2010 Workforce Management Report Released
The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) Releases its 2010 ICMI Contact Center Workforce Management Practices Report.
New call center workforce management research report offers insight into call center practices and trends in scheduling, forecasting, staffing strategies, workforce management automation and tool adoption.
Colorado Springs, Co. June 23, 2010 – ICMI, now in its 25th year of business, has released the results of a new call center workforce management (WFM) study in the ICMI 2010 Workforce Management Practices Report for purchase through its website at www.icmi.com.
This report, which is the largest study to date on workforce management, is an accumulation of research collected from more than 545 call centers participating in the WFM study between March and April 2010. Participants, representing a wide range of industries and geographical regions, shared their centers scheduling and forecasting practices for the study, allowing ICMI to evaluate and offer insight on how centers embrace workforce management technology and tools today.
This 39-page report also examines the various staffing strategies employed to manage a dynamic workload. Among employed strategies, key forecasting practices and strategies are observed from these companies as well as the use of WFM technologies and tools, workforce management training, and alternative full-time schedules.
“Workforce management is an area of contact center operations where ICMI sees on ongoing need for better understanding of practices and strategies, as well as of the sheer value to the call center and the organization,” says Layne Holley, Director of Community Services for ICMI.
“Getting the right people in the right place at the right time doing the right things – at service level and with quality – is what workforce management is designed to do. Everybody, from executives to agents, needs to understand the value and importance of that, but call center directors and managers, and especially the center’s WFM staff, need to be aware of what works and what doesn’t.”
Within the report, readers will find a number of important findings, including this fact: “Only about 60% of respondents indicate that their agents are satisfied with the centers scheduling process.” With a full list of options to examine within the report; key findings, study results, WFM technologies and tools, workforce management training, staffing and scheduling practices and alternatives, as well as challenges and other sections, ICMI has made it a point to fully examine all aspects of workforce management with this research.
“Our hope with this report,” continues Holley, “is to ensure call center professionals have a solid understanding of the importance of workforce management practices within the call center and a definite knowledge of where their center falls in line with others. It is impossible to learn and grow without understanding what practices and strategies work, why they work, and how best to implement them. This report is a tool for better understanding the answers to those questions by providing information from other call centers that have shared their experiences. The goal of ICMI research is to help the call center community as a whole to learn and grow from those experiences.”
The ICMI 2010 Workforce Management Practices Report is available for purchase now through the ICMI website. To view the executive summery please visit the Workforce Management page at icmi.com.
Funding for this survey was provided by WFM service provider Pipkins, Inc. Note: Sponsors/underwriters are not given access to individual survey participants’ information or responses.
About ICMI
The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010, is the leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals – from frontline agents to executives – who wish to improve contact center operations, empower contact center employees, and enhance customer loyalty. ICMI’s experienced and dedicated team of industry insiders, analysts, and consultants are committed to providing uncompromised objectivity and results-oriented vision through the organization’s respected lineup of professional services including: Training and Certification, Consulting, Events, and Informational Resources. Founded in 1985, ICMI continues to serve as one of the most established and respected organizations in the call center industry.
ICMI is a part of UBM Live which provides leading integrated media solutions and professional services across 20 different markets. Operating across the globe, its events, training, publications, award programs, and websites offer professionals in Interiors, Security, Venues, Customer Management, Safety & Health and Facilities the ultimate experience in learning, networking, and business development. For more information, visit www.icmi.com.
About Pipkins, Inc.
Pipkins Inc., founded in 1983, is the leading supplier of workforce management software and services to the call center industry. Vantage Point, Pipkins’ premier product, is the most accurate forecasting and scheduling tool on the market and enables managers to solve the complicated operational issues in today’s multi-faceted call center environment. Pipkins’ systems forecast and schedule more than 300,000 agents in over 500 locations across all industries worldwide. The company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, visit www.pipkins.com.