The term Workforce Optimisation (WFO) has existed for quite some time now, but it is only in the last few years that companies have begun to truly embrace WFO strategies.
Indeed, many organisations now approach WFO for what it truly is: a holistic set of technologies and processes that optimise the workforce for desired results.
Such an approach runs parallel to the CX adage “happy employees, happy customers”, with numerous studies now showing that job satisfaction greatly affects CX.
With such a critical connection established, brands are doing more than providing comfortable chairs, pool tables, and break room snacks to empower employees.
Nowadays, many contact centres have even implemented a large-scale plan to support agents to do their job quickly and efficiently, but not at the expense of their well-being.
This is where WFO comes in.
Common Pain Points
WFO is not a new term, yet many companies do not have a WFO strategy in place. Why? Because there are several pain points that complicate matters.
“Integration is one of the most common hurdles to WFO deployment”, says Scott Budding, Head of WFO, at Sabio Group, the digital CX Transformation Specialist. “A properly deployed strategy is the backbone of CX success since it affects various aspects of the business. Whenever we’re deploying any WFO technology, we need to look at how other solutions are linked.
“Whether there is a need to pull data from a telephony or a CCaaS solution, or whether we’re looking at how chat and email platforms are integrated, it is all crucial to the success of WFO technology deployments.”
Another challenge concerns adoption, as employees may not react well to new processes and technology. To avoid this, organisations must put effort into inclusion and communication and better understand what fits and what doesn’t.
Budding says: “We should include our employees, right from the off. We need to speak to them and learn what’s important, what they would like to see in terms of solutions that we might bring into the organisation.
“People need to know what’s been introduced, when it is being introduced, and why.
“The requirements for the workforce optimisation technology should not be written without significant input from the operational side of the business.”
“Finally, a good WFO strategy needs to be financially supported, which is often where organisations recognise the strategy’s value and reap the ROI rewards.”
‘Think of Your People’
To achieve WFO objectives, Budding suggests that organisations consider employees as ‘WFO advocates’. After all, no matter how good the implemented solution, if employees do not understand the benefits, the strategy will more likely fail to deliver results.
To tweak the CX adage, ‘unhappy employees almost certainly lead to unhappy customers’.
Budding says: “The importance of thinking about our people is crucial. And that should be identifiable through our approach to Workforce Optimisation, with a view to achieving outstanding customer experiences.
“We do see more and more people out there talking about how great employee experience equals a great customer experience and that’s definitely something Sabio has been working on, raising awareness on the importance of people.”
Finding the right technology that meets the needs of an organisation today is just the first step, and also the easiest one. What CX leaders often fail to do is predict what the organisation will need in the future and invest in solutions with that in mind.
Tying this with the contact centre efficiency, Budding says the right technology not only helps with contact handling but also enables agents to self-serve. For example, to plan their schedule, move their breaks or lunch, or self-assess to learn more about where they can improve from a quality and/or CX perspective.
He adds: “Technology really gives great visibility and allows people from different roles across the business to benefit from the rich data that is in the contact centres today. Most importantly, they can use the data and turn it into action.
“It’s all well and good having the technology in place, but we must invest in people to maximise the use and the effectiveness of those WFO solutions.”
There is also an intrinsic link between contact centre effectiveness, WFO and attracting new talent into the contact centre – something Budding says a lot of organisations struggle with.
He says: “The effectiveness of a contact centre requires a target operating model which comprises of a well-defined and robust set of processes. WFO is an enabler for us to have processes in place as well as the effective execution of those processes.
“Effective WFO execution engages the workforce and improves employee wellbeing, lowering attrition and sickness as well as creating a culture that allows an organisation to attract new talent.”
Partnering with Sabio to Achieve WFO Goals
A good WFO strategy improves employee engagement, reduces absence, and increases employee retention. As a result, customer satisfaction and loyalty also get a boost.
Budding adds: “We are in a terrific position at Sabio where we can share knowledge, experience and best practice from work carried out with our clients over the years, not to mention our efforts with the likes of The Forum, CCMA, and publications such as CX Today, of course.
“Sabio has many years of experience in successfully deploying and managing WFO in both large and smaller operations. Moreover, our coaching methodology helps clients maximise their use of WFO tools to empower their teams.
“We help achieve WFO objectives by communicating and working regularly with our clients, delivering health checks, target operating model work, and optimisation services in relation to all components of WFO.”
Visit Sabio’s website to find out how Sabio can help you achieve your WFO goals.
