Excelling with intraday management strategies can be one of the biggest challenges a workforce management (WFM) analyst will face in their role. With so many moving parts, sometimes getting even one area of the day-to-day operations within a contact center aligned can seem impossible. But worry not! Below are a few of the modern WFM intraday strategies some of the top analysts rely on to keep operations in their contact center running smoothly every day.

Leverage “what-if” planning to prepare for upcoming scenarios – The old saying practice makes perfect still holds true. Within modern WFM software it’s possible for an analyst to run multiple scenarios based on specific situations. For example, if a large surge in contact volume is expected after Thanksgiving, a WFM analyst can utilize data from previous years alongside current trends to quickly create several “what-if” plans. After evaluating these plans for accuracy and feasibility, the analyst can choose the one that makes the most sense and move forward with an intraday strategy and schedule around it. Having the right plan in place is critical to the success of any intraday workforce management efforts.

Monitor real-time performance and make the right changes – WFM software provides powerful reporting capabilities including the intraday planning (IDP) report which provides an adjusted forecast throughout the day based on multiple variables found in a contact center. This report is a great example of how AI exists within this technology to empower a WFM analyst so they can make better decisions. Is the IDP report projecting needs higher or lower than expected? If so, it’s time to react quickly to keep productivity at a high level.

Boost service levels with a proactive approach – Fortunately, a WFM analyst doesn’t even need to leave their workforce management software to complete the changes they need to make. Within the technology, it’s easy to find qualified agents fast and in many different ways to meet the current contact volume demands. A WFM analyst can proactively adjust break times and lunches for currently working agents, bring agents over from other skills, or bring in new agent entirely through an automated schedule adjustment plan (ASAP). There are a lot of intraday scheduling options at the fingertips of an analyst to meet whatever needs arise.

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Respectfully monitor agent attendance from a single view – While scheduling options can certainly drive productivity, sometimes the right (and most cost effective) move is improving the efficiency of your current agents. For example, the automated schedule adjustment monitor (ASAM) within a modern WFM intraday management feature displays a real-time adherence view of all relevant agents at the same time. A WFM analyst can spot instantly if certain agents are starting late, taking a long lunch, or out of adherence for a long time because of a different reason. The technology then lets them act accordingly by either adjusting agent shifts to expand working hours or alerting a supervisor if a problem with their agent is persistent.

To summarize, a WFM analyst can work on improving contact center productivity with intraday management by blending together different strategies to create efficient contact center operations. From intraday forecasting to adherence and everything in between, mastering this concept may be a continual challenge but it can have a tremendously positive impact on the success of agents and the happiness of customers.