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All you need to know about workforce management

Workforce management is a term used for an institutional process that maximizes performance levels and competency for an organization. This process consists of all the activities needed to maintain a productive workforce, such as field service management, human resource management, performance and training management, data collection, recruiting, budgeting, forecasting, scheduling, and analytics. In other words, workforce management is an integrated set of processes that call centers use to optimize the productivity of its agents on the individual, departmental, and entity-wide levels. It also includes determining and providing schedules, forecasting, and adherence for a workforce in their future events.

Workforce management
Workforce management

The process provides a common set of performance-based tools and software for the service optimization in corporate management, front-line supervisors, store managers and workers across manufacturing, distribution, transportation, and retail operations.

Workforce management 2
Workforce management 2

The solutions using this management process can be deployed enterprise-wide and through mobile platforms. By using a software solution for demand-oriented workforce management, planners can optimize staffing by creating schedules that obey the forecasted requirements at all times. Moreover, it helps users to observe all relevant legislation, local agreements and the contracts of individual employees including work-life balance guidelines.

Workforce management solutions
Workforce management solutions

These efficient solutions are meant to satisfy the reality of the work that is being presented to agents. These solutions help the agents to inculcate a pool of in-depth and specific talent to be available in order to satisfy customers fully. Some of these talents include:

i) good listening ability

ii) familiarity with keyboard and IT skills and a

iii) knowledge of the business they are working in

iv) familiarity with either specific customers or customer subsets

v) specific technical knowledge

vi) exceptional customer experience and empowerment for the customer

vii) language skills (both in domestic and international markets)

viii) ability to deal with multimedia interactions

ix) Similar regional accent to the caller (where applicable).

Workforce management solutions
Workforce management solutions

 

 

 

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Essentials and applications of IVR technology

IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response. It refers to a technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF ( dual- tone multi frequency) tones input via keypad. IVR technology is also employed in telecommunication systems where it allows customers to interact with a company’s host system through a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which services can be inquired about through the IVR dialogue. IVR systems can respond with prerecorded or dynamically generated audio. This directs the users on how to proceed further. A single large IVR system has the ability to handle calls for thousands of applications, each with its own phone numbers and script.

IVR technology
IVR technology

IVR and voice automation allows callers’ queries to be resolved without the need for queuing and incurring the cost of a live agent. IVR systems are employed for the following reasons:

i) to service high call volumes

ii) reduce cost

iii) improve the customer experience

Improved customer experience
Improved customer experience

In situations where callers do not find the information they require or need further assistance, the calls are often transferred to an agent. This allows agents have more time to deal with complex interactions, hence, improving the system’s efficiency. Dialled number identification service (DNIS) ensures the execution of correct application and language when an IVR system answers multiple phone numbers.

IVR system
IVR system

There are a number of fields where IVR systems find their applications. Some of them are as follows:

i) IVR systems are used in call centers to identify and segment callers. This allows the services to be tailored according to the customer profile.

ii) IVR systems are employed by banking institutions for customer engagement and to extend business hours to a 24/7 operation.

iii) Pharmaceutical companies leverage these systems to conduct clinical trials and manage the large volumes of data generated. In addition to this, they are also used for patient randomization, drug supply management and for recording patient diaries and questionnaires

IVR for banking institutions
IVR for banking institutions

 

 

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Lead magnets for an efficient conversion: I

As mentioned in our earlier posts, a lead magnet is an incentive in the form of free e-books, webinars, whitepapers or something of that sort given away to someone in exchange for their email address. It can even be considered as a bribe that marketers offer to potential buyers in exchange for their email address, or other contact information.

There are a number of lead magnets that you can employ to capture traffic and convert efficiently. Some of them have been mentioned below:

1. Drip marketing:

Drip marketing refers to a communication strategy that sends, or “drips,” a pre-written set of messages to customers or prospects over time. Drip marketing is carried out in various forms such as:

i) email: This the most commonly used form of drip marketing is email marketing due to its low cost and high efficiency.

ii) direct mail: This technology relies on digital printing, where low-volume print runs are cost efficient and the variable data can be merged to personalize each drip message.

iii) social media: Various social media marketing tools employ the principle of drip marketing to schedule a series of updates.

 

Drip marketing
Drip marketing

2. RSS feed:

RSS refers to rich site summary and uses a family of standard web feed formats to publish frequently updated information like blog entries, news headlines, audio, video and much more. An RSS document includes full or summarized text, and metadata, like publishing date and author’s name. Once a user subscribes to a website, RSS removes the need for the him/her to manually check the website for fresh, updated content. This is because the browser constantly monitors the site, informs the user of any updates and can also download the new data for the user.

RSS feed
RSS feed

3. Membership:

People loved to be treated specially. So, all you need to do is invite them into your VIP group, and give them free information so they feel a part of your club. You need to know that loyal fans and followers have the power to convert others as well.

Membership
Membership
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The customer is always right- True or false?

Customers

A couple of cliches have been ruling the customer service domain for quite a long time now. One that’s said and heard most often is- The customer is always right. With a majority of the businesses moving towards customer centricity, going above and beyond to exceed customer expectations is quite obvious. However, taking all this to an extent where the business’s growth is at stake is not at all advisable. So, the mindsets of the business owners need to rise above all these cliches or else the business is bound to face the obvious consequences. Here’s all that can go wrong when following the norm that a customer is always right:

Continue reading “The customer is always right- True or false?”