Workforce management (WFM) technology has moved on leaps and bounds in the last 5 or 6 years so how confident are you that the system you bought into years ago is still fit for purpose in today’s challenging and complex customer environment? We outline four key areas below that could signal it’s time for a change. 1. Struggling to schedule and forecast for non phone-based interactions Can your existing WFM system plan, forecast and schedule agents to cover multiple contact types including email, web chat, social media and SMS? Customers today are evermore fickle, transient and demanding and the very best customer service operations are incorporating a blended resource planning and workforce planning strategy to deliver consistent service levels across all contact types. The ability to multi-skill not only optimises resource but also provides greater variety of work types for the agent. 2.Agents are unable to self-service and manage own workforce planning schedules Agent attrition can be high and difficult to manage within acceptable levels, there is a lot of industry research to support the belief that agent empowerment and engagement impacts attrition. By empowering agents to request their own schedule changes, time off, shift swaps and view their performance, agents not only take more ownership, the contact centre can save significant time and resource in the administering of these workforce planning requests. 3.Agents cannot access schedules when they want, where they want, or on the device they want Lifestyles are changing, people are increasingly managing their life on the go, whether it’s on their smartphone on the train home checking the following days shift schedules or planning family holidays on their tablet over the weekend and seeking instant access to available holiday slots. This is another quick win on the WFM agent engagement front by shaping your contact centre around the needs of your agents, rather that it all being one way traffic. 4.You cannot easily integrate your WFM system with packages like chat tools, email management systems or payroll Linking to third party applications allows you to plan and forecast for all contact types so Workforce Management within the contact centre is not just limited to the front office. Administration is also reduced when connecting to payroll and time and attendance systems. Integration to performance management and quality metrics is also possible providing process improvement and coaching opportunities. Combining the right tools will improve forecasting, reduce administration time and offers more meaningful insight on operational performance. If you think it’s time to review your workforce management system and want some ‘no obligation’ independent advice, contact us now. Written by: Business Systems UK
Blog 28 August, 2025 What is Conversational AI? A Beginner’s Guide to Smarter CX In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver seamless and efficient customer experiences (CX). Customers expect quick responses, personalised interactions, and 24/7 availability. This is where Conversational AI comes in. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP), Conversational AI enhances customer service, automates interactions, and significantly improves operational
Blog 23 July, 2025 Mike Wardell Appointed Executive Chairman We are pleased to announce that Mike Wardell, former CEO of Business Systems Ltd, has transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman of both Business Systems and Wordwatch. This strategic move marks a significant milestone for both brands as they continue to strengthen their market-leading positions in customer contact solutions and communications governance and archiving.
Blog 16 July, 2025 Unlocking the Power of Conversation: How Interaction Analytics Is Reshaping Contact Centre Workforce Planning Contact centres are no longer just cost centres – they’re goldmines of actionable insight. And in 2025, forward-thinking customer contact leaders are discovering that the most untapped resource in their operations isn’t in headcount or tech—it’s the conversations they’re already having. Welcome to the era of interaction analytics. With the power to transform how you
Blog 8 July, 2025 From Hype to Impact: AI Strategies for Maximum ROI AI is revolutionising customer contact – but for many contact centres, the results aren’t matching the promise. Despite a surge in experimentation, too many organisations find themselves in “pilot paralysis”: high on potential, low on return. Contact centres need to adopt AI, but many are hitting the same wall: inconsistent ROI. Why? Because not all
Blog 3 June, 2025 Why Workforce Engagement is Key to Retaining Contact Centre Agents Call of Duty: Why Engaged Agents Stay in Contact Centres One repeat challenge our consultants see when we partner with new organisations is Agent retention. With increasing customer expectations, hybrid working models, and AI-driven efficiencies reshaping the contact centre industry, there is always an ongoing pressure for organisations to keep agents engaged and motivated in
Blog 15 May, 2025 How OpenAI’s o3 and o4 Mini Models are a major step forward in Conversational AI for Contact Centres The release of OpenAI’s latest large language models – o3 and o4 mini – represents a major step forward in the evolution of enterprise-grade AI for customer service. These new models are purpose-built to handle complexity, improve reasoning, and scale automation without compromising control or compliance. For contact centres looking to enhance customer experiences and
Blog 1 April, 2025 AI Agents in Contact Centres: Are You Ready for the Future? The Future of Customer Service is Here The contact centre industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Rising customer expectations, increasing operational costs, and workforce shortages are putting immense pressure on businesses to deliver seamless customer experiences while maintaining profitability. The companies that embrace AI agents today are the industry leaders of tomorrow – those that
Blog 10 February, 2025 What is Agentic AI and Why Does It Matter to You? Agentic AI is transforming contact centres by enabling systems to act autonomously, adapt to new situations, and proactively achieve goals – much like a human agent. But how does it differ from traditional automation, and why should contact centre leaders take notice? What is Agentic AI? Unlike rule-based automation, Agentic AI makes independent decisions, learns