Workforce Management (WFM) is the process of balancing work to be completed with the resources available to complete that work. First, the expected workload must be determined, and secondly resources must be allocated. The amount of work may vary from day to day, or from minute to minute. If the work volume cannot be anticipated, then overstaffing or understaffing results. Overstaffing is costly to the company, while understaffing provides inferior service, and results in customer dissatisfaction. Before determining the staffing level, a company must set objectives for the quality of service it wishes to provide.

These objectives detail the amount of work expected to be completed within a specified amount of time. Using these objectives, an optimal staffing requirement may be forecast. Once the work volume and staffing requirement has been forecast, the optimal scheduling of resources can be prepared. Shift patterns and daily duties must be specified that best accommodate the fluctuating nature of the workload. Multiple skill sets of employees and individual duty preferences must also be considered when producing a viable schedule.

Therefore, balancing the work volume and resources to achieve a desired quality of service is the essence of Workforce Management. The responsibility does not end with the production of an optimal schedule. Immediate and unexpected changes in employee status, such as sick leave, or unforeseen changes in the workload dictate that conditions be constantly monitored, and spontaneous adjustments made.

Pipkins' products are designed to provide the most accurate forecast of a call center's workload, and produce the most effective scheduling of its resources. Daily Management facilities offer an up-to-the-minute view of call center performance. This includes current call handling statistics, and immediate staff whereabouts, which can detail problems in schedule adherence. See Product Information page for descriptions of our current line of Workforce Management solutions.