WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT
BY DONNA FLUSS, DMG CONSULTING
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
THE NEW ERA OF WFM
AI IS DRIVING REIMAGINED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
Welcome to workforce management’ s( WFM’ s) new era! It’ s a tremendous and opportunistic time in which WFM solutions are being used to build employee engagement in contact centers instead of solely being leveraged to boost productivity, as has traditionally been the case.
The market is undergoing a transformation as companies realize that doing business as usual in their contact centers is an impediment to achieving their goal of improving the customer experience( CX) while reducing operating costs.
It ' s interesting that the WFM segment’ s reawakening follows closely on the heels of the self-service revolution. As more organizations come to accept that even the best self-service applications are not going to eliminate the need for human agents in contact centers( or employees in enterprises), having tools to retain these vital resources while reducing onboarding costs is becoming increasingly important.
Consequently, the WFM market is experiencing a needed wave of investments driving true innovation. Established vendors and recent entrants into the sector are spending more on research and development( R & D) than ever before. They are introducing modules and features designed to address both operating department and employee needs.
A new balanced staffing paradigm is being applied throughout WFM suite and platform components. It is being driven by the overdue recognition that contact center culture and environments must change, as today’ s workforce is unwilling to tolerate an inflexible workday.
Undoubtedly, newer generations of employees have brought more attention to the issue by their very high attrition rates or unwillingness to accept contact center jobs. However, enterprise executives have known for decades that these departments were difficult places to work, as agent attrition has ranged from 30 % to over 100 % annually throughout their history. AI IS REVAMPING MANY ASPECTS OF FORE- CASTING, SCHEDULING, AGENT SELF-SERVICE, VACATION / TIME-OFF MANAGEMENT, LONG- TERM CAPACITY PLANNING, AND EVEN HOW AND WHEN AGENTS RECEIVE ALERTS.
16 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE