Evaluating Your First WFM System: A Guide for Contact Centers
As contact centers evolve, the consideration of acquiring a Workforce Management (WFM) system becomes crucial. Typically, there are two scenarios: either the contact center is adopting a WFM system for the first time, moving from having zero to having one, or it already has a WFM system but is seeking an upgrade or a change. The criteria for evaluating a new system differ significantly between these scenarios. This article is the first in a two-part series aiming to shed light on the evaluation process for both situations.
Zero to One
When evaluating WFM software for the first time, it's important to note that most systems offer similar functionalities. These include aspects such as real-time monitoring, scheduling optimization, forecasting transaction capabilities, preset reporting, and self-service options for overtime and paid time off. While these features are essential, the focus should be on understanding other critical factors:
Ease of Use: The chosen system should be intuitive for both the operations and administration teams. As the first system introduced to the contact center, its ease of use will greatly influence adoption rates. A complex system can deter frontline staff, leading to a loss of confidence and reduced usage of the system, ultimately affecting the system's integration success.
Customer Support: No WFM system is flawless. Often, the reality does not meet the sales pitch. Hence, it's vital that the chosen vendor provides strong customer support and thorough documentation to navigate any challenges that arise, ensuring solutions can be found for specific issues faced by the contact center.
Ease of Integration: The system should seamlessly integrate with the contact center's existing systems, especially the communication platforms. A system that requires extensive planning and development cycles before integration can delay the realization of the contact center's potential benefits.
Pilot Licenses: Vendors willing to provide pilot licenses for a trial period demonstrate confidence in their product. This opportunity allows for real-world testing of the system's advertised features and gathers feedback from the contact center team on its usability.
Leadership Buy-In: The support of the senior leadership team is indispensable. Regardless of a system's features, without the willingness of the operations team to fully utilize the system, its implementation will not be successful.
Price and total cost of ownership were deliberately not included in these considerations. Based on experience, vendors typically open to negotiation on these aspects, especially for contact centers adopting a WFM system for the first time. A significant deviation in price compared to other vendors usually indicates a mismatch in understanding the contact center's needs or a poor fit for the center's requirements.
Selecting the right WFM system for a contact center transitioning from zero to one involves more than comparing feature lists. The ease of use, quality of customer support, integration simplicity, opportunity for pilot testing, and leadership buy-in are critical factors that can make or break the system's successful adoption and integration.