Is a WFM Audit Long Overdue in Your Contact Centre?

Unlike Quality Assurance for agents, where calls can be monitored and scored, WFM and Resource Planning teams are rarely subjected to the same kind of structured review process.

However, as organizations continue to focus on resource optimization and continuous improvement, more planning leaders are recognizing the value of taking a closer look at how their WFM function is performing – across people, processes, and technology. And even more so when they’ve recently invested in a new WFM system.

But it can be tricky to know where to start! That’s why we spoke to WFM experts Alec Bowman-Clarke and Bryce Ackerman to better understand how to approach your first WFM audit.  

Sit Down and Ask, “Have We Achieved Our Objectives With Our New WFM System?”

One of the biggest opportunities for auditing comes in the months immediately following the roll-out of a new WFM system.

Too often, organizations implement a new WFM, celebrate the roll-out, and then simply continue using the system – without revisiting whether it’s still aligned to their operational goals. But it’s a vital step!

“I’ll be honest, not many customers actually do this, but 12 months after the end of your deployment, you should sit down and go through an audit process. This should include a look at whether you’ve achieved the outcomes you were hoping for.

And this shouldn’t be a quick surface-level glance either. Rather, you should look into the detail of the configuration – unit by unit, feature by feature – and step through what you set up compared to what you intended to set up, and decide if it’s working or not.” – Alec Bowman-Clarke, WFO Consultant at Darling Solutions Ltd.

This type of audit moves beyond simply asking whether the system functions technically and focuses on core outcomes, such as:

• Did shrinkage improve as expected?
• Did forecasting accuracy increase?
• Are schedules actually working for agents?
• Has the operation achieved the business case it originally promised?

These are the questions that matter if you are to truly prove your ROI.

Speak to Your Agents About Their Experience of the New WFM System Too

And this conversation shouldn’t just happen within the Resource Planning team! It’s equally important to include all stakeholders throughout the process – especially agents, as they are typically the people most impacted by the decisions those systems produce.

So really try to set aside some time to sit down directly with your agents and ask straightforward questions about how the WFM system is working for them in practice.

This can help uncover hidden friction points that may not be obvious within performance metrics alone.

For example, a scheduling process may technically optimize coverage while simultaneously frustrating agents with unpopular rotations or inflexible shift patterns. Without open opportunities for structured feedback, however, those issues can easily go unnoticed.

For information on improving frontline and resource planning relationships, read our article: What Typically Ruins Frontline Relationships With Resource Planning?

Manual Checks Have Their Place Too (but Are Very Resource Intensive)

That being said, a WFM audit shouldn’t just be reserved for a health check on a newly deployed system, as there are plenty of other opportunities to scan for improvements.

For example, some managers take the initiative to create a manual auditing process – for example, by reviewing emails into the Planning Team that required updates within the WFM system and cross-referencing how the information was input.

“I’ve previously seen a quality check for WFM where a manager was trying to build a picture of how information was being extracted from an email and then entered into the WFM system, but it was a manual process, and it did take a lot of time.

This is because the manager was randomly selecting emails and then manually cross-referencing information to see if the information had been read and copied across as expected when entered into the WFM.” – Bryce Ackerman, Workforce Management Internal Consultant at Roche.

Use Ticketing Systems to Quantify What Needs Improvement or Additional Support

Another – less manual – approach is to utilize your ticketing system (that is, if you already have one in place) for handling reporting requests and scheduling changes, etc., as these can provide valuable operational insight.

For example, by tracking timestamps, workload volumes, completion times, and notes, you can better understand where the Planning Team spend their time and where bottlenecks may exist.

This insight can really help to create a pool of evidence – particularly for teams struggling with limited resources – and demonstrate workload realities with hard evidence, instead of relying purely on anecdotal arguments. All of which can strengthen the case for additional support and investment.

Ask Your Planning Team What They Think They Should Be Scored Against

Whichever approach you take, be mindful of the risks of imposing an audit structure from the top down, as this can massively backfire. Instead, involve your planners directly in the process.

After all, workforce management professionals are often some of the most analytical people in the business – so why not start the auditing process with the question “What areas should we explore to get a clearer picture of what’s going well and what isn’t?”

This collaborative approach can also help remove some of the fear often associated with audits, so teams become active participants in designing a fair and useful process – rather than feeling scrutinized.

It also encourages planning teams to apply their analytical thinking internally – identifying what should be measured and what to look at to create the biggest opportunities for continuous improvement.

Don’t Forget to Document the Process and Celebrate Your Progress

The final – and arguably most important – piece of the puzzle is to document the process thoroughly and create a rulebook for future reference.

Audits Help Build Trust and Visibility Across the Operation

Ultimately, one of the biggest benefits of auditing is the confidence it creates – as the process is not about pretending everything is perfect. In fact, openly acknowledging areas for improvement is often what earns credibility.

When planning teams can clearly explain what is working, what is not, and what they intend to improve next, they position themselves as strategic partners – rather than back-office administrators.

Have You Ever Done a WFM Audit With Your Planning Team?

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With thanks to the following people for sharing their thoughts for this article:

• Alec Bowman-Clarke, WFO Consultant at Darling Solutions Ltd
• Bryce Ackerman, Workforce Management Internal Consultant at Roche

If you are looking for more information on conducting audits in your contact centre, read these articles next:

• Building a Customer Experience Audit
• How to Conduct a Skills Audit and Coaching Plan
• How to Complete an Audit on Your Current KPIs

Author: Megan Jones
Reviewed by: Jo Robinson