01
Demand and forecasts
What contact volumes and demand patterns show, and where forecasts diverge from actual demand.
WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT
When the staffing plan works on paper but fails in practice.
I have seen accurate-looking forecasts alongside rising costs and falling service levels. A new schedule is not always the answer. First, we need to understand the gap.
Talk to Roger01
When a WFM review makes sense
Teams spend each day adjusting the plan, yet the same problems return. Staffing costs increase, service levels slip, or planning and operations cannot agree on what is causing the gap.
- The forecast looks reasonable, but the team still needs more people.
- The same gaps in staffing and service performance return week after week.
- A new WFM system is being considered before the underlying problem is clear.
02
The question determines the scope
I examine how demand, forecasts, handling time, staffing, costs and service performance fit together, working with the people who run the operation.
A review typically takes four to six weeks. We agree on the questions and available data upfront. If the data has gaps, I make those limitations clear rather than claiming false precision.
03
What you receive
You receive a clear assessment of what is driving the gap, what remains uncertain and which actions the evidence supports. The aim is to give management a sound basis for its next decision.
The review is a standalone assignment. Your team can act on the findings, ask REM to lead a separate improvement project or involve another specialist.
04
Relevant experience
In a previous leadership role, Roger and a WFM team linked actual contact volumes, forecasts, handling time, staffing, service outcomes and historical patterns. The operation handled the same contact volume with approximately 20% fewer staff.
That result came from an operation of around 450 employees in a previous role. It is not a REM client project or a savings guarantee.
05
What is outside the scope
This is not a scheduling service, a system implementation or an individual performance review. It focuses on the information, processes and decisions behind staffing and service performance.
06
Related insight
Why might you need more staff when contact volumes have barely changed? The explanation often lies in how the figures relate to one another.
Read the WFM insightTHE DECISION COMES FIRST
What needs to be clear before you make the next decision?
The scope depends on the decision you need to make. A focused review is often more useful than trying to investigate everything.
01
Why is staffing demand rising when contact volumes are relatively stable?
02
Why does the forecast consistently miss certain periods?
03
How much capacity do we really need?
04
Is the issue our WFM system or the way we use it?
05
Can we use our capacity more efficiently without creating problems elsewhere?
THE RELEVANT PARTS
Four areas to examine together.
02
Capacity, staffing and cost
How demand translates into staffing requirements, and which assumptions affect the figures.
03
Daily management and ownership
What happens when actual demand differs from the plan, and who is responsible for responding.
04
Data and operating conditions
Whether the data, processes and systems provide enough information for sound decisions.
BEFORE WE START
Common questions.
Do we need a complete set of WFM data?
No. We agree on which data matters. If information is missing, I will explain how that affects the findings.
Can an outsourced contact centre be included?
Yes. If a partner handles part of your service, its demand, staffing and performance can be included where relevant.
Does REM implement a WFM system?
Not within the review itself. We may identify system limitations, but a new system is not automatically the solution.
What happens after the review?
You receive findings and recommendations that your team can implement. If you need additional support, we can discuss a separate assignment.
What are your WFM numbers not telling you?
Tell me where the figures and the day-to-day reality do not match. We can decide whether a review would help.