10 Leading Resource Planning Tools for Contact Centers

Delve into our list of resource planning software vendors and find out what differentiates their solutions

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10 Leading Resource Planning Tools for Contact Centers
Contact CentreInsights

Published: April 21, 2022

CX Today Team

Excellent resource planning ensures the right employees are handling the right contacts at the right time to meet demand. Get this right, and the contact center meets its service level and occupancy targets. As a result, critical customer, agent, and business outcomes improve.

However, “getting this right” is notoriously difficult. That is where resource planning tools enter the fray. These harness sophisticated algorithms for forecasting, automate scheduling, and offer real-time guidance for intraday management. As such, they evolve the role of the workforce management (WFM) team.

Of course, not all resource planning tools are the same, and there are many vendors for contact centers to wade through. Here is a list of ten to keep an eye on.

1. NICE

NICE prides itself on the simplicity of its solution, helping users get up and running faster thanks to intuitive interfaces and automated workflows within the solution. Indeed, the platform splits WFM into five simple steps:

  1. Forecasting Parameters
  2. Historical Data
  3. Forecast Data
  4. Staffing Parameters
  5. Staffing

So, while building forecasts and schedules typically take hours, NICE WFM takes minutes, freeing planners to focus on higher-value activities.

To create these forecasts, NICE exploits 40+ AI-driven models, which constantly reforecast – harnessing the latest data – to increase the chances of high forecast accuracy.

Dig deeper into the NICE WFM system by reading our article: NICE WFM: 10 Top-Notch Features

2. Calabrio

After acquiring Teleopti in 2019, Calabrio became a leading WFM player. Ever since, it has continued innovating with a “construct your own schedule” feature that gives agents greater control over their working lives. Indeed, agents can add work hours based on pre-specified shift patterns and coverage.

In addition, it allows frontline employees to autonomously schedule their lunches and breaks for the current day or next seven days, and these schedules are promptly updated when changes are made.

Management-defined parameters and automated workforce monitoring also ensure that no managerial intervention is necessary and that customer service levels do not suffer as a consequence.

Alongside this, Calabrio offers a full suite of forecasting, intelligent automation, and reporting tools.

3. injixo

injixo delivers a WFM solution that aims to meet the needs of resource planners, contact center managers, team supervisors, IT leaders, and – of course – agents.

How? Through offering an all-encompassing solution that enables operations to make sound scheduling decisions aligned with business goals.

Naturally, manual schedules based on regular shift patterns might result in performance inefficiencies and lower engagement rates. In contrast, using injixo allows users to quickly construct customizable WFM plans by combining various AI-powered tools.

4. Verint

A Forrester Consulting report found that Verint WFM customers “were able to automate schedule management, improve employee productivity, and reduce shrinkage.”

These outcomes are ideal for many operations. The Verint solution delivers these by providing the tools to manage personnel as a unified workforce and create schedules that allow agents to switch between channels and tasks during their shifts.

The WFM system also provides options to enhance the response of the planning team to peaks and valleys in demand, maximizing efficiency and minimizing labor expenses.

5. Playvox

In 2021, Playvox acquired Argyle Time to establish itself as a significant WFM player. Aiming to provide a “complexity taming” solution, Playvox maximizes the value of contact center intelligence to automate schedules to meet demand and employee preferences.

The provider also prides itself on its real-time view of contact center performance, enabling enhanced intraday management with simple, interactive dashboards.

6. Genesys

As one of only three leaders in the CCaaS space – according to the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant – Genesys boasts an array of advanced contact center solutions. Resource planning software is no exception.

Its solution enables planners to develop efficient staffing and service strategies while forecasting long-term operational performance and an assortment of WFM metrics.

Additionally, with the ability to track plan modifications in real-time, users can react more quickly to changes and provide better service experiences during peak periods.

7. Alvaria

Alvaria Workforce – previously Aspect Workforce Management – offers customizable forecasting models, schedule enhancement capabilities, and an array of tools to ensure teams are engaged in their work.

The latter tracks employee activity – including real-time adherence – and allows users to create seating plans – which proved very useful to many operations when enforcing social distancing measures.

Like other vendors, Alvaria also offers an app in which agents can view their schedules, request shift-swaps, and set their preferences.

8. Puzzel

While Puzzel is perhaps better known for its digital engagement capabilities and other tools within its CCaaS offering, it also offers an advanced omnichannel WFM offering.

Catering to contact centers of all shapes and sizes, it also offers custom dashboards with visualizations, statistics, and summaries to help planners glean critical insights quicker.

Alongside this, agents may also engage in self-scheduling, shift trading, and holiday management activities within an app or web portal.

9. Amazon

Only recently entering the WFM space, Amazon is grabbing the bull by its horns, announcing a series of resource planning tools that sit inside its Amazon Connect CCaaS solution.

While it also boasts integrations with Calabrio and Alvaria for WFM, the provider now offers the tools to predict demand, calculate staffing requirements, and schedule multi-skilled agents natively.

The company also aims to launch further functionalities in the near future, including real-time adherence monitoring, self-scheduling, and more.

10. RingCentral

Offering a series of WFM tools, RingCentral strives to differentiate itself by utilizing its UCaaS platform to develop a centralized administrative environment where planners can easily communicate and collaborate with contact center teams.

Such an environment enables agents to get to grips with how agents truly feel about their schedules, act on this, and optimize staffing plans.

RingCentral dashboards may also track the success of staffing plans, while the WFM team may gain further insights – thanks to integrations with various data sources, such as the CRM – that may educate their strategy.

Eager to increase the perceived value of resource planning within your operation? If so, check out our article: Putting WFM at the Heart of the Contact Centre

 

Artificial IntelligenceCCaaSUser ExperienceWorkforce Management

Brands mentioned in this article.

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