Contact Center Pipeline February 2024 | Page 7

It is important to break up the routine to retain engagement . Harley Davidson rotates workers through different stations in their plants to provide enrichment , improve bench strength , and promote engagement . The same can be done in contact centers . For example , agents can be on the phones for several weeks , then cycle through other functions in the back office or projects .

At the same time , with inflation reducing cost becomes even more of a necessity . Providing accessible , intuitive , self-service channels is a great way to reduce cost . But it must be something customers want to use : and not simply be a vehicle to shift work from employees to customers and increasing customer effort .

As the simple work is reduced , the remaining work is the complex part , so employers need to factor in higher compensation and more relief time to avoid or delay burnout .

THERE APPEARS TO BE GROWTH AND A PER- MANENT SHIFT OF MANY AGENT POSITIONS TO WFH . HAS THIS IMPACTED WFM AND HOW ?

Dr . Debra Bentson ( Debra ) has over 25 years ’ experience in workforce management ( WFM ). Debra started from ground level as an agent and then worked in a wide range of positions : quality assurance / training , senior business analyst , and workforce manager . She has been employed in a variety of industries including communications , banking , insurance , travel , and healthcare .

Debra has amassed an impressive array of academic achievements and certifications . She has earned degrees in Business , Management , and Human Resources ( including a Doctorate in Business Administration ), a graduate level certificate in Organizational and Industrial Psychology , and certifications in workforce management ( CWPP ), and Senior Human Resources ( SHRM ).

“ I never had a grand plan for learning , rather I keep finding previously undiscovered piles of new information that piques my curiosity ,” says Debra .

She has also been recognized for her work , being awarded Best Contact Center Workforce Manager by ICMI in 2023 . That same year , she joined our Contact Center Pipeline Advisory Board .

Outside of her jobs , Debra is involved in the greater communities that support aspects of employee engagement , customer experience , and workforce management . More succinctly , she is “ the Workforce Management Humanitarian .”

“ I consider myself both teacher and student , believing that continuous education feeds curiosity , builds skill , and uncovers more opportunities including puzzles to solve ,” says Debra . “ Education is like a field of wildflowers , if you look closely , you will discover so many more varieties than you believed possible .”

A : WFM generally falls into several types of work : forecasting / scheduling are done in advance , intraday management ( real time ), and after-action reporting / analysis . Technology provides a real-time view of everything going on in the contact center .

Like Santa Claus , we know if agents have been “ naughty or nice ” without having them in our actual line of sight .

Contact centers have technology to track just about everything an agent may do . Frequently calls and screens are recorded , every minute is tracked , and in some cases , every keyboard stroke is logged .

But this ability is a double-edged sword . On one edge , we collect valuable data to make business decisions , on the other edge there is little privacy for the agents .

It is vital , then , that wherever possible , we support the human resources , the people who are the real voice of the brand , both because it is the right thing to do and because happy people make happy customers .

-- DR . DEBRA BENTSON

FOLLOWING UP , IT HAS BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STRUCK . EXPERTS SAY IT IS NOT IF , BUT WHEN , THE NEXT ONE WILL STRIKE . MEANWHILE , OTHER DISASTERS ARE ONLY AN ALERT AWAY . WHAT ARE THE TAKE- AWAYS FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF COVID AND OTHER EVENTS TO HELP MANAGE AND PLAN CONTACT CENTER WORKFORCES TO PREPARE AND EXECUTE FOR THE NEXT DISASTER ?

A : The COVID-19 pandemic kicked open the door on the remote work conversation when businesses were forced to send workers home . That conversation is emerging again as businesses consider permanent remote work , hybrid options , and even saving money by releasing unused real estate .

I tend to think of things in simple terms and that includes WFH . I use a couple of questions to get the conversation started . I will use remote work as an example :

FEBRUARY 2024 7