CallCenterCross-trainingFramework-Wharton.pptVIP

Outline Workforce Agility via cross-training to achieve flexibility in the face of variability Why use it? Symptoms Strategy Matrix How to do it – tactical considerations Cross-training Workforce Agility Decisions 1) Recruitment: sets plan for overall characteristics of workforce and workplace. 2) Cross-Training Skill Set Design: defines which task-types each worker is qualified/authorized to perform. 3) Worker Coordination Policy (Routing): allocates workers to tasks (or tasks to workers) over time. 4) Team Structure: communication reporting, authority, learning, team problem solving, mentoring, other interactions between agents 5) Scheduling: short term planning of worker schedules and task assignments. Dimensions of Cross-training (XT) Implementation Cross-training Architecture - two basic components: Skill Set Design: specialists (no XT), nonoverlapping zones, overlapping zones (e.g. chain), full cross-training, etc. This talk de-emphasizes the second component: Agent Coordination - ROUTING: FCFS, queue/task priority, longest queue, longest wait, etc. Conceptual Model of Cross-training (XT) in Practice A mental model for thinking about XT Individuals with 1 or more skills Scheduled working hours Possibly restricted task sets utilized at specific times Matching of agent schedules to demand rates Agent schedules generate ensemble “teams” that are robust to variability/uncertainty. Worker-Task Matrix: Snapshot in Time Variability is an Important Driver There are many reasons to cross-train, but coping with variability is an operationally important ingredient. Common Variability Issues in Call/Contact Centers and Service Centers Short-term demand fluctuations Long-term demand fluctuations Product (service) life-cycle Contact length (service time) variation Scheduling difficulties, changes, and absenteeism EE turnover Patience and abandonment characteristics Variability in supporting resources (network, databases, decision support, le