The Coronavirus pandemic has been a challenging journey so far, but the business world has evolved and acclimatized to the changing trend. Among the industries that suffered the most was call centers, which depended on the physical presence of the agents within an office environment. So, the primary reason behind the sudden halt of the sector was the lack of scope for remote working since the entire system is governed by on-premise servers.
So, now that COVID appears to be on the downward trend, contact centers are adjusting how and where agents should work. One solution that is a must-have to create a new and efficient working environment is workforce management software.
Here are a few of the effective ways contact centers utilize this technology in a post-COVID world.
Here are a few of the effective ways contact centers utilize this technology in a post-COVID world.
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WFM Software is Built to Support Hybrid Work
Some of the biggest changes from COVID-19 relate to where agents work. According to a study made by Zogby Analytics on GetVOIP, 54% of call centers will operate in a hybrid model in 2022. To talk simply, COVID has changed agent expectations and made staffing call centers a more complex process. An Excel spreadsheet is no longer enough to do the job.
Due to such a new approach to operations, workforce management software companies develop the product in a way to mix and match shift types depending on the day or agent preferences. For example, some agents don’t have any problems working for long hours but fewer days, while others prefer splitting shifts throughout the week. As a result, a modern workforce management software solution can be customized to meet all the needs of your contact center agents while also generating accurate forecasts and schedules in minutes.
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Empower Agents to Monitor Their Work
While adherence to information is important to a call center, it doesn’t mean that every agent should feel like someone is constantly looking over their shoulder. This is especially true for good agents who have proven during the Coronavirus pandemic to get their job done with minimal supervision.
Instead of that, provide call center adherence information to all your agents via a mobile app and agents’ portal so that they can self-correct any attendance issues. Such a strategy can be very successful with agents working from home where a supervisor or team leader cannot monitor them directly. COVID-19 was difficult for many call centers, and the management needed trust to imply with the agents. It would be wise to keep trusting agents now since COVID is more or less coming to an end.
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Time to Return Forecasting and Schedules to Normal
Regarding creating forecasts and schedules, workforce management analysts are excited about one thing in particular since COVID is soon approaching the end of the cycle – fewer callouts and shifts adjustments.
Some contact centers may have also taken the time to cross-train agents on different channels because of the challenges presented by COVID. As a result of this tactic, some WFM analysts have even more options when staffing than in the past. WFM software is great for tracking how agent skills have changed and is an important solution to keep up on adherence, attendance, and many more since agent volume gets back to normal.
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Track and Manage Agent Time-off Efficiently
Now, since the COVID-19 restrictions are down in most places globally, some agents may want to take a well-deserved vacation and get out of town. So, to streamline this process, utilize the time of management capabilities within WFM software.
If you have many agents looking to get away during the summer or extended holidays, workforce management software may also come with a leave bidding process. This feature creates a bidding area where specific groups can bid first and ensures the team agents have a chance at using their leave on special and noteworthy days.
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Get a Workforce Management Software
Most modern-day workforce management software solutions work in complete automation and are available on multiple platforms. All of these make it easier for managers and agents to access the portal from anywhere worldwide. Despite being available on multiple platforms and devices, there are absolutely no compromises with the features.
Conclusion
Workforce management software companies have been very proactive in creating a relevant software system that adapts to the new normal trend and working style. As a result, human resource management systems, employee management, etc., have become a lot easier during adverse situations, thanks to the automated workforce management systems.
So, the best option here would be to shortlist some of the best workforce management software companies and choose one according to your company’s needs. And needless to say, it is always wise to take free trials before choosing the best.
