Are Non-Scheduled Agents the Answer to Seasonal Peaks?

Managing seasonal peaks and troughs across the year is a challenge many contact centres face. But when Sun Country Airlines were experiencing this exact issue, their Senior Director of Customer Service decided to experiment with a creative solution – introducing a group of non‑scheduled agents. And with impressive results!

To find out more, we spoke to Jeremy Hyde about just what it took to roll out this initiative, as well as how it ultimately created a win–win of increased flexibility for agents AND better coverage at peak times.

They Created a Pool of Part‑Time Agents Known Internally as “Floaters”

High variability in contact volumes is a challenge, but for Sun Country Airlines, the swings are especially pronounced thanks to peak travel seasons and the impact of extreme weather incidents across the year.

So, rather than relying solely on traditional scheduling, they created a pool of part‑time agents known internally as “floaters”.

These agents don’t follow a fixed weekly roster. Instead, they make up their hours by choosing from shifts that are available in the workforce management tool or pick up the shifts that other agents want to trade away.

In practice, floaters typically sign up for 7–8 hours in quieter periods and can work up to 20 hours a week during peaks; effectively tripling their output when the airline needs them most.

This supports a flexible model that allows the contact centre to scale labour up and down – without costly hiring cycles or chronic understaffing.

This Was Made Possible by Their Remote Working Strategy, Eliminating the Constraints of an On‑Site Schedule

The remote nature of their operation made this kind of flexibility possible – and desirable! Remote work eliminated the constraints of an on‑site schedule and opened the door to experimenting with part‑time, self‑managed hours.

“We tried this approach because we’re 100% remote and that gives us freedom to do things that might be hard in a physical environment.

As we see such big swings in volume – slow, busy, slow again – we wanted a way to flex labour without being overstaffed or under-resourced throughout the year.

So we decided to ring-fence a group of agents with no set schedule. They are part-time, they pick up hours that are posted or trade hours with others, and only during our very busiest times do we assign set shifts.

For the rest of the year, they work when the hours are there, and that flexibility helps the overall organization.” – Jeremy Hyde

It’s important to note that floaters still operate within a framework designed to meet service goals. They just aren’t tied to a schedule that assumes every week looks the same.

This Initiative Supports the Wider Team Too

The initiative has been in place for approximately 6 months and already one of the most telling benefits isn’t just in flexibility, it’s in how this system supports the wider team.

For example, agents who need to trade hours or adjust their own schedules find that floaters readily fill those gaps, reducing last‑minute call‑outs and attendance issues.

In turn, managers see greater reliability: when a schedule lists X number of agents, it’s much more likely that those numbers will be met. The knock‑on effect is improved service continuity and reduced pressure on workforce planners.

There Were Some Initial Challenges Around Planning Regular Coaching Sessions

Of course, no initiative is without its teething problems.

One of the most immediate and obvious challenges was around professional development.

Quite simply, because floaters don’t have fixed schedules, managers initially found it tougher to plan regular coaching and one‑on‑one development sessions.

Without knowing when these agents would be online, it was difficult to guarantee consistent touchpoints. However, this was relatively easy to fix!

Another minor discomfort for some managers, particularly in workforce planning, was the perceived loss of control.

As floaters choose when they work, that felt unfamiliar in an environment built on schedule adherence.

But, as the system has matured, managers have found that this discomfort has eased somewhat and been replaced by confidence that the right blend of structure and autonomy actually improves coverage – without undermining control.

The Initiative Has Proven Such a Success, Plans Are in Place to Scale It Up

Looking ahead, the early success of the initiative has encouraged Sun Country Airlines to expand it. Currently, less than 10% of the workforce are floaters, but plans are in place to scale this model further.

This next phase is set to involve scoping out potential interest from their pool of scheduled agents, calculating the impact on hours, and backfilling traditional part‑time roles with new hires as floaters grow.

Interestingly enough, the aim is not to change overall payroll or headcount – rather it’s to increase the pool of trained agents available for both predictable and unpredictable demand spikes.

In practical terms, this means better coverage during peak seasons, weather events, and unexpected volume surges – all without forcing rigid scheduling.

Do You Have Non-Scheduled Agents in Your Contact Centre?

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With thanks to Jeremy Hyde, Senior Director of Customer Service at Sun Country Airlines, for taking the time to share his experiences for this article.

For more information on contact centre WFM, read these articles next:

• Shaping the Future: 2026 Priorities for WFM Professionals
• Get the Best Out of Your Hybrid Agents
• The Secrets to Scheduling Multiskilled Agents

Author: Megan Jones
Reviewed by: Jo Robinson