FrontLogix | Beyond Customer Care

Employee Experience

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How Workforce Management Drives Customer Experience

The direct impact of workforce management on customer experience is huge. Continuing from How Workforce Management Drives Agent Experience, this time we will talk about how that translates into positive Customer Experience (CX) and ultimately boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How proper agent utilization enhances Customer Experience

In an ideal world, you ring up a contact center, and a friendly representative will pick it up without delay. They’re attentive, understanding, and before you know it, your issue is resolved.

In reality, multiple factors must align to achieve this scenario:

  • Great Agent Morale: For representatives to sound upbeat and genuinely helpful, it’s crucial that they’re content in their role. Overwork, incessant app-switching, and short-staffed days can throw a wrench in that pleasant demeanor.
  • Propper Staffing: To avoid the dreaded hold music, contact centers must be properly staffed through accurate forecasting.
  • Efficient Routing System: To ensure you’re connected with the most suitable agent for your concern, a well-established routing system should be in place. This directs specific customer issues to agents with the appropriate expertise.

This is where Workforce Management (WFM) comes into play.

Workforce Management Expert at the computer.

A well-implemented WFM strategy aligns the right number of agents with the necessary skills to meet customer demand at the right time.

Here’s how:

1. Real-time Monitoring and Adjustments: Through continuous tracking of incoming customer interactions and real-time agent availability, WFM systems can make instant adjustments. For example, if there’s a sudden surge in call volume, the system can redistribute agents from non-critical tasks or even notify additional staff to log in.

2. Predictive Analysis: With historical data on call volumes, chat requests, and email interactions, WFM tools can predict future contact volumes. This predictive analysis allows centers to prepare in advance, ensuring agents are always ready to handle peak times efficiently.

3. Skill-Based Assignments: WFM systems not only ensure agent availability but also assign interactions based on each agent’s expertise. Whether a customer has a technical problem, billing query, or another specific issue, they’re directed to someone with the relevant knowledge and experience.

4. Emphasis on Agent Well-being: A comprehensive WFM solution goes beyond just meeting customer needs. It focuses on agent well-being by preventing burnout and ensuring breaks. Happier agents equate to better customer interactions.

5. Flexibility and Scalability: With the right WFM tools, contact centers can quickly adapt to changes. Whether it’s seasonal demand or unexpected events, a flexible WFM system allows for easy scaling up or down as required.

6. Continuous Training and Development: A robust WFM strategy will also incorporate regular agent training sessions. This not only ensures agents are up-to-date with product knowledge and company policies but also equips them with enhanced customer interaction skills.

7. Feedback Loop: An efficient WFM system establishes a feedback loop where agents can provide insights into their experiences and challenges. This feedback can be used to refine processes, making them more attuned to both agent and customer needs.

Workforce Management Expert analyzing graphical data on a big monitor.

The importance of WFM specialists in setting up the Workforce Management Solution

Workforce management systems are essential—but complex. To fully benefit from a WFM solution, it must be correctly set up, configured, and regularly maintained. Here are eight ways Workforce Management Specialists maximize the benefits of WFM solutions.

1. Expertise in Implementation: Deploying a WFM system is not merely about installing software. It requires careful configuration tailored to a contact center’s unique needs. WFM specialists possess the knowledge and experience to ensure that the system is set up to offer maximum efficiency right from the start.

2. In-depth Analysis: While many WFM systems offer predictive capabilities, WFM specialists can delve deeper into the data. They can identify patterns, forecast potential challenges, and make recommendations that algorithms might miss.

3. Continuous Optimization: The business landscape, technology, and customer preferences are ever-evolving. WFM specialists ensure that the system isn’t just set-and-forget but is continuously optimized to align with changing dynamics.

4. Training and Skill Transfer: Having a WFM system is one thing, but ensuring that agents and managers can use it effectively is another. WFM specialists often take the lead in training sessions, ensuring that everyone understands the tools at their disposal.

5. Troubleshooting and Support: Even the best systems can encounter hiccups. WFM specialists are instrumental in swiftly identifying issues, troubleshooting them, and ensuring minimal disruption to operations.

6. Collaboration and Integration: Modern contact centers use a myriad of tools and platforms. WFM specialists ensure that the workforce management system seamlessly integrates with other systems like CRM, ticketing platforms, and communication tools.

7. Keeping Up with Trends: The world of workforce management is dynamic, with new methodologies and technologies emerging regularly. WFM specialists stay updated with the latest trends, ensuring that the businesses they work with are always a step ahead.

8. Custom Solutions: Every contact center has unique needs. Off-the-shelf solutions might not always suffice. WFM specialists can create custom solutions tailored to specific challenges, ensuring optimal results.

In essence, WFM tools are the engine that drives optimal customer experience in contact centers, and WFM specialists are the skilled drivers ensuring the journey is smooth, efficient, and aligned with the destination.

Investing in WFM expertise is not just a smart move but an essential one for businesses serious about delivering unmatched customer experience.

6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

These strategies will do exactly that and more.


FrontLogix partners gain direct access to our decades of expertise in labor forecasting, scheduling, and best practices. With us, you’ve ensured the right agents at the right time, optimizing CX while controlling costs.

Interested in expert WFM services? Contact us now!

Warm and attentive call center rep wearing a headset.

How Workforce Management Drives Agent Experience

“Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients“. 

Richard Branson, the founder of The Virgin Group

    As discussed in the Employee Experience is the New Customer Experience post, one thing is clear: The best way to ensure a great customer experience is to create a great employee experience.

    This is especially true when employees have direct contact with customers, such as customer service representatives.

    But a call center agent’s job is not easy.

    Besides handling customer complaints and dealing with rude customers, and often working at strange hours, which are common issues in customer support roles, there’s another topic that’s not talked about as much: How technology trends impact the experience of the agents.

    Professional in headset ready to assist with customer inquiries.

    The Consequences of Neglecting Agent Training in Technology Integration

    With technology’s ongoing development, businesses increasingly rely on modern tools to enhance the customer experience. However, those who interact with customers on a daily basis – agents – are often overlooked in the process. Agents are expected to quickly learn new technology to address better customer needs, which can actually lead to increased complexity and stress. Integrating these new systems can be challenging, and many agents report that it negatively impacts their performance, through:

    • Disconnected back-end systems
    • Frequent app switching
    • Unnecessary, redundant systems
    • Clunky user interfaces
    • Inadequate training

    Unfortunately, companies often assume that agents will simply adapt to new demands without the proper training and support. This lack of investment can ultimately lead to high turnover rates and decreased productivity. 

    That is where Workforce Management steps in.

    How Workforce Management impacts Contact Center and Customer Success

    When you are overstaffed, you are wasting money. But when you’re understaffed, your employees are overworked, provide poorer customer experiences and might ultimately leave.

    Staffing the right people at the right time is crucial, but it is easier said than done.

    Workforce Management Systems acts as an intelligent planner for a contact center, ensuring it operates seamlessly and efficiently. It balances the two objectives: promptly addressing customer needs while evenly distributing tasks among agents, therefore ensuring the center meets its service goals.

    However, the tool’s effectiveness isn’t just about its features; it’s about how it’s utilized.

    While the WFM tool itself is valuable, it’s the WFM specialist’s knowledge and expertise that unlock its full potential. They ensure the tool is set up correctly, integrated seamlessly with other systems, and can adjust to the company’s evolving needs.

    Here’s a breakdown of the integral components of workforce management:

    Setup and Configuration take into consideration the setup of the WFM solution configuration of teams, agents, skills/queues in the WFM solution, any needed reminders/tasks/exceptions, as well as manual imports if and where needed.

    Forecasting involves short-term forecasts of volumes across queues/skills/teams, based on established configurations.

    Scheduling involves the creation of employee schedules based on preferences, availability and organizational requirements.

    Capacity Planning involves estimating the staffing needs based on work volume, considering Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) and hours, including any shrinkages or expected absenteeism. Typically, this planning spans an entire calendar year or the remainder of it, broken down into weekly segments.

    (RTA) Real-Time Adherence involves a WFM specialist monitoring agents’ adherence to their designated schedules. If an agent deviates from their set schedule, the WFM specialist communicates with Team Managers, Supervisors, or directly with the agent.

    Skill and Competency Mapping involves evaluating agents’ abilities to handle phone calls, emails, and chats, detailing the types of calls they can manage and the specific queues they operate in, and categorizing agents into respective teams.

    Compliance Tracking involves regularly reviewing policies and procedures, including scheduling practices, monitoring staffing levels, and ensuring employee breaks for optimal customer service.

    Management Analytics includes analyzing data and historical trends across various key indicators.

    Comprehensive Reporting encompasses extracting and analyzing information and providing detailed reports.

    Staffing Gap Analysis involves analyzing the difference between the required hours or FTEs needed to complete the incoming work against available resources.

    Creating Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and configuring reports and dashboards that provide valuable insights into individual and team performance is essential for evaluation and future improvement. By collecting and analyzing data, specialists can identify trends and patterns in customer behavior, which is crucial for informed decision-making regarding staffing and strategic planning.

    Systems Integration takes into consideration the setup of the WFM solution (configuration of teams, agents, skills/queues in the WFM solution, any needed reminders/tasks/exceptions, and manual imports if and where needed).

    6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

    Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

    These strategies will do exactly that and more.


    FrontLogix helps companies with every aspect of a WFM program, from strategic advice on choosing the best WFM solution for their needs to labor forecasting and scheduling, the development of scheduling rules, identification and implementation of best practices, and providing access to tactical WFM knowledge whenever necessary.
    We provide highly skilled on-demand management expertise integrated with your WFM solution based on our 20+ years of workforce management experience.

    Get in touch today.

    Contact center agents engaged in customer service tasks at their workstations

    Generative AI and Contact Center Job Security Fears: What Customer Service Leaders Should Tell Their Reps

    Generative AI has increased fears about Contact Center job security, making employees leave before they might be laid off. Here, we explore what Customer Service Leaders should tell their reps.

    Customer support — a vital cog in the organizational wheel — has long been grappling with high attrition rates.

    Historically, contact centers with up to 1,000 agents have seen an annual turnover of 34%, and this rate jumps to 50% for centers with 5,000 agents. 

    The pandemic added another layer of complexity, pushing contact center attrition rates between 65% to 80%.

    This departure trend often stemmed from the daily grind, including repetitive tasks, strict performance targets, and the inherent stress of handling disgruntled customers.

    To add to the pile, generative AI has now entered the scene — increasing fears about job security, making employees leave before they might be laid off.

    A Gartner research reveals that 84%  of customer service representatives who fear replacement by technology are actively seeking new employment.

    Given this landscape and the high cost of agent attrition, it’s paramount for Customer Support Managers to nurture and retain their teams.

     

    The multi-faceted cost of agent attrition

    • Direct Costs: These include recruiting costs such as job postings, interviews, background checks, and training.
    • Indirect Costs: New recruits require around 45 days of hands-on experience to become skilled in customer handling. Compared to their newer colleagues, agents with 3+ years of experience can be up to six times more valuable. When new agents are still learning their roles, their colleagues have to take on additional responsibilities, which can lead to burnout and higher attrition rates.
    • Customer Experience: Customers desire prompt and effective solutions. With a revolving door of agents, maintaining service quality becomes a herculean task. Experienced agents have been linked to 86% higher service quality and significantly improved customer satisfaction.

    What customer service leaders need to say to their reps: Generative AI – a tool, not a replacement

    Gartner underlines that, contrary to some beliefs, AI isn’t the harbinger of a call center agent job apocalypse.

    While they do predict a 20-30% reduction in customer service agents by 2026 due to AI, yet, Gartner doesn’t foresee the complete elimination of human roles. AI in customer support will likely serve as an assistant rather than a substitute.

    Why?

    There are genuine concerns with generative AI, such as data breaches, inaccuracies, and biases if utilized for human-like agency.

    Instead, AI’s strength lies in its ability to assist representatives in providing better customer service. Specifically, generative AI can give the reps context regarding the customer, product, and interaction, as well as guidance on how to effectively solve the customer’s issue.
    AI can also generate tailored next-best actions based on the customer’s circumstances and automate regular activities, such as call note summarization.

    Their research has shown that reps whose technology provides them with context and guidance tend to perform better than those who do not have these capabilities.

    Transparent communication is key

    To reduce worries, when you introduce AI into the call center, it’s crucial for the leaders to clearly explain how AI will be used:

    • Engage all Stakeholders: Keeping only upper management informed is a bad idea. All team members should understand the AI’s purpose and potential.
    • Explain the Changes: Explain how roles might change with AI’s integration and the fresh opportunities this may bring.
    • Prepare the Team for the Future: Talk about how you’ll improve their skills so they can keep up as technology changes.

    6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

    Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

    These strategies will do exactly that and more.


    At FrontLogix, we strive to provide our customers with the best possible Customer Support by combining cutting-edge technology with human assistance. We recognize the value of both automation and human interaction, and believe that striking a balance between the two is essential to building strong, authentic relationships with our clients. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your goals.

    High Five - Call Center Quality Management Successful Strategy - FrontLogix

    Employee Experience as the New Customer Experience

    Here we explain how Employee Experience (EX) drives Customer Experience and list best practices for ensuring an excellent EX.

    In the wake of the Big Quit, we are witnessing a significant shift in power when recruiting and retaining staff, with employees taking stock of their career goals and deciding to switch jobs.

    This trend has put a significant dent in customer experience. Longer wait times and less personalized service have led to a less-than-stellar CX, resulting in customer drop-offs.

    And what just a few years ago was low on the priority list, C-suites are now placing EX at the same importance level as CX.

    What is Employee Experience (EX)?

    Employee Experience is an employee’s overall perception of their employer based on their interactions with the company throughout the 5 Employee Lifecycle Stages: recruitment, onboarding, development, retention, and exit.

    EX includes everything from the work environment to the benefits offered and the level of support and training management provides.

    The connection between Customer Experience and Employee Experience

    Employee Experience impacts the Customer Experience in three ways:

    A man yelling over the phone

    Employees manifest their (dis)satisfaction in the work and interactions with customers

    We are all human, after all. When feeling stressed out, it is reflected in our actions and words. Unhappy employees will manifest their disengagement in their work and interactions with customers.

    Let’s face it ‒ there are bound to be some disgruntled customers. It’s the employee’s job to stay positive and professional, even with demanding or impatient customers. 

    When stressed out, overworked, or feeling undervalued, even a single misused word could be the last drop in a cup full of negative emotions. This mood will then get transferred onto the next customers, eventually souring the Customer Experience with the brand altogether with the Employee Experience.

    On the other hand, happy employees are more likely to go above and beyond to help a customer. When feeling valued by the managers and satisfied with their job, a negative experience won’t dampen their spirits. Just like a little hiccup in an otherwise smooth ride, employees will continue to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work.

    Happy employees that stay with you longer are more knowledgeable than newbies

    A company is only as strong as its team, and a team is only as loyal as its employer. When you give great EX to your employees, they will stay with the company longer. You’ll have a team that’s experienced and knowledgeable, who knows your products and services inside out, can finish tasks quicker, and has a deep understanding of the company’s operations. Their efficiency and expertise will naturally translate to the standard of CX that your customers experience.

    Satisfied employees spread positive word of mouth

    Customers want to do business with brands that take a public stand on social values and positive employee experience.

    Your employees could be your biggest brand ambassadors ‒ or your biggest enemy. A disgruntled (ex) employee damaging your good reputation on social media can do severe damage. Be sure to take care of your people, and they’ll take care of your brand.

    Some quick stats:

    70% of consumers think businesses should address social and political issues publicly; 

    77% of consumers believe employees have a responsibility to speak up when their company makes decisions that go against the stated values;

    Employee Experience Best Practices

    Opportunities for growth foster a sense of loyalty

    Three girls laughing while working in a coworking place

    Investing in employee training and development is a win-win situation for both employees and the company. Companies can stay competitive by having a highly skilled staff knowledgeable about recent trends and technologies.

    On the other hand, learning new skills and having a clear career path heavily influence employee job satisfaction. The 2018 Workplace Learning Report by LinkedIn revealed that 94% of employees would stay with a company longer if the company made efforts to enhance their professional growth.

    Flexibility for productivity

    Employers who embrace flexibility are more likely to retain top talent, attract employees from a wider variety of backgrounds, create a positive and supportive work environment ‒ and ultimately achieve greater success.

    Research has consistently shown that employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to be engaged and committed to their organization. Embracing flexibility means recognizing that different employees respond differently to various incentives and perks.

    For example, some employees may prefer flexible working hours or remote work, while others might favor taking vacation leave in smaller chunks instead of a full two weeks.

    In addition to improving employee retention and productivity, flexibility can contribute to a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Employers can attract and retain workers from a wider variety of backgrounds and experiences by providing a range of options for working arrangements.

    positive employee experience

    Micromanagement is the bane

    Micromanagement is the bane of productivity in any workplace. Not only does it create a toxic work environment, but it can also drive away your most talented employees. When employees feel that they are not trusted or respected, it can lead to tension and conflict in the workplace. This can create a toxic environment where employees are unhappy to come to work and may result in high turnover rates.

    Instead, practice a management style focused on results rather than the process.

    Employee experience suffers from outdated applications

    The trend toward consumerization of IT ‒ where employees expect their work technology to be as good as their personal one ‒ has only accelerated over the past year. Employee Experience suffers from clunky, old software. It slows everything down and makes employees waste time on repetitive, low-value tasks instead of focusing on what matters. Younger employees, in particular, want to work for companies with modern systems to support an engaged and energized workforce. 

    With so many people working from home, employees rely more on technology to help them do their jobs. And if that technology is inefficient, remote work can become challenging.

    The Conclusion

    As we emerge from the Great Resignation and navigate a new era of work, one thing is clear: Customer Experience is only as good as the Employee Experience.

    From offering flexible schedules to investing in cutting-edge technology, there are countless ways that businesses can prioritize EX and reap the rewards of a happier, more productive workforce.

    By investing in EX, companies can attract and retain top talent, inspire their employees, and create a positive work environment that translates into an exceptional customer experience.


    6 simple yet powerful strategies to improve customer retention

    Can you remember the last time you re-engaged with your customers and tried to win them back?

    These strategies will do exactly that and more.