WFM software solution with one or several automatic call distribution (ACD) platforms can provide you with the accurate information you need in real-time. One of the biggest data collection issues involves aligning your ACD queues with your WFM technology to get the right data from each queue. This problem can be resolved through integrations and you’ll have all of the metrics required to monitor both intraday agent productivity as well as how an agent performs over a longer period of time.
Leverage spreadsheet data imports with your WFM solution – Even in a business world where integrations are common, there is still some instances where an integration doesn’t cover all of your needs. That’s why it’s important to select enterprise WFM software that allows for spreadsheet imports as well for agent and contact data. Manual entry results in data collection errors, and being able to export information manually from one system to a CSV (comma-separated values) file and import it into your WFM software is a better process. Forecasts and schedules can even be imported from Excel to leading WFM software solutions if needed.
Select WFM software that allows for real-time adherence adjustments – Having to write appended notes or add an asterisk to data is a pain. It’s also a way for information to get lost in translation and become inaccurate. This is why leading WFM solutions provide options for real-time adherence adjustments to enable you to work off of the best data set you can. For example, if a supervisor needs to conduct an impromptu training session with an agent, the agent may be flagged as being out of adherence. Once the training is over, the supervisor can immediately go into the WFM software and log the training session so it doesn’t look like the agent went an hour without taking a phone call.
To summarize, there are multiple ways to fix common workforce management data collection issues once you identify what metrics matter. Establish data integrations between technology and leverage spreadsheet import and exports when they aren’t available or working well. It’s also important to keep data fresh and up-to-date by selecting a flexible WFM software system that can easily adjust to intraday changes. Keeping your data clean and relevant is the key to making those forecasts and schedules that make a major difference.
