February 12, 2015
With companies everywhere looking for that extra “edge” to stay ahead of the competition, everyone is keeping a close eye on the bottom line. Expenses and costs have a way of quietly spiraling out of control until you find yourself over budget and sinking fast. It’s not a great situation to be in.
One way to keep everything under control is to manage your workforce conscientiously. JaNae Forshee, Senior WFO (Workforce Optimization) Practice Manager at inContact, a leading call center provider, is a master of this art who knows just how effective it can be.
“With 60 to 70 percent of contact center costs associated with labor, companies consistently struggle to implement or support an effective Workforce Management (WFM) strategy,” Forshee recently wrote in an article. “Workforce Management is the foundation for ensuring your contact center is efficient. WFM is more than just forecasting and scheduling; it’s about ensuring that the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time across all communication channels.”
Forshee compares effective workforce managers to those in airport air traffic control towers, seamlessly managing the interplay of people and responsibilities. She notes that “No matter how large or small your organization may be, the goal, principles, and process remain the same:
- Do more with less;
- Manage forecast accuracy and long-term planning;
- Manage staff flexibility;
- Monitor adherence to the schedule;
- ”Turn off phone/work management."
Building on her knowledge and insights, Forshee will be speaking at an event next month: the “2015 Society of Workforce Planning Professionals (SWPP) Annual Conference” in Nashville. There, she’ll discuss those five basic steps in detail—the ones necessary for any successful WFM process.
According to the organization, the SWPP Conference offers a variety of educational sessions, facilitated discussions on relevant topics, a vendor showroom, and more. “Learn from industry experts and your peers in over 60 different sessions during this exciting event,” SWPP says. “Everyone is invited to attend this conference, and anyone in the workforce planning community can benefit from the informative workshops and opportunities to network with peers.”
As Forshee puts it best, “These repeatable steps are necessary to meet your basic staffing requirements and set your organization up for success.”
