Recruiting and retaining skilled Real-Time Analysts (RTAs) has always been one of the biggest challenges for contact centres. I’ve seen it firsthand and I’d bet most of you have too. The RTA role is critical. This often small but mighty team keeps customer service levels on track, protects employee wellbeing and helps avoid unnecessary cost blowouts. But here’s the catch: they’re often some of the most junior people on your planning team. That means onboarding is steep, support is limited and turnover is high.
So, whether you’re looking for a new RTA or just looking to improve your current setup, here are a few strategies to help you future-proof your Real-Time function in FY26.
Rethink the Way You Resource Real-Time
Let’s be honest. Does anyone else find it odd that the part of Workforce Planning most connected to your frontline and with arguably the biggest daily impact, is often staffed by your newest team members?
A great RTA needs to:
- Understand the drivers of call volume and workload.
- Interpret staffing requirements and scheduled coverage.
- Explain real-time impacts and recovery options to senior stakeholders.
- Remain calm and professional under pressure.
Now, I’m not saying you should move your best forecasters straight into Real-Time. But there’s huge value in blending skills across the team.
Picture this: Your most experienced planners rotate through the Real-Time desk, working directly with forecasters and schedulers to spot issues early. They’ll support decision-making and have the confidence to talk with stakeholders about what’s really happening in the queues.
You also reveal:
- Cross-skilling opportunities across the wider planning team.
- Built-in support for new RTAs, including coaching and mentoring.
- A stronger pipeline of future leaders with real operational exposure.
Embedding experienced planners into real-time roles not only enhances operational efficiency but also fosters a more engaged workforce, as discussed in our article on Building a Modern Engagement-Centric Workforce
It’s also worth thinking about succession planning here. When junior RTAs get to work alongside experienced planners, they build not only skills but context. That exposure helps ease the steep learning curve and gives them more confidence in those tough stakeholder chats. Over time, this makes your Real-Time function more resilient and less dependent on individual star performers.
Let Technology Handle the Repetitive Work
One of the first lessons I learned in WFM? Nothing ever goes to plan.
When things go off track, your Real-Time team usually becomes the fallback. Cancelling meetings, shifting schedules and rebooking coaching sessions. All of this takes time away from the most important job: managing queue performance.
That’s where automation can help. The more you let technology manage low-value, repeatable tasks, the more your team can focus on meaningful decisions.
Take Intradiem, for example. It’s a rules-based engine that monitors agent behaviour in real time. If someone is spending too long in After Call Work, on hold, or away from their desk, it can send them a nudge. If queues are quiet, it can automatically deliver coaching or training without needing to reschedule anything manually.
It means your Real-Time team can focus on the why behind performance. Why are things running well today? What needs to happen to prepare for tomorrow? What changes should we make now?
Even better, Intradiem can manage the entire off-phone activity process, end-to-end. That includes scheduling and rescheduling coaching sessions without the need for planner intervention. Agents get their well-earned break from the phones, and planners stay focused on the bigger picture.
With the right setup, you may be able to delay or avoid hiring extra Real-Time staff. For more on how automation can support live planning, check out our article on Real-Time Management Automation.
There are other areas where automation can support the real-time function too. For example, agent adherence alerts, shrinkage tracking or automated intraday reforecasting can all be partially or fully managed with the right configuration. The goal isn’t to replace your Real-Time team, it’s to remove friction so they can focus on the exceptions, not the routine.
Build a Planning Team That Sticks Around
Getting a good RTA through the door is just step one. Keeping them? That’s where the real work begins.
The best WFP teams I’ve seen don’t just attract good people. They train them properly, build their confidence, and create a reason to stay.
For Planners:
Too many teams rely on hand-me-down knowledge. Targeted, structured training helps remove bad habits and closes knowledge gaps.
- Stakeholder Engagement Skills
Help your team lead meetings, respond to objections, and build credibility with operations.
For Team Leaders:
Time after time, we see people join this course thinking it’s not for them. By the end, they’re amazed at what they didn’t know. They leave with a better understanding of how contact centres really work and why planners do what they do.
- Targeted System Training
Just focus on the features they’ll actually use. This helps them engage more effectively with the WFP team.
And don’t forget onboarding:
Go beyond basic shadowing. A proper onboarding program should include:
- A clear understanding of how contact centres and WFM work
- Ongoing support and mentorship from experienced planners
- Transparent career development pathways
Once your team is up and running, keep investing in their growth. Look at:
- Industry certifications and professional courses, like Workforce Management for Real-Time Analysts
- Cross-training opportunities across the business
- Leadership and mentoring roles for experienced team members
If your planning team includes a mix of different shifts that need to cover seven days and a long span of operating hours, make sure your development opportunities are accessible to all. Offering recorded training, flexible learning options, or peer-led refreshers can go a long way in making every team member feel valued.
And of course, make sure your remuneration is competitive. It matters.
Improving your Real-Time Planning function doesn’t always mean more headcount. Sometimes, it means embedding senior skills into your daily delivery, investing in automation, and creating a better environment that people want to stay in.
While each contact centre is different, the principles of building a sustainable and effective Real-Time function are consistent: empower your people, support them with smart tools, and never underestimate the value of clear communication and practical training. With the right foundation in place, your RTA team can become one of the most valuable parts of your daily operations.
At Call Design, we’re all about building confident, capable planning teams. If you’d like to explore how our training, software or consulting can support your contact centre, reach out for a chat. We’d love to help.
Written by Simon Clements, Customer Success Consultant, Call Design
