A roster is a schedule that assigns agents to specific shifts based on their skills and the shift templates associated with their profiles. It ensures that the right agents are available at the right times to handle customer interactions efficiently.
How to Calculate Roster
Calculating a roster involves several steps:
Identify Agent Skills: Determine the specific skills each agent possesses.
Define Shift Templates: Create shift templates that outline the required coverage and skills needed for each time period.
Match Agents to Shifts: Assign agents to shifts based on their skills and availability, ensuring that all required skills are covered for each shift.
Why Roster Matters
A well-constructed roster is important because:
Optimizes Resource Utilization: Ensures that agents with the right skills are available when needed.
Improves Customer Service: Reduces wait times and improves the quality of service by having skilled agents available.
Enhances Employee Satisfaction: Provides agents with predictable schedules and appropriate workloads.
Factors Influencing Roster
Several factors can influence the effectiveness of a roster, including:
Agent Availability: The number of agents available and their preferred working hours.
Skill Requirements: The specific skills needed to handle different types of customer interactions.
Call Volume Patterns: The expected volume of customer interactions during different times of the day or week.
Regulatory Requirements: Compliance with labor laws and regulations regarding working hours and breaks.
Strategies to Improve Roster
To improve your roster, consider the following strategies:
Use Workforce Management Software: Automate the scheduling process to ensure optimal coverage.
Regularly Review and Adjust: Continuously monitor performance and adjust the roster as needed to address changing demands.
Incorporate Flexibility: Allow for flexible scheduling options to accommodate agent preferences and unexpected changes.
Provide Training: Ensure agents are cross-trained in multiple skills to increase flexibility in scheduling.
Related Terms
Shift Planning: The process of creating work schedules for employees.
Workforce Management (WFM): A set of processes used to optimize the productivity of employees.
Skill-Based Routing: Directing customer interactions to agents based on their specific skills.
Conclusion
A well-designed roster is essential for ensuring that customer service operations run smoothly and efficiently. By understanding and implementing effective rostering practices, organizations can optimize resource utilization, improve customer service, and enhance employee satisfaction.
How NICE is Redefining Customer Experience
NICE offers the industry’s only unified AI platform for customer service automation. CXone Mpower revolutionizes how organizations automate customer service from start to finish—with channels, data, end-to-end workflows, and enterprise knowledge converging to improve customer experience at scale. With domain specific AI trained on the industry’s largest CX dataset, an open framework with endless integration possibilities, and a complete suite of advanced AI applications, CXone Mpower is one platform built for organizations of all sizes to deliver seamless customer service experiences, boost operational efficiency, and drive better outcomes.
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