Category: FAQ
Excerpt: In many service centers, skills are still neglected in personnel planning – with drastic consequences: Overwork, frustration and declining service quality.
Wrong shift - wrong person - wrong effect
Companies invest in training and hire specialist staff – but all of this is of little use if employees’ skills remain unused at the wrong time. Who today staff still planning according to the same old formula not only risks a decline in service quality, but also frustrated teams and dissatisfied customers.
Misplacements cost trust - and productivity
When complex customer issues end up with employees who don’t have the necessary skills, trouble is inevitable. The result? Long processing times, incomplete solutions and repeat contacts. According to a study by PwC, 59 % of customers expect their concerns to be fully resolved on first contact – otherwise they often switch providers (source: PwC – Future of Customer Experience Survey).
At the same time, an incorrect distribution of tasks also leads to dissatisfaction on the employee side: excessive demands, frustration and the feeling of being “thrown in at the deep end”. The result: declining motivation and increasing staff turnover – two factors that every service center wants to avoid.
Skill matching: when qualifications become a resource
The solution is obvious – or rather: in the data. Modern workforce management systems such as opcycWFM enable skill-based scheduling that systematically takes into account the individual qualifications of each team member. Instead of “everyone can do everything”, planning relies on intelligent allocation: who can do what – and when?
Skills (certificates, language skills, etc.) can be mapped in a structured way using a qualification matrix. This matrix is integrated into staff scheduling so that, for example, calls in French do not end up with German-speaking career changers – but with precisely those employees who are trained to handle them.
The result: a higher first-time resolution rate, more satisfied customers and relieved teams.
Multiskill planning: react flexibly - act efficiently
Multiskill planning is a real productivity booster, especially in dynamic service environments with changing requirements. Employees who are proficient in several skills can be flexibly deployed where they are needed most – be it in chat, on the hotline or in back office processing.
However, this versatility must not only be documented, but also planned. A professional WFM system automatically recognizes which employees are qualified for certain tasks and which capacities are currently available. This reduces idle times and overloads – and makes planning more resilient to short-term changes such as sick leave or peaks in demand.
Skills-based planning as a competitive advantage
In an industry in which service quality is often the only real differentiator, skill-based planning becomes a real competitive advantage. Companies that focus specifically on the qualifications of their employees not only increase their efficiency, but also their brand perception: competent advice, quick solutions and friendly service are remembered by customers – and lead to long-term loyalty.
At the same time, assigning tasks fairly and transparently also increases employee satisfaction. Those who are deployed according to their strengths experience appreciation – and this has a positive effect on commitment, loyalty and team spirit.
How opcycWFM supports you
With opcycWFM companies receive a workforce-management solution that skill-based planning, but also automates it:
- Qualification matrix: Overview of all skills and certificates per employee
- Skill matching in real time: automatic consideration of skills during scheduling
- Multiskill strategies: Efficient distribution of tasks with changing requirements
- Transparent employee involvement: Employees can use the self-service portal to view their shifts, enter preferred times, initiate shift swaps and thus actively influence their shift planning.
Would you like to find out how skill-based planning in your company? Then discover opcycWFM in an on-demand or livedemo and experience how the right qualifications at the right time make the difference.
More news
5 signs that your workforce planning needs an upgrade
Good service is no coincidence: the right skills, at the right time.
Communication instead of confrontation: Why modern leadership also needs modern planning
Why real-time monitoring and intraday forecasting are indispensable today
