How Workforce Optimization In Call Centers Result In Improved Customer Service?

Whenever we think of call centers, we think of performance management methods such as call monitoring and speech analytics, but Workforce Optimization is a more comprehensive tool that aims at bringing about improved customer service and thus, better customer experience.

What is Workforce Optimization (WFO)?

Workforce Optimization is a comprehensive program that aims at improving call center performance by combining several activities such as recording, quality management, workforce management, speech analytics, agent coaching and much more.

It is a strategy that is used by the businesses to maximize customer satisfaction by making use of the available technology and minimum operational costs. The primary function of WFO is to produce the necessary data on the performance of the workforce. In the simplest terms, it is maximizing customer experience by analyzing, managing and optimizing staff in an organization.

Evaluation Tools used in Workforce Optimization

Following are some of the evaluation tools that are used in Workforce Optimization:

• Call recording
• Search and replay
• Quality and performance management
• Analytics
• Customer feedback

If you are not too sure about the impact communication of business can have on its customers, sample the following:

As per research by Ambassador Software, 71% of the customers are likely to recommend a business or a company to others after they have had a positive interaction with them. While the remaining 21% of the customers are more likely to take a negative step such as post an angry remark or a negative statement on a social platform after an unsatisfactory interaction.

How implementing Workforce Optimization in call centers results in improved customer service?

1. It helps to analyze the quality of communication

With more and more businesses realizing that customer experience is their top priority; call centers are making all the possible efforts to analyze the quality of communication between agents and customers and Workforce Optimization software helps to achieve that.

It helps to analyze the quality of conversation with the customers and improve their experience. The organizations get essential information about their customers like what they want and finally help them to get ahead of their competition.

2. WFO software aids in finding the root cause of customer conduct

While it is crucial for the companies to address the concern of its customers, it is equally vital for them to know the reason behind the customer calls. When companies understand the fears and priorities of their customers, they can improve their experience as well. WFO software helps to analyze customer activities (past and current) and figure out the reason for their repeated calls.

3. It helps to work on the performance and skills of the agents

Agents are in direct touch with the company or are the representatives of the company to the customers. Workforce Optimization solution helps in giving the right training to the agents that enables better customer experience.

There are several ways of involving the agents to bring about improved customer experiences such as offering them the right training opportunities often, sharing their performance insights and satisfaction metrics with them that keeps them committed to their job and their customers satisfied.

4. It helps to reduce the queue times

When call centers choose to implement workforce optimization, there is a lot of management and organization. Call center agents that have the appropriate skills for the job are hired to be at the right place at the right time.

It means there are no queue times for the customers trying to connect to the call centers. Moreover, there are no unnecessary idle times on the agents’ side, which minimize the operational costs for the company.

5. Agents can make more time for training and coaching sessions

With the workforce optimization, agents have a very organized schedule and preferences set right for their work assignments. It leaves them with ample time, not just for other interactions that are non-real time but also leaves them with a lot of quiet call periods that can be utilized effectively for training and coaching sessions. The more training, coaching or appraisal sessions the agents undergo, the higher goes the customer satisfaction.

6. Implementing Workforce Optimization also helps in reducing personnel costs

Workforce Optimization makes use of several specialized algorithms to find the best option that is suitable for the organization. It reduces the non-productive hours of the agent, cuts down on their overtime and makes for maximum utilization of the agent skills.

All this consolidates to reduced personnel costs for the company. When the agents are happy (with reduced over time), the customers are satisfied and there is nothing more important for an organization than this.

Benefits of Workforce Optimization

One of the best things about implementing workforce optimization is that it does not just benefit the employer of the organization but also the employees.

WFO provides essential insights that help a company to achieve its goals by providing the necessary tools and training. When the goals are met, the company’s reputation goes up and it is identified among the best places to work. It helps the business in attracting the top talent to the company and expanding its team.

Some of the benefits of implementing Workforce Optimization are:

• Better service to customers
• Higher customer retention
• Increase in productivity and efficiency of the employees
• Reduction in operating expenses
• Improved communication
• Improvement in overall productivity and performance of agents
• Saves time and money

The use of Workforce Optimization (WFO) in the call centers has more positives than one. Apart from promising better executive performance and improved customer experience, it helps the organizations to analyze the communication with the customers, finding the root cause of customer conduct and behavior.

All of this helps to bring a positive change in the overall relationship of the company with its customers.

It is noticed that the implementation of Workforce Optimization results in a slightly better learning curve that translates to a significant reduction in training costs and an increase in employee satisfaction.