Optimize Like the Celtics: Turning Around Capacity Challenges in Contact Centers

Ever been in a situation where you are brought in as a capacity planner with the expectation of optimizing a contact center? In layman's terms, this means decreasing operating expenses while maintaining or improving client turnaround time. There are usually two situations. The contact center is operating with a surplus in capacity compared to the labor hours required. The other side, the darker side is where the contact center lacks sufficient capacity to handle the required labor hours.

Lets get the obvious point out of the way. As a capacity planner we want the contact center to have surplus capacity because it is easier to glide the business into achieving a higher degree of operating leverage while maintaining or improving turnaround times.

In contrast, if capacity is challenged it creates an environment of pressure, which naturally rushes the decision-making process for the operators and the capacity planner. It is in these moments that the business might make decisions that provide short-term relief at the expense of long-term operational benefits. I liken this to hastily rushing a rebuild of a professional team where the GM trades significant number of future draft picks to improve the current team's chances of winning.

So, what steps can a capacity planner take to improve their chances of turning around a capacity-challenged contact center?

First, scan, understand, and communicate the current capacity environment. Rather than jumping straight into solution mode, take a step back to scan the current capacity KPIs. Understand the root causes of the capacity challenges and communicate your findings with all stakeholders. By doing this, you create a north star for the business to improve its capacity and align all stakeholders to the mission.

Second, focus on the controllable root causes. You don't need to over-analyze the situation. Remember that in most capacity-challenging environments, some causes can be controlled and others that cannot. Focus on the controllable root causes and spend less time on the uncontrollable areas. It's easier for operators to rally around causes they have the power to change versus those outside their control.

Third, repeat the mission multiple times. Everyone has a multitude of tasks with competing priorities. Be understanding if your capacity goals are not always top of mind. Therefore, it's beneficial to repeat or refresh the business on the goals to achieve capacity relief. This will allow your goals to naturally rise to the top.

Fourth, changing behaviors takes longer than you think. The controllable capacity goals will likely require a change in processes, meaning behaviors will need to change. Humans are remarkably resistant to change, so be patient and provide timely feedback (positive or negative) on their performance.

Finally, be prepared to tell the uncomfortable truth. Sometimes, even after improving all the controllable KPIs, it might not be enough to improve the contact center's capacity to achieve the desired turnaround times. It's then your job to have an uncomfortable conversation with senior management about how the current level of operating expenses is insufficient to meet their target turnaround times. There are two options: either increase the operating expenses to achieve the target turnaround times or adjust the turnaround time goals to be more realistic given the current level of operating expenses. This point often separates a good capacity planner from a great one.

By understanding the capacity environment, setting clear goals, and patiently guiding behavior change, and willingness to have the uncomfortable conversation a capacity planner can significantly improve their chances of turning around a contact center. So go be the Boston Celtics rather and not the Detroit Pistons!