Running a successful contact center balances delivering exceptional customer experience with managing costs effectively. One of the most crucial aspects of achieving this balance is staffing the optimal number of call center agents.
By managing calls effectively, call center agents can reduce wait times and increase the number of calls they handle per hour. This leads to the call center studio ultimately saving money thanks to greater productivity and efficiency.
The success of a cloud call center software, a centralized office that handles heavy loads of incoming and outgoing client calls, depends on the quality of its workforce. The significance of call center staffing rests in its capacity to guarantee sufficient employees to answer incoming calls, reply to client enquiries and address problems, all whilst offering excellent customer service.
Understaffing can lead to poor customer experience and overstaffing can be financially wasteful, so how do you determine the optimal number of agents required in a contact center?
In this blog, we’ll discuss the formula for calculating the number of agents needed in a contact center, the call center agents’ workload formula, and how to use a call center staffing model correctly. We’ll also touch on critical factors for agent productivity, happiness, and satisfaction.
Calculate the Number of Agents Required in a Contact Center
Determining the call volume is the first step in calculating the number of agents required in a contact center. Once you know how many calls your center receives per hour, you can calculate each call’s average handling time (AHT). AHT includes:
- The time spent speaking to the customer,
- Time spent on hold,
- Any after-call work.
Once you have both the call volume and AHT, you can use the following formula to calculate the number of agents required:
Agents Required = (Call Volume x AHT) / (Work Time Available x Occupancy Rate)
Work time refers to the total time agents are available to handle calls. It is essential to factor in things like lunch breaks, training sessions, and other activities that may take agents away from their desks.
Occupancy rate is the amount of time agents spend on call-related activities. Typically, a reasonable occupancy rate is between 80% and 85%, meaning that agents spend 80% to 85% of their available time handling calls.
Contact Center Agents Workload Formula
Once you’ve calculated the number of agents required, it’s also crucial to ensure that the workload is evenly distributed among agents. One way to achieve this by is using the call center agent workload formula.
The workload formula considers the number of available agents, the number of calls, and the length of the shift. The formula is as follows:
Workload = (Number of Calls x Average Handling Time) / (Number of Available Agents x Length of Shift)
The result of this formula gives you the workload per agent. Ideally, it would be best to aim for a workload that is neither too high nor too low. If the workload is continuous, agents will feel safe and relaxed, leading to higher productivity and customer satisfaction. On the other hand, if the workload is too slow, the operation team may become bored and disengaged, leading to reduced motivation and quality of service, which also reduces team productivity.
How to Use a Call Centre Staffing Model Correctly
While the above formulas provide a general guideline for staffing your contact center, it’s important to note that every center is unique. Factors such as call types, customer demographics, and call center technology can also influence the optimal staffing level. That’s where a call center staff model comes in.
The ideal staffing level can be determined using a staffing model that considers elements specific to your location. You will need information on call volume, AHT, available work time, and occupancy rate to employ a staffing model effectively. Plugging this data into the model can determine the ideal number of agents needed.
It’s also essential to remember that staffing models are dynamic. The ideal staffing level will alter in response to changes in call volume and other variables. You should regularly examine and adjust your staffing model to ensure your center is always adequately staffed.
Agent Productivity, Happiness, and Satisfaction
While figuring out how many agents are needed in a contact center is critical for providing outstanding customer service and effectively managing expenses, it’s also crucial to consider aspects that affect agent productivity, pleasure, and satisfaction. The following are essential things to bear in mind:
- Training and Development: Supplying agents with continual training and development opportunities can boost their self-assurance and job satisfaction – eventually resulting in higher productivity and job satisfaction.
- Contact Center Technology: By utilizing the best software, operators can more effectively handle calls and streamline their work processes. This may result in happier staff members and therefore, better customer experiences.
- The workload of the agents: As already noted, ensuring that the workload is spread equally among the agents is crucial. Giving agents a realistic task can make them feel more in control and motivated, increasing their productivity and job satisfaction.
- Acknowledging and praising agents for their efforts can also significantly increase their morale and job satisfaction. This could be as straightforward as a thank-you note or as complex as an incentive scheme.
- Work-Life Balance: Ensuring agents have a positive work-life balance will help them stay motivated and avoid burnout. Flexible scheduling, telecommuting alternatives, and other work-life balance initiatives can help.
Agents can better provide excellent customer service, respond to inquiries, and deal with problems when they have enough time to handle each contact service. A contact service center with sufficient staff ensures clients’ timely and attentive service. Customers are more inclined to recommend a business to others and to return for repeat business when they are satisfied with the level of service they receive.
Wrapping Up
Staffing your contact center with the correct number of agents is critical for delivering exceptional customer experience and managing costs effectively. Using the formulas discussed in this blog and considering factors that impact agent satisfaction, agent happiness, and productivity, you can ensure that your contact center runs smoothly and efficiently. Remember to regularly review and update your staffing model to reflect changes in call volume and other factors, and always prioritize your agents’ well-being.
