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Small call centers are a challenge to manage! Calling loads are often proportionally more volatile than they are for larger centers. Each rep has a huge impact on service level. And in a group of 10, every time someone heads for the water cooler, the workforce goes down by 10 percent! Further, managers of smaller centers are often grappling with these challenges using less sophisticated tools and technologies than those available to their peers in larger environments.

 

The issues addressed here have been culled from a lot of case studies and people who have been down this path. The list certainly isn't of the "everything you'll ever need to know" variety. But you'll be leaps ahead by giving these key areas attention, where it's due:

 

First and foremost

 

Don't fall into the trap of thinking you've got a small group and therefore don't have a lot of scheduling alternatives. That perspective, will hamper your efforts to identify creative and effective scheduling approaches, from the simple (i.e., getting savvy about breaks or better planning and management of non-phone work) to the more involved (i.e., calling in a "swat team" from another department or utilizing telecommuters).

 

Improve Predictability

 

Take steps to improve the predictability of your workload. It's not as volatile as it may seem, and predictable, repeating patterns will emerge by half hour of day, day of week and season of year. Graph all three components of call load (average talk time, average after call work time and volume) down to the half-hour level, and avoid putting much stock in daily averages. Ensure that everyone is using the after call work mode consistently. Categorize and track the calls you are taking, and watch for and anticipate changes in the mix.

 

Speculate

 

Play "what if" with computer simulation. For example, what if talk time goes up by 20 percent? What if you underestimate call volume by 50 percent? What happens if two people don't show up for work? What happens if three are out for training? Produce some tables and charts that show a range of possibilities. This will enable you to determine what you're up against and what the trade-offs are.

Create a flow chart

 

Create a simple flow chart of your planning process. This will identify weak links and "disconnects" in the process (ever been burned by a marketing campaign you didn't know about?) and will give you ideas for how to create a more collaborative environment.

 

Reports and computer software

 

Invest in the tools and reports you need. For example, historical reports down to the half hour level are essential. And because of the volatility of small groups, your agents need to be able to see the queue via displays on their phones or computer terminals, wall-mounted reader boards or supervisor monitors. You should also have staffing software, even if it's of the simple low-end variety, that calculates staff based on computer simulation. If you have a more complex environment (i.e., if you are using skills-based routing extensively), computer simulation software will help you define and address staffing inefficiencies.

 

Training and grooming

 

Look for ways to groom reps for management responsibilities. Key areas include monitoring, quality improvement projects, call center planning (i.e., forecasting, staffing and scheduling), cross-functional teams and system administration. Developing people is a process and takes time. But few managers have looked back and regretted delegating management responsibilities too quickly.

 

Forecasting

 

Develop an analysis of the likely impact of growth on your call center. This often takes the form of a chart or document that illustrates the projected costs and time-frames of growing the call center in increments, such as 10 percent growth in call load, 20 percent growth, 30 percent growth, and so on. The document should identify required lead-times and key decision points associated with things like additional workstations, new or upgraded equipment, or a new facility.

 

Get your numbers right from the top

 

Finally, discuss an important philosophical question with upper management: What level of service are you willing to commit to, given that you can't always accurately predict the calling demand? Are you going to overstaff just in case? Are there other tactics you can use, such as overflowing to another department or service bureau? Or are you and your callers going to have to just tough it out when demand is greater than supply? There are many appropriate answers to this question, depending on the situation. The important thing is to think this through ahead of time, and to know where you really stand on the issue.