8 Questions you should ask your WFM vendor

Workforce management (WFM) technology provides the necessary means to maintain a productive and skilled workforce. Having the right resource, in the right place, at the right time is vital in ensuring your organisation builds a reputable and positive customer experience whilst workforce planning.

You’re probably aware that there is a number of different WFM solutions and WFM vendors available to choose from in the marketplace. Sometimes you may even feel spoilt for choice. So how do you decide which of these solutions and vendors are best for you?

As an independent reseller, here at Business Systems (UK) Ltd, we have come across numerous questions raised by potential Workforce Management buyers that could be useful when looking for the perfect solution to fit your business needs. We wanted to share this valuable insight with you.

Here are 8 questions you should be asking your WFM vendor

1. Can the WFM solution forecast email, web-chat, social and any other channel you operate in? Consider how important this function will be if you operate in a multi-channel environment and how you will need it for workforce planning.
2. How automated is the forecasting? A good WFM solution should help you reduce admin work and efficient workforce planning. Can agents monitor their own performance and can you re-optimise on the day and move the staff around? These are all necessary questions to consider.
3. Do you offer a hosted/cloud version? If so – great… but consider whether there are any functionality differences to on premise?
4. Does the WFM solution have an agent portal and if so what is the functionality? Can the agent access it from the comfort of their own home and does it have a mobile/tablet view? Any WFM technology worth considering will have systems that support and promote agent engagement. In order to be truly useful, agents should be able to access their portal when and how most convenient for them.
5. What are the cost options? Capex or monthly charge? How long does it take to pay back the investment and what are the main benefits of this option?
6. Once invested in the technology, how much training is required? It’s important to consider how intuitive the platform will be and whether it will be quickly adopted into your workforce.
7. How does the Workforce Management platform you are considering fit in the market place? Consider the roadmap for this product. You want to make sure that the product you are about to purchase will not need to be substituted in the near future and is early on its production life.
8. How often is the product refreshed with a new release? As Q7 above mentions, it’s vital for your WFM solution to stay relevant and continue to support your needs with time.

So there you have it – We’ve outlined just a few of the questions that you should keep in mind when you begin considering a new WFM solution and a new WFM vendor.