Call Center Workforce Management Principles Questions and Answers

Question 1

A Workforce Management analyst is using the Erlang C formula. Which of the following is the primary output calculated by this model?

Accepted Answer

The precise number of agents required to meet a service level goal

Answer

The number of calls that will be abandoned

Answer

The percentage of agent time that will be unproductive (shrinkage)

Answer

The long-term forecast of call volume for the next fiscal year

Question 2

A call center manager needs to schedule 100 agents to be available to handle calls. The center has a calculated shrinkage of 30%. Approximately how many agents must the manager actually employ to meet the requirement?

Accepted Answer

143

Answer

100

Answer

130

Answer

70

Question 3

The 'Power of One' is a critical workforce management principle that explains how:

Accepted Answer

The addition or subtraction of a single agent has a disproportionately large impact on service level and wait times.

Answer

A single dissatisfied customer can impact brand reputation through social media.

Answer

The first call of the day sets the performance standard for an agent.

Answer

One highly skilled agent can handle the workload of two average agents.

Question 4

A WFM team is developing a forecast for incoming call volume based on historical data from the past two years. They are looking for a method that identifies patterns, trends, and seasonality. Which of the following is a common forecasting method used for this purpose?

Accepted Answer

Time-Series Analysis

Answer

Erlang C Analysis

Answer

Root Cause Analysis

Answer

SWOT Analysis

Question 5

During the afternoon, a real-time analyst notices that the call volume is 25% higher than forecasted, and the service level has dropped to 60% against a target of 80/20. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate immediate action for an intraday manager to take?

Accepted Answer

Request overtime from off-duty agents or deploy all-hands-on-deck protocols.

Answer

Begin coaching agents who have low schedule adherence.

Answer

Revise the forecast for the same day next week.

Answer

Send a report to senior management detailing the forecast variance.

Question 6

An agent is scheduled to work from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. They arrive late at 9:15 AM but stay until 5:15 PM to make up the time. Which statement best describes this agent's performance?

Accepted Answer

Low adherence and high conformance.

Answer

High adherence and high conformance.

Answer

High adherence and low conformance.

Answer

Low adherence and low conformance.