Both technologies when working in unison to achieve similar (and distinct) goals can meet the heightened expectations of consumers who demand seamless, personalized interactions from happy and friendly agents. By strategically integrating digital channels and WFM strategies, businesses can elevate their customer service standards, ensuring timely responses, optimal resource use, and enhanced overall customer (and agent) satisfaction.

Consumers have spoken and they want digital options

People love using digital communication channels—they’re on them around the clock. Naturally, they expect to use these channels when interacting with brands. However, many contact centers still lag behind. While digital channels offer amazing benefits for both brands and customers, most companies haven’t fully adopted them yet, or don’t have a fully integrated channel strategy.

Workforce management’s traditional role and digital evolution

Workforce management solutions have traditionally focused on forecasting call volumes and scheduling agents for inbound calls. This process was straightforward: agents managed one call at a time, answered in real-time, and handled each contact without interruption.

But now, with digital channels like chat, email, social media, and SMS, everything has changed. Unlike phone calls, digital interactions can include deferred activities, backlogs, and agents juggling multiple conversations on many digital channels at once.

Customers expect seamless service across all contact methods, whether traditional or digital. Effective management of digital channels is key, as it ensures consistent service and avoids negative public exposure, especially on social media where one bad experience can be magnified.

Optimizing digital channel experiences through WFM

Contact center managers and IT professionals understand the valuable role that digital channels play in customer service, where customer engagement is paramount. We all know that digital channels like social media, live chat, email, and virtual assistants have revolutionized the way we all interact with companies. It’s now an expected part of customer service. And while we turn to omnichannel capabilities to ensure a seamless experience, let’s explore how Workforce Management solutions can maximize the power of these channels, and how they benefit both agents and customers.

The impact of WFM on the way agents work

1. Predictive analytics for efficient scheduling

Advanced WFM solutions, such as Alvaria Cloud Workforce, use predictive analytics to forecast the volume of interactions across digital channels. By analyzing historical data and current trends, WFM systems can predict peak times and schedule the right number of agents with the appropriate skills. This prevents understaffing or overstaffing, ensuring agents are never overwhelmed or idle.

E-commerce companies experiencing high volumes of live chat inquiries during sales events or a product launch can forecast spikes or an influx of customer inquiries, allowing for the strategic scheduling of additional agents to handle the increased demand. Additional skilled agents can be scheduled to handle the increased volume, ensuring a smooth and efficient service delivery.

This proactive approach not only optimizes resource allocation but also enhances agent morale by preventing burnout.

2. Enhanced shift flexibility

WFM also provides greater flexibility in shift planning, allowing for more adaptive and dynamic scheduling. This means agents can be scheduled for shorter, more frequent shifts during peak times and longer shifts when demand is steadier. This flexibility helps maintain high service levels and ensures that agents are always available when needed most.

3. Automated skill-based routing

WFM platforms, such as Alvaria Cloud Workforce, can integrate with CCaaS solutions that can automate the routing of customer interactions to the most suitable agents based on their skills and expertise, improving the speed and accuracy of issue resolution and allowing agents to work within their areas of strength. Complex technical queries can be routed to agents with specialized technical training, while simpler inquiries can be directed to general customer service representatives, ensuring that customers receive the best possible assistance.

Agents with expertise in social media management, for instance, can be assigned to monitor and respond to social media interactions, while those proficient in troubleshooting can handle live chat or email support.

By aligning agent capabilities with the specific needs of digital channels, contact centers can improve first-contact resolution rates.

4. Enhanced training and development through real-time performance monitoring

With real-time performance monitoring, WFM provides insights into agent performance across digital channels. By tracking metrics such as response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction scores, supervisors can identify skill gaps and implement targeted coaching programs to address these areas. Offering agents continuous development opportunities keeps them motivated and proficient in handling diverse customer interactions.

By continuously monitoring and optimizing agent performance, contact centers can maintain high standards of service across all digital channels.

5. Optimal digital channel agent utilization

Workforce Management solutions can help you run simulations to determine the optimal performance of your currently scheduled staff. By leveraging these tools, you can accurately calculate the number of required agents needed to meet specific quality goals. Furthermore, WFM solutions can assess the necessary level of concurrency for each channel, ensuring that your existing staff configuration meets the desired service quality standards. These simulations and calculations enable contact centers to efficiently allocate resources, optimize staff performance, and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction across all channels.

Let’s take Alvaria Cloud Workforce as a solution example. It offers a robust Multi-Channel Performance planning tool designed to meet the specific needs of blended interactions. By analyzing historical data and current trends, Alvaria can predict interaction volumes and identify peak periods, allowing managers to allocate resources effectively. It also helps to answer key intra-day questions such as:

• How well will multi-skilled agents perform when handling concurrent sessions across channels?
• How many agents are needed to meet service goals?
• How many simultaneous chat sessions will agents need to engage in to meet service goals?
• How much staff is needed to deliver a certain level of responsiveness during a message-based conversation?
• What is the expected agent and customer experience?

6. Digital interaction metrics in WFM

To maximize the benefits of the agent’s multitasking potential, you need to prioritize digital interaction metrics in forecasting and scheduling. Incorporating digital interaction metrics into WFM practices is key to maintaining high service standards.

Metrics such as average handling time for each type of digital interaction, the typical number of simultaneous interactions an agent can manage, and peak times for different digital channels must all be accounted for. Accurate forecasting ensures that the right number of agents with the appropriate skills are scheduled to meet customer demand without overwhelming staff or causing delays in response times.

By continuously monitoring these metrics, contact centers can identify patterns and make informed adjustments to their WFM strategies.

For example, if data shows irregular customer/agent compose time or live chat session length is longer than desired, managers can investigate whether agents are handling too many simultaneous interactions or if additional training is needed.

The impact of WFM on customers using digital channels

1. Reduced wait times

By accurately forecasting demand and optimizing agent schedules, WFM tools minimize customer wait times across digital channels. Whether customers reach out via email, social media, or live chat, they receive prompt responses, enhancing their overall satisfaction.

During high-demand periods, such as holiday seasons, WFM ensures that sufficient agents are available to manage the increased volume of interactions, leading to quicker resolutions and happier customers.

Airlines, for instance, using WFM can ensure that customer inquiries on Twitter regarding flight delays or cancellations are addressed promptly. This real-time responsiveness enhances the customer experience, especially during critical situations.

2. Improved agent performance and efficiency

When agents are well-trained and their performance is continuously monitored and enhanced, customers benefit from higher quality service. This results in more effective communication, accurate information, and a more positive overall experience.

For instance, in a contact center utilizing a digital channel such as live chat, when integrated with CCaaS solutions, WFM plays a role in tracking response times and resolution rates so that if an agent is found to have slower response times or lower satisfaction scores, targeted training can be scheduled at the best possible moment to address these issues. Consequently, the agent becomes more adept at handling live chat inquiries, providing quicker, more accurate, and more helpful responses. This leads to a more seamless and satisfying experience for customers who prefer digital communication channels.

3. Customized service and levels

Contact centers can use WFM to set customized service levels for different digital channels based on their importance and volume. For example, live chat may require faster response times compared to email. By tailoring service levels, contact centers can ensure optimal resource allocation and maintain high standards of service across all channels. This results in a greater experience for customers who expect to be served quickly – it is after all the key reason people use digital channels.

Boost contact center performance by integrating digital channels with workforce management

It’s obvious that integrating digital channels with Workforce Management tools enables contact centers to support their agents and simultaneously deliver exceptional customer service.

Meeting customer expectations means embracing digital channels. However, this comes with new challenges for workforce management professionals. Traditional ways of managing staffing and schedules need to be re-examined and adjusted to better understand how each digital channel works, how customers engage with them, and how your team manages these interactions.

Are you leveraging digital channels and WFM tools in your contact center? Connect with our Inoria WFM consultants today.