Call centre consultants for operations and performance

Operations and performance consultants work inside the live contact centre, on the levers that drive service, cost and quality. Most engagements focus on one or more of these.

• Health checks and audits: an independent, evidence-based review of what's working, what isn't and where to act first.
• Workforce management and planning: forecasting, rostering, shrinkage and intraday control. See workforce management in the ACXPA glossary.
• Quality and coaching: quality assurance frameworks, calibration and coaching routines that change behaviour.
• Cost-to-serve: cutting avoidable contacts, rework and wasted time without damaging the customer experience.
• Strategy and transformation: a target operating model, channel mix and roadmap the frontline can deliver.

For CX strategy, technology selection or outsourcing advice, see the other consultant specialties.

A health check gives you an independent view before you spend money on fixes. It's useful when performance has slipped and nobody agrees why, before a big investment, or when a new leader needs a baseline.

• Interviews with leaders, team leaders and agents
• Call listening and quality review
• Data review: demand, handle time, service levels, shrinkage and repeat contacts
• Review of rosters, intraday routines and reporting
• A prioritised list of findings and recommended actions

Ask for a fixed price and a clear list of what the final report will include.

Workforce management (WFM) consultants align demand, staffing, service targets and cost. Work can target one area or the whole planning cycle.

• Forecasting: volume, drivers, seasonality and handle time models you can trust.
• Rostering: roster patterns that match demand, with realistic shrinkage and leave planning.
• Intraday management: real-time decisions, adherence and clear routines.
• Reporting: what's driving service level and productivity, not just what happened.
• Tools: getting more from your WFM software, or choosing new software.
• Capability: training analysts, team leaders and managers so improvements last.

Need software rather than advice? See workforce management software, or WFM services to outsource planning.

The real savings usually come from fixing avoidable demand, broken processes and poor planning, not from cutting heads. Good cost consultants protect quality while they reduce cost-to-serve.

• Reduce repeat and avoidable contacts (failure demand)
• Simplify processes and knowledge to cut handle time and rework
• Improve self-service and first-contact resolution
• Tighten rostering, shrinkage and adherence
• Track benefits so savings are real, not just forecast