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Selecting Workforce Management Software
by Louie Gazzola
- Does the WFM fit your Operation?
- Training?
- Experience of WFM Supplier?
- Is the WFM right for your call centre?
- Ease to use and saves management time?
- Growth Capability?
- Multi-Channel Capability?
- Support/Maintenance package?
- Management Information?
- Price?
- Future Development of Software?
- Will the WFM grow with your Company?
 | Change should be
gradual, planned and managed, not a big bang, user and WFM supplier will need
realistic expectations and claims. |
| How does the system
integrate easily with existing and future technology? |
| How will it be
implement in the current operations and IT departments? |
| Can it be tailored to
match unique style of rostering? |
| How does WFM
compliment not change the world and the centre’s current way of doing
business. |
| How does the system
cope with Fixed, Rotating and Reserve Shifts? |
| How will it fit in
with current processes and culture? |
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How
does WFM save time? Most be realistic estimates based on logic workflow
process examples. |
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How
does it handle Fax, Email/Web Chat & other non traditional workload
capability? |
| How does it maximize
service optimization, such as shuffle breaks, plan meetings, overtime, for
today and future weeks. |
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Financial cost predictions |
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Service Level predictions |
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Best
use of resource available |
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Provide shift scheduling scenarios |
| Absence planning
capabilities |
| Ability to schedule
telephone calls (demand work) for multi routes along with E-Mails/Faxes/Admin
(non-demand work) |
| Skills blending to
supports skills based routing |
| Clarify what is
included and what is not. |
| Is there a dedicated
Account Manager? |
| Is there telephone &
e-mail support from IT & experienced contact centre professionals?
|
| Is there secure area
on the Website – Peer to peer networking, Support Notes, Bulletin Board
|
| Are and how often are
the user forums? |
| How often are software
version upgrades what help is available? |
| Management information
should provide best practice KBI’s (key business indicators) based on real
contact centre knowledge. |
| Management information
should be useful information for managing the call centre. |
| KBI’s should be
developed and refined based on customer feedback. |
| Management should be
able to see KBI’s globally or by drilling down. |
| WFM needs to provide
clear financial cost and % service level breakdowns |
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Is
the price model all in one or modular? |
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Is
pricing up front or are there additional cost not compared to the system
shown. |
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Are
upgrades included in the price |
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What,
if any, is the WFM supplier additional cost for growth? |
| Does the WFM supplier
provide a ROI cost justification? |
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What
is the WFM supplier long term vision for product development? |
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Will
product development be a workshop event at user forums |
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How
frequent are new version made available? |
| Can WFM support single
& multi-site virtual set ups |
| What is the WFM policy
on price for upgrading the size of license? |
| How does WFM supplier
provide support for a growing operation. |
Louie Gazzola has over
fifteen years of progressive customer service management experience and ten
years of planning & implementing technology-based solutions. He founded
Advanced Contact Centre
Solutions (ACCS) to provide an independent objective perspective on contact
centre technology and workforce management issues. You can reach him at
604.765.2276 or at louie.gazzola@accs-consulting.com
Revised: 09/24/04.
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