Workforce Management software is a valuable tool when it comes to cutting costs in your call centre, with the potential to save around 30% without reducing your performance on service-level agreements.
But how do you decide which Workforce Management software meets your needs the best?
A basic analysis of what you actually want from the system is a sensible starting point – and here are a few things to keep in mind.
Rapid ROI
Give some thought to how quickly your Workforce Management solution will deliver a positive return on the investment you make into it.
A good software platform will achieve positive ROI very quickly – and this all begins with the pace at which the software can be installed and brought up and running.
Fast set-up, quick and easy generation of reports, straightforward admin and rule definitions; it all helps to make using the software more fluid, which in turn means you should see the benefits more quickly.
Open Access
Do you want your workforce to be able to access the system themselves? Your immediate reaction to that question might be ‘no’, but there are good reasons to provide access.
For instance, you can set rules that govern when individuals can take breaks, or even allow them to put in their own holiday requests, which the system can then decide whether or not to allocate.
This allows you to remain in control, because you set the rules, but it gives your employees the illusion of being able to choose when to take time off – meaning everyone should be happy.
Forward Thinking
Once your Workforce Management software is in place, you’ll need to make sure it stays relevant, particularly if there are any changes in compliance rules.
By choosing a solution that comes with regular updates, you can make sure it stays compliant and on the cutting edge of new technology.
Look out for hidden upgrade charges – there’s no point paying one provider for future software patches, if another one is willing to give you them for free.
What if…?
Finally, remember why you are investing in the software in the first place – and there can be several different ways to look at this.
You might want to keep all of your current resources in place, and simply improve your efficiency as far as possible to increase profits.
You might want to keep your current performance, and downsize your workforce without compromising on SLAs.
Or you might be targeting expansion, and want to know what additional resources are required to meet a new performance level.
Any one of these scenarios can be served by good Workforce Management software – so know what you are aiming for, and choose a platform that can help you to get there.
