Workforce Management Software for Telemarketing Companies
There are many different versions of telemarketing software on the market, but one of the most useful and valuable is Workforce Management (WFM) software. Regardless of the size of the telemarketing company you manage, scheduling your associates is always a challenge. Sick days, holidays, peak call hours and unanticipated scheduling problems all compound the staffing issues. Making sure that the work force is adequate and efficiently utilised can directly impact your telemarketing’s bottom line, so this is one area that any call centre can improve upon.
Several companies market Workforce Management software, allowing telemarketing managers to automate the chore of scheduling telemarketers and forecasting call volumes. New software developments allow management of both traditional phone traffic and the newer internet customer service applications. Since the massive growth of email and online chat customer service, managing three streams of customer requests has become more and more complicated, but the newer, more sophisticated software packages available make these processes easier to manage. Most even have the ability to check predictive dialing research to help forecast staffing needs.
Of course, like any other computerised application, you must first choose the software right for your centre and input your own required parameters. Information like telemarketing service requirements, or the length of time that an agent is expected to spend on each call, labour costs and availability, and historical volume data to help the packages forecasting feature optimise your schedule. Most software developers request two years of call statistics, many will work with one year of stats.
Other information necessary to set up the forecasting features may include upcoming developments and trends, like a new product offering, or the discontinuation of products that generate a large call volume.
Many of the WFM packages can be set up to allow employees more control over their own schedules. Holidays and personal time can be requested right on the system and some packages even allow employees to swap shifts “online”. Although many managers are initially uncomfortable with these features, they usually come to appreciate the ease with which employee schedules are managed after installation. Interesting by-products of these features are increased employee satisfaction and reduced turnover, as employees are able to more easily accommodate their own scheduling needs. WFM reporting capabilities make it easier for management to communicate the telemarketing’s needs to the associates as well, leading improved understanding of scheduling requirements and less “grumbling” among telemarketers.
There are WFM software packages for almost every price point, from basic to sophisticated. Several of the popular providers market different versions of their WFM software to meet the needs of large and small telemarketing services. Have basic call volume information and a “wish list” of features on hand before contacting vendors so that they can help you select the most cost effective package for your company.
Purchasing Workforce Management software for your telemarketing company can be an investment with many long term dividends. Managing your most expensive resource, your telemarketers, more effectively can have a substantial impact on your bottom line. Not only will you manage your agent’s schedules more effectively and reduce labour costs while maintaining proper service levels, you’ll reduce turnover and absenteeism by allowing your employees more control over their schedules. Workforce Management software is an investment that will pay dividends for a long time to come.
