The Magnificent Seven – A review of Workforce Management in 2017 by Teleopti

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prping

London, UK, December 21, 2017 – Things are looking up for WFM in contact centers if the bold statement by DMG Consulting is anything to go by.[i] President Donna Fluss says that “after more than 20 years of little innovation, the WFM vendors are waking up, and there are significant changes in this sector. Companies are taking notice of the enhancements and will invest if the new generation of WFM solutions lives up to the vendors’ claims.” DMG also expected the WFM market to grow by 8% in 2017 and 2018 and by 9% in 2019, 2020 and 2021, adding that the rate of growth could increase if the pace of innovation picks up.

Teleopti’s own take on what’s happening in the industry is equally as upbeat with technologies such as self-service, Webchat and Chatbots making giant strides. To help put everything in perspective, here is a review of our 2017 blogs covering the seven hottest topics of the year.

The magnificent seven

Changing priorities – making life easier for customers – today’s customers are not prepared to wait. Studies reveal that 45% of consumers are likely to abandon an online transaction if their questions or concerns are not addressed quickly.[ii] Winning contact centers are those that deliver quick fixes, instant results and exceptional customer satisfaction.

Mapping the customer and agent journey in parallel – the world of customer service has massively evolved in the last two decades. Gone are the days where a toll-free number was the only option for communicating with a company’s customer-service representatives. To create an exceptional customer experience, organizations must provide optimal service across all touchpoints by constantly evolving the way they manage their agents.

Giving employees a voice – According to industry analysts Gartner,[iii] “The impact a motivated and engaged employee can have, not just on operational performance but also on the customer experience, should not be underestimated.” Organizations need to transition from simply optimizing their contact center staff to truly motivating and engaging them. It’s time to take Workforce Engagement Management (WEM) seriously.

Homeworking – there’s firm proof that a work from anywhere’ environment supported by WFM benefits customers, employees and the business. For example, organizations that use split or micro-shifts are likely to reduce labor costs by 15%-20%[iv] and companies that offer flexible working[v] are rewarded with a staggering improved employee retention rate of 30%.

Agent preferences vs. shift bidding – resource planners are under constant pressure to achieve the best balance between what agents want to work and the forecasted needs of their contact center. Traditionally, they relied on shift bidding – releasing the schedule of shifts on offer and asking agents to bid for the shifts they wanted[vi] – often time-consuming, inflexible and stressful for agents. Thanks to automation, the latest WFM functionality allows agents to enter their own preferences for shifts and days off, making it empowering for agents and time-saving for contact center leaders.

Time-off-without-pay (TOWP) – with so much talk about flexible working and the reality of squeezed budgets, it would be hard to ignore the often contentious areas of zero and reduced hours in contact centers. Learn to understand the psychology of work and then use WFM technology strategically to better control staff costs and provide a guaranteed, steady income for agents.

Customer experience in the next 5 years – global analyst firm Forrester[vii] claims that 72% of businesses name improving customer experience as their top priority. To win, contact center leaders should start by embracing the new service culture, creating a truly omnichannel environment, introducing self-service, automating routine tasks and humanizing the workplace to deliver best practices.

Are you ready for the challenges and opportunities waiting for you in 2018? Take time to study the past to create a successful future -view Teleopti’s complete series of blogs and white papers that cover the industry’s hottest topics by visiting www.teleopti.com

[i] https://www.dmgconsult.com/dmg-consulting-releases-2017-contact-center-workforce-management-product-and-market-report/

[ii] https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/10/customer-service-stats-55-of-consumers-would-pay-more-for-a-better-service-experience.html

[iii] Magic Quadrant for Workforce Engagement Management, published 19th January 2017, ID: G00297271, analysts Jim Davies, Drew Kraus

https://www.gartner.com/doc/3576217/magic-quadrant-workforce-engagement-management

[iv] https://www.teleopti.com/piece/37533/55062/future-of-work-en.aspx

[v] https://www.teleopti.com/piece/37533/55062/future-of-work-en.aspx

[vii] https://www.forrester.com/72+Of+Businesses+Name+Improving+Customer+Experience+Their+Top+Priority/-/E-PRE9109

Press Contact:

Mary Phillips

PR Artistry

Lower Woodend Barns Fawley Henley-on-Thames OXON

1491639500

mary@pra-ltd.co.uk

http://www.teleopti.com/

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Submitted by: Megan Hazel

Emergencies of some kind occur on a daily basis, sometimes several times in the same day. It should come as no surprise that the key to surviving an emergency is being prepared. Chaos and confusion can quickly turn a bad situation into a devastating one. This is true for both the home and the workplace as well. Emergencies are high stress situations, and can be made significantly worse by having not being prepared. The best way to combat this is to have a plan ready to enact should an emergency arise.

Emergency Response plans are a requirement for any workplace. Even fire departments and police stations must have an emergency response plan in place should an emergency occur within their building. These plans, of course, look much different than most businesses emergency plans, whether small or large, but they are still a requirement. Planning and training phases, though, mean nothing on paper. These plans must be studied, understood, and practiced by employees.

When putting together an emergency response plan for a small business, it is important to address those emergencies that are most likely to occur first and work back from those kinds of situations. For instance, a business in a warm climate should not focus all of their energy on a plan for a major blizzard or ice storm. Moreover, a company in a landlocked, northern location does not need to spend as much time on a plan for a hurricane.

Geography plays a large role in the planning process, but the nature of the business must factor in, as well. A company that deals with large sums of money in cash must be concerned with the threat of a robbery. A business that deals with chemicals must be prepared for spills or reactions. Knowing the dangers inherent in the business is vital in the planning process. Fires are a possibility for any business. These should be addressed early in the planning stages. The evacuation procedure for a fire may be similar to many other evacuations. This section of the plan can then be expanded to develop the plans for other kinds of emergencies.

A good plan will also help emergency crews when they arrive on scene. A well thought out and practiced plan may help conserve property damage as well. Steps like closing interior doors when leaving might help control the spread of fire or chemicals. This one step, which may viewed as a small detail, could save the business owner a significant amount of money.

A common meeting place for all employees also helps with getting an accurate head count to make sure everyone is out. An important part of any emergency response plan is to have designated exits for all locations within the building and to mark these clearly. An escape route sign must be located by all doors. Keeping exits clear and accessible is also essential.

Some employees may be designated, in certain emergencies, to stay back and begin the emergency response. This may include a hazardous materials team that is trained and properly equipped to handle small spills. It may be an employee with emergency response training who does a quick sweep of the building with respiratory protection. These duties must be clearly spelled out in the plan, and training and equipment must be supplied. These are extreme cases and should be coordinated with local emergency crews.

The plan must clearly define what an emergency is and what employees, in each of the various jobs or locations, is expected to do. They must be trained in the plan so they know their duties and expectations. Practicing various aspects of the emergency response plan is a key component, as well. Confusion is reduced by practicing and the comfort level rises. Not all aspects of the plan must be practiced, but the most likely scenarios, and the most extreme, should be drilled.

An emergency response plan is not going to cover every possible emergency. It should address the most likely scenarios and then have a general plan in place for major disasters. The evacuation will be much the same for a fire as for a chemical spill. A major storm may require “sheltering-in-place”, just as a major hazardous material incident outside the building might. A general plan in place for all emergencies will help build a basic understanding of what is expected. Additional roles and responsibilities may come into play for more specific emergencies. A person should be designated in charge in any situation where the plan is called into play. This person would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the plan and communicating with emergency crews. A “second-in-charge” should also be designated, or a regular chain or command established, should the first person be unable to perform their duties.

Coordinating with local emergency crews and setting up drills is a good way to practice, and adapt the plan. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has training available to help small businesses develop and implement a good emergency response plan. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration also offers guidance in helping with this planning process.

About the Author: Megan Hazel is a freelance writer who writes about topics concerning planning, safety preparedness and demonstrations for emergency response such as

efilmgroup.com/Safety

Training Videos | Terrorism Response Videos

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Tart Cherry Concentrate – The Latest Trend of the Year 2011

by

Vernon VanDree

Tart cherry products are all the rage lately. Since nationally distributed More magazine naming cherry juice as one of the hottest trends of 2010; Dr. Oz talking about the health benefits of this small bright red fruit, no wonder more arthritis pain sufferers are seeking out the tart cherry. So with all of this attention being shown upon this Northern Michigan grown super fruit, it makes sense to uncover more about this unique arthritis pain soothing fruit. One of the most popular type of this product is the liquid cherry juice concentrate. So with all of this attention on this fruit, what should consumers look for to make a good purchasing decision?

Here are a few things to think about when purchasing a tart cherry juice product:

The following are five critical areas consumers need to look for when making a tart cherry juice concentrate purchase: the type of cherry, the quality, the taste, the packaging and finally a sediment-free money-back guarantee.

The Type of Cherry: Most of the research you read about the joint pain combating ability of tart cherries and cherry juice has been conducted on the Montmorency tart cherry. It is true other varieties of the cherries exist including the black cherry, Balaton and Rainer, the variety of fruit that has the majority of published research is the Montmorency tart cherry. Although the Montmorency tart cherry juice is a little more expensive than sweet cherry juice, the published research supports the ability of the red cherry to combat joint pain due to arthritis and gout.

The Quality: Not all cherry juice concentrate products are the same quality. 1 vital measurement of the quality for tart cherry juice concentrate is the Brix amount (pronounced bricks). Brix is the measurement of the level of naturally occurring fructose in the product. The highest marker for tart cherry juice is sixty-eight Brix. Make sure to know the brix amount in any tart cherry product you purchase. This number is more than likely printed on the product label or published on the company website. If the brix level is lower than sixty-eight brix, you probably need to think about the overall quality of the final product.

The Taste: Just Like all consumable products, taste profile is vital. Cherry juice is packaged in plastic bottles, aluminum cans with plastic liners and glass bottles. Based on research funded by the cherry industry, subject in a study liked the overall taste of cherry juice packaged in the glass bottles over the product in plastic and aluminum bottles. Based upon results of the study, people told the researchers the cherry juice bottled in the glass bottles provided a more crisp taste profile. One of the reasons this is true is it could be the fact that the glass bottles prevent plastic leaching. Leaching is a byproduct of products being bottled in plastic and the juice itself actually absorbs the plastic molecules directly from the plastic bottle. Plastic Leaching is not a concern for cherry juice bottled in glass.

The Packaging: 2 varities of cherry juice production for cherry juice products are available: cold-packed and hot-packed. Below is a basic explanation of both:

Cold-packed – The cherry juice concentrate is taken from a 52 gallon drum and pumped into individual plastic bottles. In addition, many of the cherry companies selling cold-packed cherry juice indicate cold-packed cherry juice must be refrigerated. That is the reason the majority of the tart cherry juice concentrate juices are only available in the refrigerated section of your local grocery stores. Cold-packing is also the less costly way to produce cherry juice concentrate since some companies actually fill their plastic bottles over a utility sink by hand.

Hot-packed – The cherry juice is taken from a 52 gallon drum, flash pasteurized, and then bottled into the bottles. Hot-packed cherry juice concentrate is shelf-stable and doesn’t require refrigeration for shipping, storage or until the bottle is opened. After the final product is open it does need to be refrigerated. Hot-packed cherry juice can be shipped without refrigeration and is shelf stable. The hot-pack production process is very similar to the canning process where all of the oxygen is removed from the bottle.

Unfortunately, a few companies lead the buyer to belief that cold-packed juice is not heated (pasteurized). This is simply not true. Cherry juice concentrate is stored in 52 gallon drums and before the cherry juice is pumped in these drums, the product is flash pasteurized. Thus if a company simply pumps the cherry juice from the 52 gallon drums and individually fills the plastic bottles, cherry juice has been heated. If a company says their product is cold-packed and has not been heated, they probably are not be telling the entire truth.

The Stability: Product stability is vital not only for shipping purposes but also storage. The vast majority of companies selling cherry juice are offering the product cold-packed in plastic bottles. This means the juice should probably be keep cold during shipping and storage. Yet many of these companies freely send cold-packed cherry juice across the entire country in unrefrigerated cardboard shipping boxes with statements saying the product must be place in the refrigerator upon arrival. This simply doesn’t make since. It would be similar to shipping a gallon of milk from Maine to Washington in a cardboard box and telling the customer to place it in the refrigerator when it arrives. Hot-packed cherry juice can be sent without refrigeration and kept without refrigeration.

A Sediment-Free Guarantee: Sedimentation is a big concern for many cherry juice drinkers. Sedimentation occurs when the concentrate itself breaks down and thick residue settles on the bottom of the bottle. Sedimentation may be the result of poor quality concentrate or a lacking bottling process. Search out cherry juice products that offer a sediment free guarantee.

The author always studies wellness issues then blogs on the findings so that you are maybe a lot more aware of the facts. Thus, you are much better informed to make an thoughtful decision on your choice of therapy and 100% natural cure. Keep in mind to often contact your physician first.

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Tart Cherry Concentrate – The Latest Trend of the Year 2011

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