Simulation for IntradayManagement

Dr Matt Gardner

CACI Ltd

Overview

• What is Simulation

• How does Simulation Work

• Why use Simulation

• Intraday Management Case Studies

– Unexpected call volume

– Request for training

– Centre downtime

• Integration with WFM

• Conclusions

What is a Simulation Model?

“a virtual model of business processes and their interaction withresources and workload…”

“…designed to allow experimentation with any aspect of operation inorder to determine the performance of the business under different

scenarios.”

Processes

Workload

Resources

Performance

Service Level

Throughput

Queue Times

How does Simulation Work?

• Contact Centre Simulation• Accurate Call by Call simulation

– Calls• Skill, Handle Time, Priority

– Agents• Skill Set, Schedule, Efficiencies

• Calls are routed to agents in the same way asswitches / ACD

• The simulation model measures “who did whatand when” which leads to– Queue lengths, service levels, resource utilisation,

throughput, queue time…..

Inputs and Outputs

•StaffingHandle times

Schedules

Skill Groups

•Call VolumesBy Skill

•Call RoutingBy Skill

•Call AbandonmentBy Skill

•Service Level

•Calls in SLA

•ASA

•AHT

•Queue Length

•Calls Abandoned

•Calls Redialled

•Utilisation

Why use simulation?

Problem Solved?

High Accuracy (SL<5%)Questionable Accuracy

Future ProofNot Future Proof

Easy Retrospective AnalysisNo Retrospective Analysis

Extends to Call TransfersNo Call Transfers

Includes AbandonmentNo Abandonment

Extends to MultiskillingNo Multiskilling

Distribution of Handle TimesAverage Handle Time

Calls Distributed DynamicallyCall Routing % Split

Simple To UseError Prone

After SimulationBefore Excel/Erlang-C

CCWorkshop

Scenario 1 – Unexpected Call Volume

• Multi-site, multi-skilled contact centre– Broadband, Narrowband, Talk

– Service and Support

– Birmingham, Leeds, Mumbai

• 9am – Revised forecast received– What is impact on grade of service?

– What can be done to mitigate impact?

• 10am – Further revision to forecast– What is impact on grade of service?

– What can be done to mitigate impact?

Scenario 1 – Unexpected Call Volume

• 09:00 am - Revised forecast received

• Re-run simulation

• 09:02 am Assess impact– SVL, ASA, Abandonment

• No action taken – monitor situation

Scenario 1 – Unexpected Call Volume

• 10:00 am – Further revision

• 10:02 am - Significant impact

• Action required – reallocate resource

Scenario 1 – Unexpected Call Volumes

• Reallocation of skilled resource from quieter area andpostponement of training sessions– 7% increase in head count > service acceptable

• Communicate service level expectations

Scenario 2 –Training Request

• 08:00 am - Training request received– What is impact if we take team off the phones

• Between 09-10?

• Between 11-12?

• Between 15-16?

• 08:05 am – Assess Impact– 3 scenarios with different training times

• Best time 1500-1600Service Level Impact

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0900-1000 1100-1200 1500-1600

SVL baseline

SVL training

ASA Impact

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

0900-1000 1100-1200 1500-1600

ASA baseline

ASA training

ABN Impact

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0900-1000 1100-1200 1500-1600

ABN baseline

ABN training

Scenario 3 – Centre Downtime

• 11:00 am - Birmingham goes down

– Expected to last an hour

– What is impact

• 11:02 am – Re-run simulation

– Assess impact

• 11:04 am - Develop and test strategy

– Communicate impact

Scenario 3 – Centre Downtime

• Calls overflow to Leeds– Strong skills mix with Birmingham

– Mumbai only handles a subset of calls

• ASA 60 seconds, max 5 minutes

• Message on IVR to warn customers in Leeds– Assume 30% reduction in calls waiting

– Monitor impact

SVL

01020304050

60708090

100

Baseline Downtime Downtime with

Message

SVL

Intraday Management

• Baseline model– Forecast call volumes

– Scheduled FTE

– Target handle times

• Assess impact of change

• Test strategies to contain impact

• Communicate impact– Customers

– Staff

Integration with WFM

• CCWorkshop can be fully integrated with WFM andTelephony systems– Cisco ICM

– IMAJ

– Excel

Conclusion

• Simulation

– enables accurate intraday management

• and longer term planning / retrospective analysis

– is the only modelling approach that can dealwith complexity of modern contact centres

• Skills, call routing, abandonment

– increases understanding and performance ofyour contact centre

– is complementary to WFM and is easy to use

Any Questions?

Contact Dr Matt Gardner

mgardner@caci.co.uk

www.caci.co.uk/ccw

For further information please come and see us in thevendor area.