The majority of costs associated with a call center are attributed to personnel, making it imperative to get just the right number of staff in place.  Call center staffing, commonly referred to as workforce management, is one of the most critical functions of managing a call center.

The workforce management process is both an art and a science.  It's an art because it is, in essence, predicting the future.  While the accuracy of any staffing plan will be based in part on judgment and experience, an understanding of the science is essential to balancing call volume, staff scheduling, service levels, costs and the caller experience.   A working knowledge of the step-by-step mathematical processes behind workforce management, and the specialized statistical techniques involved, is critical for call center supervisors and managers.

The Call Center Workforce Management Web-Based Training and Certification Series is designed specifically for the specialized training needs of analysts and those management professionals and leaders responsible for call center staffing.  In five targeted sessions, participants will learn best practices in forecasting workload, balancing staffing costs and service tradeoffs, scheduling, managing intra-day service levels, and ensuring agent attendance and adherence. For the career workforce manager, two advance sessions will be offered covering advanced forecasting techniques for fine-tuning workload predictions, and advanced scheduling techniques that can improve coverage and effectiveness.

Don't miss this one-time opportunity to hone your Workforce Management skills and expertise, and to network and share real-world experiences with other call center management professionals.  Taught live by leading experts from the Call Center School in Nashville, TN, in a virtual classroom at the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic, the Resource Center for Customer Service Professionals' Workforce Management Training and Certification Series brings the best the US has to offer in call center forecasting and scheduling techniques directly to you in the Dominican Republic.

This US management seminar series will be delivered in English.

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Series Schedule

Thursday, November 1, 2007 -- 9:00-11:00 AM

Forecasting Fundamentals:
Proven Practices for Predicting Call Workload

The most critical step in the workforce management process is the first one: forecasting call center workload. Without a solid forecast in place, the best staffing designs and schedule plans just aren't relevant. While forecasting approaches range from simple gut feel to complex mathematical modeling, there are several that every call center manager should know about. This session reviews the most popular techniques used for forecasting and the advantages and risks of each. Attendees will learn about the step-by-step approach used by most call centers called time-series analysis, including a case study and an exercise to complete after the class. Tips will be provided on forecasting short-cuts and when to use them. Seminar attendees will learn to:

• Describe the importance of accurate forecasting and cost implications of doing it poorly.
• Identify the preferred techniques of data gathering and analysis.
• Outline the different approaches used by call centers today and which is most widely used.
• Outline the step-by-step process of time-series analysis.
• Calculate trend rates and identify seasonal patterns.
• Identify some popular forecasting shortcuts and when to use them.

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Thursday, November 8, 2007 -- 9:00-11:00 AM

Calculating Call Center Staff:
The Math of Call Center Staffing Tradeoffs

Getting the "just right" number of people in place at the right times to handle the contacts - it's every call center manager's dream. However, figuring out the right staffing mix to maximize service to customers, while minimizing cost, can sometimes be a nightmare. This session outlines the step-by-step approach to call center staffing. Attendees will learn about setting service goals and how to use Erlang techniques to determine the right number of bodies in chairs. The session will also discuss the most critical staffing tradeoffs, such as cost versus service concerns, the effect on service of plus/minus one person, the impact of large groups and economies of scale, and effects of staff occupancy. All attendees will receive free QuikStaff planning software. Seminar attendees will learn to:

• Identify factors in setting service level goals and what factors contribute to speed of answer expectations.
• Use Erlang calculations to pinpoint staffing needs.
• Identify service and cost tradeoffs and ways to improve service without adding staff.
• Describe the most common mistake call centers make in determining staff numbers.
• Identify ways to incorporate multi-media contacts into the staff planning process.
• Use free QuikStaff call center planning software.

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Thursday, November 15, 2007 -- 10:00 AM-12:00 noon

Scheduling Principles and Problems:
Solutions to Scheduling Challenges

Have you managed to arrive at the delicate balance between efficient schedules and staff preferences? Don't worry - you're not alone! It's the age-old problem that workforce planners and call center managers continue to struggle with week in and week out. And just when you've got it figured out, throw in skill-based scheduling, extended hours of operation, or the need to cover emails and web chats in addition to calls. This session outlines the most common scheduling problems call centers face and will provide some traditional solutions as well as some creative new ones to help with your scheduling dilemma. Seminar attendees will learn to:

• Describe schedule efficiency versus acceptability conflicts.
• Identify the ten most common scheduling problems call centers face today.
• Describe options that have worked for other call centers in solving scheduling problems.
• Examine schedule horizon tradeoffs.
• Identify long-term scheduling strategies as well as real-time reaction strategies to meet service goals.
• Describe the latest workforce management software capabilities for solving scheduling problems.

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Thursday, November 22, 2007

No class

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Thursday, November 29, 2007 -- 10:00 AM-12:00 noon

Managing Daily Service Levels:
An Intra-Day Guide to Managing Staff and Service

Everything is in place. You've forecasted workload according to best practices and created a staffing plan and set of schedules to efficiently match the workforce to the workload. But you know what they say about the best-laid plans. It's critical to track how well the plan is working every single half-hour of every single day to ensure service goals are being met and employees are being utilized effectively. This session will outline the process of tracking performance within the day and provide overstaffing and understaffing reaction strategies should the plan go awry. Seminar attendees will learn to:

• Identify the components and the process used to track daily performance.
• Outline the steps of developing a communications plan should changes in staffing be required.
• Identify reaction strategies from both a staffing and technology perspective.
• Outline the many types of intra-day activities that affect staff availability and how to track them.
• Identify the most critical measures of intra-day performance and when to use each one.

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Thursday, December 6, 2007 -- 9:00-11:00 AM

Attendance and Adherence:
Getting and Keeping Bodies in Seats

One of the toughest jobs related to workforce management may not be the intricate calculations of forecasting nor the numerous iterations of coming up with the best schedule mix. The hardest part may come after the schedules are in place - simply ensuring there are frontline staff available when and where you need them to be. Some call centers are much more successful than others at this attendance and adherence dilemma. So how do you get staff to show up for work on Mondays and stick to their planned break times? This session will share proven practices on attendance and adherence that have resulted in increased availability. Seminar attendees will learn to:

• Quantify the cost and service implications of missing staff.
• Identify ways to communicate and educate staff on the "power of one" in call center staffing.
• Describe options for setting adherence performance goals and selling to the staff.
• Identify reward and consequence programs that support adherence goals.
• Describe software advances in adherence tracking and reporting capabilities and how to justify them.

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Thursday, December 13, 2007 -- 10:00 AM-12:00 noon

Advanced Forecasting Techniques:
Fine-Tuning Workload Predictions

Garbage in. . . .garbage out. That is certainly true about workload forecasts that are used to create workforce schedules. Without an accurate forecast of workload and staff requirements, the scheduling process will be inefficient. Therefore, it is imperative to arrive at an accurate as possible call forecast. This session will explore various approaches to help fine-tune your tactical call forecasting process. Whether you're forecasting by spreadsheets or with workforce management software, you'll learn how to improve the accuracy of your daily and half-hourly forecasts through techniques like exponential regression and use of correlation coefficients. Seminar attendees will learn to:

• Identify ways to improve forecasting accuracy beyond the basic software forecast.
• Calculate forecast accuracy by various methods.
• Outline additional components of time series analysis beyond trend and seasonality.
• Identify predictable cycles in call center workload.
• Apply linear and exponential regression techniques to fine-tune forecasts.

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Thursday, December 20, 2007 -- 10:00 AM-12:00 noon

Advanced Scheduling Techniques:
Improving Coverage and Effectiveness

Workforce scheduling is becoming increasingly complex with the additions of skill-based routing, multi-media contacts, and multi-site call routing. This session addresses many of the complex issues in scheduling today's contact center staff. Scheduling optimization strategies will be presented, including skill-based scheduling, scheduling for non-call activities, and scheduling in a union environment. Shift bidding and schedule trades/rotations will be discussed, along with complications of scheduling in shared-seating scenarios. You'll hear about tools that can support the process, along with how to work within your budgetary constraints to create the most acceptable and efficient coverage possible. Seminar attendees will learn to:

• Describe the challenges of scheduling in a traditional and skill-based environment.
• Identify ways to build flexibility into the scheduling process.
• Describe options for scheduling bidding and rotation choices.
• Identify tools that can support the scheduling process in various types of call center environments.
• Define the complexities involved in union environments and how to maximize flexibility and coverage.

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Who Should Attend

Managers, supervisors, and workforce management specialists who are responsible for service level goals and staffing activities in the call center.  The material in the first five sessions is at an intermediate level. The materials covered in the sixth and seventh sessions is at an advanced level.

Certification

The Mastery Certification in Workforce Management certification consists of two parts: attendance in the first five sessions of the Workforce Management Series and a certification exam.  The exam is web-based , open-book, and proctored.  Candidates are given 2 hours to complete the 20-question exam and must achieve at least 80 percent accuracy in order to obtain certification.  

The Mastery Certification in Workforce Management certifications exams are independently scored by the Call Center School.  Candidates will be advised of their exam scores within two weeks following the completion of the exam.

Course Instructors

The Call Center Workforce Management Series sessions will be led by faculty from the Call Center School, a founding member of the RCCSP Professional Education Alliance, a horizontal alliance of US call center training providers servicing the Caribbean and Central American.  The faculty members of The Call Center School have been teaching center management seminars since the early 1980s, delivering programs for seminar companies like Business Communications Review and Frost & Sullivan in cities throughout the world.  Their articles have appeared in industry publications throughout the 1980s and 1990s and they still contribute regularly today to publications like Contact Professional, Call Center Magazine, Customer Interaction Solutions, Connections, CRM, and Customer Interface, in addition to serving on several editorial boards.

Over the last ten years, they have earned a multitude of both individual and company honors, ranging from Call Center Magazine’s prestigious Call Center Pioneer award in 1996 to Best Training Company industry honors and various Product of the Year honors.

Location

Cámara Americana de Comercio de la Republica Dominicana (AmCham) Ave. Sarasota No. 20 (almost at the corner of Ave. Lincoln) Torre Empresarial, 6th Floor Teléfono: 809-381-0777 ilgomez@amcham.org.do

Parking is available entering at Nunez & Dominguez Street (Take Ave. Lincoln south, turn right one block after Ave. Sarasota at Nunez & Dominguez Street)

What’s Included

The registration fee includes participation in the web-based seminars, facilitated post-seminar discussions and exercises, course manuals, and one optional administration of the online Mastery Certification in Workforce Management certification exam.

Seminar Start and Stop Times

Please refer to the above schedule for daily start times. Participants are strongly encouraged to arrive 15 minutes early each class day to register and network with your fellow attendees.

Registration Fees and Discounts

The per student registration fee for this seminar is $595 USD for the basic five-session series or $695 for the advanced seven-session series.  Participants completing either the basic or advanced series will be eligible to take the Mastery certification exam.

Payment in advance is required for attendance.

To register, click on the "Book Now" button or call (809) 715-4147.

Per student registration fee for the advanced 7-session series, November 1-December 20	$695 USD
Per student registration fee for the basic 5-session series, November 1-December 6	$595 USD

Private On-Site Training Options

This seminar series can be delivered privately on-site at your location in a 1-full-day, live instructor-led format.  For on-site seminar details and pricing, please e-mail the Resource Center at:
JLC@the-resource-center.com.

Payment is due prior to the seminar.

Cancellation Policy.  Registrants may cancel up to fourteen days in advance of the seminar start date for a full refund, less administrative fees of $150 USD.  Or, you may transfer your registration to another member of your company at no additional charge.  Registrants cancelling within fourteen days of the seminar will receive credit, less administrative fees of $150, toward any other Resource Center seminar.  In the unlikely event that a seminar must be cancelled, you will be notified at least one week prior to the seminar date. Seminar provider is not responsible for losses due to cancellation including losses on advanced purchase airfares.