Supervisors Can Send New Schedules, Request Overtime without Disrupting Operations
ST. LOUIS, MO (May 6, 2003) – Pipkins Inc. today announced an industry-first Agent Notification System for its Vantage Point workforce management software that expedites intra-day schedule adjustments by enabling call center supervisors to send pop-up messages to agents’ computer screens. Messages can alert agents to schedule changes and incorporate each agent’s new schedule within the pop-up window; or send overtime requests and allow agents to respond with a click.
The optional module, available now, ensures that intra-day adjustments can be finalized and communicated quickly without any interruption to call handling. It also eliminates the need for supervisors to print and distribute new intra-day schedules, and/or talk to agents individually by phone or in person to solicit overtime hours to compensate for absences or other last-minute staffing problems.
“If a supervisor has to take the time to print and distribute a new intra-day schedule, some of the breaks and re-optimization for the day may already have been missed,” said Jim Hogan, Manager of Customer Care for Pipkins. “Our new screen pop strategy eliminates that lag time by immediately sharing schedule changes with the entire staff as well as speeding the process of obtaining overtime commitments from agents. This system can therefore play an important role in helping call centers meet their service levels.”
The new Agent Notification System complements Pipkins’ other intra-day adjustment capabilities, including intra-day forecasting and intra-day schedule re-optimization. It can also be used to send general business messages, configured to issue audible prompts notifying agents to check their computers for screen pops, and used to send information in ticker mode across the top of agents’ screens.
About Vantage Point
Pipkins’ Vantage Point workforce management software forecasts workload and schedules staff in single or multi-site call centers using a proprietary optimization algorithm, advanced skill-based modeling, and exclusive historical trend analysis that fine-tunes call volume forecasts for special events such as mail drops.
Optional modules are available for real-time adherence monitoring, Web-based agent access, Web-based time and attendance, IVR scheduling support, and now pop-up agent notification of intra-day schedule adjustments. Vantage Point is also available through WorkforceScheduling.com, Pipkins’ Web-based subscription service.
Vantage Point integrates with leading ACDs, e-mail response systems and other multimedia queuing devices for data collection across multiple sites and time zones. It also provides a full complement of default and custom reports, with an open system design that allows managers to access call center data using any third party SQL reporting package.
About Pipkins Inc.
Pipkins Inc. (PIPKINS), founded in 1984, is the leading supplier of workforce management software and services to the call center industry. Its Vantage Point product enables managers to solve the complicated operational issues in today’s multi-faceted call center environment. PIPKINS’ systems forecast and schedule more than 100,000 agents in over 300 locations across all industries worldwide. The company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, visit www.pipkins.com.