Workforce Management Best Practice

Optimal Ratio

Question: What is the optimal ratio of workforce management staff to call centre agents?

Currently our call centre has 160 agents and roughly 30 outbound and correspondence staff. The support team consists of one real time monitor who also does requests for hardware and software support. One forecaster and scheduler who also assists with real time monitoring and 2 MI analysts. Can anyone give some advice based on best practice what the Workforce Operating Model should be to suit current requirement.

Question asked by sean

Not really a Golden Ratio

There’s not really a Golden ratio.

It’s really down to capacity within the planning / resourcing team.

It’s important NOT to have too many people on the realtime stuff as it’s very easy to give out misinformation to the front line if two or more people are trying to do the same thing.

With thanks to applebyd

Run Surveys

We have run surveys on optimum numbers over the past 8 or 9 years. 1:100 for people in the planning function has often come out as average – which ties in with what you describe. MI comes down to automation – have you the technology to do much of your reporting automatically or does it need human intervention. Doesn’t seem like you are wrong-sized from your description – but feel free to ask more questions if you can explain job roles etc… as this makes a difference.

With thanks to refjohn

Manual Reports

Hi! I have been doing reports in workforce manually meaning all in microsoft excel. I have been thinking of implementing a process for scheduling since I have been putting this together manually as well. What is the usual process in scheduling? (this is not regarding building a schedule and capacity)

With thanks to tundra

1:100 is about Right

I agree with John – 1:100 is about right but it depends on the exact duties of the team. Are they also involved in the reporting and analysis function? How complex is it? Do you have a WFM system etc.

With thanks to Jack7176

Author: Jonty Pearce