Call Center Workforce Management Principles Questions and Answers — 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?
- The number of calls that will be abandoned
- The precise number of agents required to meet a service level goal (Correct answer)
- The percentage of agent time that will be unproductive (shrinkage)
- The long-term forecast of call volume for the next fiscal year
Correct answer: The precise number of agents required to meet a service level goal
The Erlang C formula is a foundational mathematical equation in call center workforce management used to determine the number of agents needed to handle a specific volume of calls within a certain period to achieve a desired service level. [19, 20] It models the relationship between call volume, average handle time, number of agents, and the probability of a call having to wait in a queue. [4, 5]
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?
- 100
- 130
- 70
- 143 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 143
Shrinkage is the percentage of paid time that agents are not available to handle calls, due to breaks, training, illness, etc. [13, 14] To find the total number of staff required, you divide the number of agents needed by the percentage of time they are productive (1 - shrinkage). In this case: 100 / (1 - 0.30) = 100 / 0.70 ≈ 142.86, which rounds up to 143 agents.
Question 3: The 'Power of One' is a critical workforce management principle that explains how:
- A single dissatisfied customer can impact brand reputation through social media.
- The first call of the day sets the performance standard for an agent.
- The addition or subtraction of a single agent has a disproportionately large impact on service level and wait times. (Correct answer)
- One highly skilled agent can handle the workload of two average agents.
Correct answer: The addition or subtraction of a single agent has a disproportionately large impact on service level and wait times.
The 'Power of One' principle demonstrates that the relationship between staffing and service level is not linear but exponential. [2] Especially in a busy queue, the presence or absence of just one agent can dramatically change key metrics like service level and average speed of answer. [3, 9] It highlights the importance of schedule adherence for every individual. [16]
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?
- Erlang C Analysis
- Root Cause Analysis
- Time-Series Analysis (Correct answer)
- SWOT Analysis
Correct answer: Time-Series Analysis
Time-series analysis is a statistical method that analyzes a sequence of data points collected over time. In call centers, it's used to identify historical patterns like trends and seasonality in call volumes to predict future demand. [6, 7] Common techniques within time-series analysis include moving averages and exponential smoothing. [1, 8]
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?
- Begin coaching agents who have low schedule adherence.
- Revise the forecast for the same day next week.
- Request overtime from off-duty agents or deploy all-hands-on-deck protocols. (Correct answer)
- Send a report to senior management detailing the forecast variance.
Correct answer: Request overtime from off-duty agents or deploy all-hands-on-deck protocols.
Intraday management focuses on making real-time adjustments to a contact center's operations to maintain service levels when conditions deviate from the forecast. [32] When facing a significant, unexpected spike in volume, the immediate priority is to increase the number of available agents. [33] This can be done by offering overtime, re-deploying staff from other tasks, or adjusting breaks. [33, 34]
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?
- High adherence and high conformance.
- Low adherence and high conformance. (Correct answer)
- High adherence and low conformance.
- Low adherence and low conformance.
Correct answer: Low adherence and high conformance.
Schedule Adherence measures if an agent is in the right place at the right time (e.g., on the phone when scheduled). [15, 24] Since the agent was 15 minutes late, their adherence is low. Schedule Conformance measures if the agent worked the total scheduled number of hours. Since they worked their full shift duration, their conformance is high. [24, 27]
Call Center Workforce Management Principles Questions and Answers
A Workforce Management analyst is using the Erlang C formula.
Which of the following is the primary output calculated by this model?