How to make the most out of call center scheduling

Many call-center managers are required to carry out important tasks. They have to give out tasks and keep an eye on the working process. One of the most vital tasks lies in creating worker schedules. In order to do that, managers have to know about the daily tasks of their subordinates, weekly operator rosters and keep tack on the number of calls every worker does. In order to make the most out of the workforce, we recommend using the following advice:

Assign the best workers for the rush hour

Managers have to assign the best of the best to work during the rush hour. That way operators will provide the highest possible level of customer service. Don’t forget to motivate those working during the hardest hours. Entice them with bonuses, for example with an increased salary. They will try to do everything in their power to keep the client satisfied.

Evaluate their skill level

When working on a call-center schedule, managers should have a clear picture of the professional skill their subordinates have. If you group all of the operators by their appropriate departments, they will be more inclined to follow the schedule and more concentrated on their tasks.

Pay close attention to the nature of the phone calls. This way you will be able to have a better understanding of an operator's proficiency. For example, if a worker has shown an advanced understanding of a foreign language and salesmanship, you ought to think about transferring them to a more specific department.

Keep the working process going

Managers have to make sure that the lunch breaks, time offs, meetings and other activities don’t tamper with the workflow. There should always be operators who process customer requests. This allows to cut out unnecessary shrinkage while keeping the schedule structure intact.

Allow a flexible schedule

If agents don’t feel a little bit of freedom every now and then, sooner or later they will lose interest in their job. You can propose several scenarios in order to give your employees a taste of freedom. For example, you can have them work fewer days a week but demand that they work all of their hours. You can also offer them a flexible shift duration or work from home on certain weekdays.

Don’t forget to analyze

Analyzing CRM statistics is a vital part of future scheduling. Pay attention to the average response rate, the number of hangups, yearly agent turnover rates.