4 features to look for in your next workforce planning tool

Workforce planning tools are essential to the smooth running of any contact center or back office. Choose an effective workforce planning tool and you’ll have access to a suite of human resource features that help you get the right staff in the right place at the right time. Choose an ineffective tool and you’re at risk of falling behind the competition.

When it comes time to upgrade your suite, it is essential to choose software that doesn’t just meet your needs now, but that will continue to do so long into the future. So today, we discuss what features to look for when investing in new workforce planning software.

1. A solution that is future-proofed

Business needs are always changing, and you must be able to keep up not only with the wider market, but with your own growth. By moving your business away from clunky legacy systems (like spreadsheets) to a modern, intuitive suite, you’re laying a foundation that you can build upon in the coming years.

For example, choosing a cloud-based workforce planning solution enables you to access the scalability and ease of use that is inherent with cloud tech. Cloud-based software can be installed easily into your business (requiring little to no on-site infrastructure), upgraded in a timely manner by the software host, and scaled up and down depending on how many users require access.

2. A solution that is easy to use

If your new software is hard to use, people aren’t going to use it. It’s as simple as that. And if this is the case, you’re not getting the most from your investment.

So, it’s vital that you find a suite that makes life easier. Take Alvaria WFM for example. Alvaria WFM is one of the global leaders in workforce management and planning not only for its functionality, but its usability too. The user interface is designed to be fast to learn and quick to use, pulling inspiration from common UI designs such as those from Microsoft, Apple and Google.

3. A solution you can use on any device

The modern office is a multi-device office. Your workforce planners are using multiple devices everywhere in their lives, so why not at work too? In fact, a combined Frost & Sullivan/Samsung report found that enabling staff to use smartphones at work can increase their productivity by 34 percent.

Combine your next workforce planning suite like Alvaria WFM with a user-based mobile app such as Call Design’s ME. This would allow staff to access the software from their mobile device even if they are out of office, without sacrificing the security or administrative oversight that on-site software would provide.

4. A solution that packs bang for buck

Finally, like any major software investment, your next workforce planning tool must come packed with a host of modern features. That means strong, data-backed forecasting and scheduling, accurate productivity and performance monitoring, and robust leave management and shift swapping – all the foundations of any good contact center or back office success story.

At Call Design, we believe Alvaria WFM is the tool for the job. And we back that decision with expertise – we have vast amounts of experience in the workforce optimization and management space, with a team of consultants who have an average 15+ years of experience. If you’d like to find out more about how Alvaria WFM and Call Design’s accompanying apps can help you business, contact us today.