Tools like CenterBridge are sufficiently different from our old forecasting spreadsheets to prompt more than a few changes in our processes. No longer forced to be as linear as we used to be, we can solve problems in more holistic ways, sometimes from multiple angles. All of this adds up to analytical capability that can make the executive team impressed with Workforce Management, but are there implications for existing staff members? This presentation describes the experience of an early CenterBridge user as she implemented the software, and as she checked in with each user ten years later.

1. The Impact of New Technology
on the Role of the Forecaster
Michele Borboa
Contact Center Resources

2. Grow Smart…a story about people
Experience with multiple implementations
An unintended discovery
Adaptation/change
Not solely about technology
Not about ROI
A story about people

3. Background
Story begins 2002 – needed to manage our trending
Multiple business units in Travel, Real Estate verticals
Approximately 10,000 agents across North America, UK
12-15 sites depending on how counted
IEX TotalView in most BU’s for scheduling, real-time
Home grown spreadsheet tools
Workload forecasting
Variable labor, telecom planning

4. Old Environment
Focus on finding, scrubbing, formatting and entering
‘the right’ data.
Primary output was annual plan plus periodic updates
(frequency depended on business unit)
Iterations were relatively time-consuming.
Limited ‘what if’ analysis due to time constraints
Data ‘the old model’ Forecast

5. CenterBridge Environment
No longer focused as much on tactical data entry,
more on the analytics
Multiple ways to solve any given problem or scenario
Strategic modules present opportunities well beyond
the main functionality
Data
Data CenterBridge Plans Solution
Data

6. Process Comparison
Old Environment New Environment
Request occurs in staff RPM takes CTB into staff
meeting or originates meeting for real-time
from Finance/exec team. decision making whenever
RPM* takes request and possible.
turns it around by next Other requests are turned
meeting or throws it back around in fraction of time
over transom a few days and with more inter-
later. departmental teamwork.
*Resource Planning & Management

7. Skill Requirements
Old Environment New Environment
Detail orientation Detail orientation
Data extraction/data entry Data interpretation
Math facility Comfort with analytics
Excel knowledge More sophisticated use of
Quantitative analysis statistics
Unafraid to ‘play’
Drawing conclusions and
making recommendations

8. Skills Continuum
Self-taught Some courses Degree in Industrial
over the years Engineering or
Operations Research
Would every one of our existing staff members be a suitable skill
match in the CenterBridge environment?

9. Staff Assessment
Resilience to Change
X
High
Low
Low High
Skill/Qualifications

10. Staff Assessment (cont.)
Change resilience is a factor to the extent that the
implementation is used as a spring board for process
change. (“Don’t pave the cow paths.” Re-Engineering
the Corporation)
CenterBridge affords RPM the ability to improve its
communications with execs and non-RPMers, so
some form of communication skills should not be
overlooked.

11. Various Interventions
Intentional
Training, coaching and development
Attendance at User Group meetings
Organization design solutions that make sense with
CenterBridge that may not have made sense before
Unintentional
Self-deselection
Re-structurings caused ‘organic’ role changes
Natural attrition (internal and external)

12. Staff Assessment – Alternate View
Resilience to Change
2 1
High
Low 4 3
Low High
Skill/Qualifications

13. The Impact of Other New Technology

14. The Microwave Oven Example
Originally developed after WWII
Introduced commercially in 1955, and as a countertop
model in 1967 as the Amana Radarange
First thing ever cooked: popcorn!
We spend a lot of money for very fancy microwave
ovens and then all we ever use is the popcorn button.
If we don’t update our processes, or learn the
complete feature functionality (even Defrost) when
attending user group meetings, we sub-optimize our
investment.

15. Lessons Learned
Would have been nice if we had been smart enough
to anticipate this issue in advance but might not have
handled it all that differently if we had.
Change resilience, openness to new processes are
critical success factors in new environment because
new tools/capabilities can change everything.
A CenterBridge environment offers more options and
flexibility than the previous environment, even if that
does involve some staff changes.

16. Michele Borboa
mborboa@contactcenter-resources.com
480-855-3870