SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING FORECASTS AND ANALYSIS OF CONTACT CENTER BEHAVIOR FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
A method of predicting expected performance of a processing center system is provided. The method includes receiving performance information from a performance monitoring system associated with the processing center system. A computer model of the processing center system is developed based on the performance information. The method further includes generating predictions based on the computer model, and analyzing the predictions to generate performance scenarios for the processing center system.
1 . A method of determining a least cost hiring or termination plan for a call center, the method comprising:
providing a first staffing level for a first time period;
providing a call volume forecast for a series of time periods subsequent to the first time period;
providing an average handle time forecast for the series of time periods;
providing a call center operational performance value goal;
determining, by at least one computer processor, a least cost hiring or termination plan over the series of time periods that provides the call center with a quantity of staff to achieve the operational performance value goal, based on the first staffing level, the call volume forecast, the average handle time forecast, and the operational performance value goal, and transforming a number of new hire customer service representatives into an equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives; and
enabling a user to perceive the least cost hiring or termination plan,
wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives includes:
accessing learning curve data, the learning curve data including:
a first new hire effectiveness rating, the first new hire effectiveness rating indicating a work output of a new hire customer service representative as a percentage of a work output of a non-new hire customer service representative during a second time period that begins at a date when one or more new hires start work, and
a second new hire effectiveness rating, the second new hire effectiveness rating being different from the first new hire effectiveness rating and indicating a work output of a new hire customer service representative as a percentage of a work output of a non-new hire customer service representative during a third time period that begins subsequent to an end of the second time period;
applying the first new hire effectiveness rating to the number of new hires to determine an equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives for the second time period; and
applying the second new hire effectiveness rating to the number of new hires to determine an equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives for the third time period.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises an operational performance value goal for each time period in the series of time periods.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the least cost hiring or termination plan comprises using a linear program to determine the least cost hiring or termination plan.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the linear program employs an objective function to minimize the number of call center staff subject to constraints related to the operational performance value goal.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the least cost hiring or termination plan includes determining the least cost hiring or termination plan based on a staffing level attrition rate.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the staffing level attrition rate comprises a staffing level attrition rate for new hires and a staffing level attrition rate for non-new hires.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises a service level goal.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises an average speed of answer goal.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises a number of abandoned calls goal.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises a number of blocked calls goal.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises a customer service representative utilization value goal.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the customer service representative utilization value comprises a percentage of time that a customer service representative is servicing calls rather than waiting for calls.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises a sales goal for the call center.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational performance value goal comprises a profit goal for the call center.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes multiplying the first new hire effectiveness rating by the number of new hires and multiplying the second new hire effectiveness rating by the number of new hires.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives further includes applying a new hire attrition rating to the number of new hires.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes multiplying the first new hire effectiveness rating by a value derived from the new hire attrition rating and by the number of new hires.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first new hire effectiveness rating is a percentage value that is greater than 0% and less than 100%.
19 . A method of determining a least cost hiring or termination plan for a call center, the method comprising:
accessing a first new hire effectiveness rating for a first time period, the first time period beginning at a date when one or more new hires start work and the first new hire effectiveness rating indicating a work output of a new hire customer service representative as a percentage of a work output of a non-new hire customer service representative during the first time period;
accessing a second new hire effectiveness rating for a second time period that is subsequent to the first time period, the second new hire effectiveness rating being different from the first new hire effectiveness rating and indicating a work output of a new hire customer service representative as a percentage of a work output of a non-new hire customer service representative during the second time period;
determining, by at least one computer processor, a least cost hiring or termination plan that provides the call center with a quantity of staff to achieve an operational performance value goal, based on a first staffing level, a call volume forecast, an average handle time forecast, and an operational performance value goal, and transforming a number of new hire customer service representatives into an equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives by applying the first new hire effectiveness rating to the number of new hires for the first time period and applying the second new hire effectiveness rating to the number of new hires for the second time period; and
enabling a user to perceive the least cost hiring or termination plan.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first new hire effectiveness rating is a percentage value that is greater than 0% and less than 100%.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes multiplying the first new hire effectiveness rating by the number of new hires for the first time period and multiplying the second new hire effectiveness rating by the number of new hires for the second time period.
22 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising accessing a first new hire attrition rating for the first time period, the first new hire attrition rating indicating attrition of new hires during the first time period.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes applying the first new hire attrition rating to the number of new hires for the first time period.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes multiplying the first new hire effectiveness rating by a value derived from the first new hire attrition rating and by the number of new hires for the first time period.
25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes applying the first new hire effectiveness rating to the number of new hires for the first time period to obtain a first result, applying the second new hire effectiveness rating to the number of new hires for the second time period to obtain a second result, and combining the first and the second results.
26 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the second new hire effectiveness rating is higher than the first new hire effectiveness rating to reflect an increased effectiveness of the new hires resulting from learning that occurs during the first time period.
27 . The method of claim 19 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes multiplying the first new hire effectiveness rating by the number of new hires for the first time period to obtain a first result, multiplying the second new hire effectiveness rating by the number of new hires for the second time period to obtain a second result, and summing together the first and the second results.
28 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
accessing a first new hire attrition rating for the first time period, and
accessing a second new hire attrition rating for the second time period, the second new hire attrition rating being different from the first new hire attrition rating.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes applying the first new hire effectiveness rating and the first new hire attrition rating to the number of new hires to obtain a first result, applying the second new hire effectiveness rating and the second new hire attrition rating to the number of new hires to obtain a second result, and combining the first and the second results.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein transforming the number of new hire customer service representatives into the equivalent number of non-new hire customer service representatives includes multiplying the first new hire effectiveness rating by a value derived from the first new hire attrition rating and by the number of new hires to obtain a first result, multiplying the second new hire effectiveness rating by a value derived from the second new hire attrition rating and by the number of new hires to obtain a second result, and combining the first and the second results.