--- title: "Best Call Center Workforce Management Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing" description: "Find the best Call Center Workforce Management Software for your organization. Compare top Call Center Workforce Management Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos." source_url: "https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/workforce-management-optimization-comparison/" page_type: "subcategory" language: "en" --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / Call Center Workforce Management Software Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. # Best Call Center Workforce Management Software of 2026 Updated October 23, 2026 On this page 1. Popular Comparisons 2. Buyers Guide 3. Related Software Filter products 88 results ### Compare Products Showing 1 - 25 of 88 products #### Company Size - Self-Employed - 2-10 - 11-50 - 51-200 - 201-500 - 501-1000 - 1000+ #### Pricing Options - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ ### Compare Products Sort by **Recommendations**: Sorts listings by the number of recommendations our advisors have made over the past 30 days. Our advisors assess buyers’ needs for free and only recommend products that meet buyers’ needs. Vendors pay Software Advice for these referrals. **Reviews**: Sorts listings by the number of user reviews we have published, greatest to least. **Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest. **Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z. ### [Intermedia Contact Center](/contact-center/intermedia-contact-center-profile/) - Overall rating: 4/5 - Reviews: 2 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Intermedia® Contact Center helps businesses deliver fast, personalized customer experiences across every channel. It unifies voice, chat, SMS, and email into one platform, [Read more](/contact-center/intermedia-contact-center-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Monitoring: 5/5 - Auto-Dialer: 5/5 - Call Transfer: 4/5 - Call Reporting: 4/5 ##### Worst rated features - Call Recording: 3/5 - Reporting/Analytics: 3/5 - Call Whispering: 4/5 - Call Reporting: 4/5 [See all features](/contact-center/intermedia-contact-center-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Five9](/call-center/five9-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.2/5 - Reviews: 487 - Starting price: $119.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Available #### Overview Five9 is an all-in-one cloud contact center solution for inbound, outbound, blended and omnichannel contact centers world-wide. Powered by Practical AI, Five9 enables agents [Read more](/call-center/five9-profile/) ##### What users love - User-friendly and accessible design - Responsive and helpful support team - Robust call center capabilities ##### To take in mind - Call handling and workflow issues - Frequent call drops and instability #### Features ##### Best rated features - Performance Metrics: 5/5 - Online Voice Transmission: 5/5 - Scheduled Recording: 5/5 - Lead Generation: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Quality Management: 1/5 - Progressive Dialer: 1/5 - Integrations Management: 1/5 [See all features](/call-center/five9-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Digital - Price: $119.00/month ##### Core - Price: $159.00/month ##### Premium - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/call-center/five9-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Salesforce Service Cloud](/crm/service-cloud-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 832 - Starting price: $25.00/month - Best for: Enterprise businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer service platform designed to support organizations in managing interactions across multiple channels. It provides tools for various service [Read more](/crm/service-cloud-profile/) ##### What users love - Centralized and efficient support - Flexible integration capabilities - Comprehensive sales tracking tools ##### To take in mind - Outdated and complex interface - Steep learning curve for users - Expensive for small businesses #### Features ##### Best rated features - Reminders: 5/5 - Proactive Chat: 5/5 - File Sharing: 5/5 - Catalog Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Inspection Management: 2/5 - AI Copilot: 2/5 [See all features](/crm/service-cloud-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Free Suite - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - Upto 2 users ##### Starter Suite - Price: $25.00/month ##### Pro Suite - Price: $100.00/month [See full pricing details](/crm/service-cloud-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Assembled](/scheduling/assembled-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 85 - Starting price: $25.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview The world of support operations is evolving at an aggressive pace — in-house agents have more demanding roles, outsourcing is still on the rise, and teams are mandated to implement [Read more](/scheduling/assembled-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - AI Copilot: 5/5 - Customer Experience Management: 5/5 - Intraday Management: 5/5 - API: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Shift Swapping: 3/5 - Generative AI: 3.2/5 - Knowledge Base Management: 4/5 - Live Chat: 4/5 [See all features](/scheduling/assembled-profile/#key-features) --- ### [ChorusCX](/customer-experience/encore-workforce-optimization-profile/) - Overall rating: 5/5 - Reviews: 1 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview ChorusCX Workforce Optimization is a cloud-based service designed to enhance employee performance and efficiency, delivering contact center analytical solutions that support [Read more](/customer-experience/encore-workforce-optimization-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Multi-Screen Recording: 5/5 - Audio Capture: 5/5 - Screen Capture: 5/5 - Backup and Recovery: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - File Sharing: 4/5 - Annotations: 4/5 - Collaboration Tools: 4/5 [See all features](/customer-experience/encore-workforce-optimization-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Gong](/call-center/gong-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 561 - Best for: Mid-size businesses - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Gong is a cloud-based revenue intelligence platform built for B2B go-to-market teams across technology, media, telecommunications, professional services, financial services, [Read more](/call-center/gong-profile/) ##### What users love - Collaborative call review tools - Driving sales team improvement - In-depth conversation breakdowns ##### To take in mind - Transcription accuracy limitations - Recording reliability and privacy issues #### Features ##### Best rated features - Data Visualization: 5/5 - Trend Analysis: 5/5 - Sales Automation: 5/5 - Sales Trend Analysis: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Sales Onboarding & Training: 1/5 - Call Scripting: 3/5 - Sales Pipeline Management: 3/5 [See all features](/call-center/gong-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Playvox](/crm/playvox-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 109 - Starting price: $15.00/month - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Enhance contact center productivity using Playvox Workforce Engagement Management. Maintain service excellence with precise staffing forecasts. Playvox WFM streamlines forecasting, [Read more](/crm/playvox-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Reporting & Statistics: 5/5 - Collaboration Tools: 5/5 - Workforce Management: 5/5 - Sentiment Analysis: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Real-Time Reporting: 3/5 - Alerts/Notifications: 4/5 [See all features](/crm/playvox-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Kixie PowerCall & SMS](/call-center/kixie-powercall-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 295 - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Kixie PowerCall and SMS is a sales engagement platform that helps inside sales, sales development, and business development teams at small and mid-sized businesses manage calls, [Read more](/call-center/kixie-powercall-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - SIP Trunking: 5/5 - Sales Activity Management: 5/5 - Call Queues: 5/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Automatic Outbound Dialer: 1/5 - Call Conferencing: 3/5 - Call Scheduling: 3/5 [See all features](/call-center/kixie-powercall-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Integrated - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request ##### Professional - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request ##### Outbound PowerDialer - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/call-center/kixie-powercall-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Talkdesk](/call-center/talkdesk-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 734 - Starting price: $85.00/month - Best for: Enterprise businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Talkdesk provides a modern, AI-native customer experience platform that helps customer service, sales, and support teams operate a human-AI hybrid workforce across voice and [Read more](/call-center/talkdesk-profile/) ##### What users love - Intuitive and flexible user interface - Consistent and clear call experience - Responsive and helpful support team ##### To take in mind - Reliance on strong internet connectivity - Inconsistent audio and device compatibility - Frequent and disruptive call disconnections #### Features ##### Best rated features - Callback Scheduling: 5/5 - Workflow Automation: 5/5 - Voice Mail: 5/5 - Customizable Reports: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Alerts/Notifications: 2.7/5 [See all features](/call-center/talkdesk-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Digital Essentials - Price: $85.00/month - Digital Engagement, email,chat, SMS, social channels, dashboards, reports, APIs and more. Key ##### Voice Essentials - Price: $105.00/month - Voice engagement, Routing, dashboards, reports, APIs, and more. Key features include: -CXA -Voice ##### Elite - Price: $165.00/month - Insights, mitigate risks of a distributed workforce, & choose from one of four add-ons. Everything [See full pricing details](/call-center/talkdesk-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Calabrio ONE](/product/231268-Calabrio-One-Suite/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 263 - Starting price: $295.00one time - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Calabrio ONE is now Verint. The workforce engagement and contact center intelligence capabilities you knew as Calabrio ONE are now offered through Verint CX Automation Platform – [Read more](/product/231268-Calabrio-One-Suite/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Queue Management: 5/5 - Call Tracking Metrics: 5/5 - AI/Machine Learning: 5/5 - Reporting & Statistics: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Real-Time Analytics: 4/5 [See all features](/product/231268-Calabrio-One-Suite/#key-features) --- ### [Monster VoIP](/voip/monster-voip-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 44 - Starting price: $27.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Monster VoIP is a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solution that helps voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) providers streamline client interactions by leveraging various [Read more](/voip/monster-voip-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - VoIP Connection: 5/5 - Call Recording: 5/5 - Archiving & Retention: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Alerts/Notifications: 4/5 - Online Voice Transmission: 4/5 [See all features](/voip/monster-voip-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $27.00/month - The plan is also available on a yearly basis. [See full pricing details](/voip/monster-voip-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [MaxContact](/call-center/maxcontact-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 33 - Starting price: £80.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview MaxContact is the AI-powered customer engagement platform that transforms customer conversations into measurable business outcomes. Built around industry-leading intelligent [Read more](/call-center/maxcontact-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Email Management: 5/5 - Auto-Dialer: 5/5 - Data Security: 5/5 - Customer Database: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Automated Routing: 3.8/5 - Queue Management: 4/5 [See all features](/call-center/maxcontact-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Generic - Price: £80.00/month [See full pricing details](/call-center/maxcontact-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [ZIWO](/remote-work/ziwo-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 110 - Starting price: $40.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview ZIWO is a cloud-based call center workforce management solution that helps streamline customer interactions via virtual phone numbers, call tracking, call masking and more. It [Read more](/remote-work/ziwo-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Progressive Dialer: 5/5 - Workforce Management: 5/5 - Archiving & Retention: 5/5 - Call List Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Mobile Access: 2/5 [See all features](/remote-work/ziwo-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Cloud Business Phone System - Price: $40.00/month - This plan requires a minimum of 3 users. ##### Cloud Contact Center - Price: $109.00/month - Add a Whatsapp number to this plan at $99. ##### Enterprise - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - Ideal plan for 100+ users. [See full pricing details](/remote-work/ziwo-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [OXON](/call-center/oxon-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 14 - Starting price: $39.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview OXON is a cloud-based contact center suite suitable for businesses of all sizes. It allows users to manage inbound support calls, outbound sales calls, email, chat and business [Read more](/call-center/oxon-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $39.00/month [See full pricing details](/call-center/oxon-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Nextiva Contact Center](/product/20035-Nextiva-Call-Center/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 112 - Starting price: $30.00/month - Best for: Customer support - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Nextiva Contact Center is an AI-enabled solution that helps businesses manage customer interactions. The platform includes features to improve agent productivity, foster customer [Read more](/product/20035-Nextiva-Call-Center/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Activity Tracking: 5/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 - Communication Management: 5/5 - Customer History: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Employee Scheduling: 4/5 - CRM: 4/5 [See all features](/product/20035-Nextiva-Call-Center/#key-features) --- ### [UniVoIP](/voip/officeconnect-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 20 - Starting price: $7.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Cloud Voice for Microsoft Teams from UniVoIP Why Use Microsoft Teams as a Phone System? ● You already have M365, so maximize your existing Microsoft investment - and cut costs [Read more](/voip/officeconnect-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Computer Telephony Integration: 5/5 - Automatic Call Distribution: 5/5 - Call Logging: 5/5 - VoIP Connection: 5/5 [See all features](/voip/officeconnect-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $7.00/month [See full pricing details](/voip/officeconnect-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Call Center Studio](/call-center/call-center-studio-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 47 - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Call Center Studio is a next-gen cloud-born contact center solution that helps businesses build the best experiences for both their customers and agents while ensuring efficiency [Read more](/call-center/call-center-studio-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Recording: 5/5 - Call Transcription: 5/5 - Automated Routing: 5/5 - Email Management: 5/5 [See all features](/call-center/call-center-studio-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/call-center/call-center-studio-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [TCN](/call-center/tcn-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 60 - Starting price: $65.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview TCN is a cloud-based call center solution that caters to various industry verticals, including health care, automotive, and business process outsourcing (BPO). TCN is available for [Read more](/call-center/tcn-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Employee Scheduling: 5/5 - Campaign Management: 5/5 - Contact Management: 5/5 - Labor Forecasting: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Call List Management: 3/5 - Real-Time Analytics: 3.3/5 [See all features](/call-center/tcn-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $65.00/month [See full pricing details](/call-center/tcn-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Amazon Connect](/call-center/amazon-connect-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 96 - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Amazon Connect is a cloud-based contact center service that offers omnichannel customer service using machine learning, interactive voice response, and call routing. The service [Read more](/call-center/amazon-connect-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - API: 5/5 - Generative AI: 5/5 - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 - Dashboard: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Chat/Messaging: 4/5 - Real-Time Reporting: 4/5 - Workforce Management: 4/5 [See all features](/call-center/amazon-connect-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Omnichannel Experience - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request ##### Agent Productivity - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request ##### Analytics, Insights and Optimization - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/call-center/amazon-connect-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [RingCentral Engage Voice](/call-center/ringcentral-engage-voice-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 23 - Starting price: $119.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview RingCentral's predictive dialer makes missed calls and ones that go directly to voicemail a thing of the past. Reduce agent downtime and time between calls, so your agents spend [Read more](/call-center/ringcentral-engage-voice-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Progressive Dialer: 5/5 - Labor Forecasting: 5/5 - API: 5/5 - Predictive Dialer: 5/5 [See all features](/call-center/ringcentral-engage-voice-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $119.00/month [See full pricing details](/call-center/ringcentral-engage-voice-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Sharpen](/call-center/sharpen-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.4/5 - Reviews: 48 - Starting price: $139.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Sharpen’s cloud-native platform is a SaaS contact center solution for midsize to large enterprise businesses. As an all-in-one solution, the platform provides businesses the [Read more](/call-center/sharpen-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Call Logging: 5/5 - Computer Telephony Integration: 5/5 - Automatic Call Distribution: 5/5 - Call Center Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Customer Database: 3/5 - Call Monitoring: 3/5 - Live Chat: 3/5 - Email Management: 3/5 [See all features](/call-center/sharpen-profile/#key-features) --- ### [yoummday](/customer-success/yoummday-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 3 - Starting price: $0.11/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview yoummday is a comprehensive outsourcing software solution that combines workforce recruitment, training, scheduling, and management with a CX marketplace. It is used by over 60 [Read more](/customer-success/yoummday-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Contact Management: 4/5 - Campaign Management: 4/5 [See all features](/customer-success/yoummday-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express](/contact-center/cisco-unified-contact-center-express-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.4/5 - Reviews: 5 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Cisco Unified Contact Center Express software is designed for midsize and large companies. This software provides a combination of multichannel contact management, intelligent [Read more](/contact-center/cisco-unified-contact-center-express-profile/) --- ### [Vantage Point](/hr/pipkins-vantage-point-profile/) - Overall rating: 4/5 - Reviews: 2 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Vantage Point is a workforce management solution that helps organizations manage workforce planning, scheduling, forecasting and other operations. The application comes with a [Read more](/hr/pipkins-vantage-point-profile/) --- ### [Sales Sling](/call-center/sales-sling-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.4/5 - Reviews: 24 - Starting price: $49.99/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Sales Sling’s cloud-based call center software offers the latest technology in dialing systems in an easy to use dashboard that requires little training to get up and running. With [Read more](/call-center/sales-sling-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $49.99/month [See full pricing details](/call-center/sales-sling-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- 1 [2](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/workforce-management-optimization-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=2)[3](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/workforce-management-optimization-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=3)[4](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/workforce-management-optimization-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=4) ## Popular Comparisons [ Dynamics 365 vs Bitrix24 ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/106335-Dynamics-365/vs/128326-bitrix24/)[ Five9 vs Talkdesk ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/five9-profile/vs/talkdesk/)[ Genesys Cloud CX vs NiCE CXone ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/genesys-contact-centre-profile/vs/incontact-hosted-call-center-software/)[ Calabrio ONE vs RingCX ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/24307-ringcentral-contact/vs/231268-Calabrio-One-Suite/) So, you already have skills-based routing, advanced IVR menus and agent desktops in place at your contact center—what next? While [contact center systems](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/) enable inbound, outbound and multichannel interactions, efficiently scheduling agents to handle each channel can be a daunting challenge. Moreover, most contact center supervisors will want additional control over agent performance and the quality of customer interactions. This is where contact center workforce optimization (WFO) and workforce management (WFM) software come in. Workforce optimization software is generally a separate solution that integrates with modules in your existing call center management software, particularly your automatic call distribution (ACD) system. WFM is generally part of a WFO solution and enables automated scheduling and forecasting of staffing needs. WFO suites are broader than WFM applications, and also cover quality and performance management. We’ll take a look at the major components of a WFO solution and explain which types of contact centers can benefit the most from implementing a system. Here’s what we’ll discuss: [What Is Workforce Optimization Software?](#WhatIsWorkforceOptimizationSoftware) [Workforce Management Software Features](#WorkforceManagementSoftwareFeatures) [Quality Management Software Features](#QualityManagementSoftwareFeatures) [Performance Management Software Features](#PerformanceManagementSoftwareFeatures) [What Are the Benefits of Call Center WFO?](#WhatAretheBenefitsofCallCenterWFO) [Business Model and Industry-Specific Considerations](#BusinessModelandIndustrySpecificConsiderations) ## What Is Workforce Optimization Software? Workforce optimization software isn’t a single application, but an integrated suite of applications. Some vendors only sell WFO as a suite, whereas others sell individual modules on a standalone basis. ### Standard Modules in Workforce Optimization Suites At first glance, you might think that these modules don’t have all that much to do with each other, and you’d be right. Originally, workforce management systems for employee scheduling were standalone solutions, as were the quality management systems that evolved on top of basic [call recording software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/call-recording-comparison/). Over the past decade or so, quality management has become an increasingly complex task with the advent of multi-channel contact centers and sophisticated analytics, and the need for greater agent engagement has become more apparent. Performance management software solutions have thus emerged to complement existing quality management systems. Each of the modules in the above chart includes a complex set of features, so we’ll tackle them one at a time. Based on how your contact center is set up and your pain points with managing your operations, you may need one, two or all three of these modules. It’s important to note that not all vendors use the same terms for these modules, or group features in the same way. For instance, some vendors lump KPI dashboards and scorecards in with performance management, while others group these features in with quality management. Some vendors treat interaction analytics as part of a quality management module, whereas others sell separate interaction analytics model. **The major decision you need to make is whether you need an integrated suite or just a few select standalone solutions. If you’re going the standalone route, pay attention to how different vendors group features in modules, so that you can buy as few modules as possible.** If possible, try to find a solution from the same vendor that provides your contact center infrastructure to enable integrated capabilities. Some vendors even offer contact center management suites that include integrated WFM or full-blown WFO. ## Workforce Management Software Features Workforce management modules are primarily designed to do two things: 1. Enable contact center supervisors to forecast staffing needs 2. Automate the complex task of scheduling agents Forecasting is a vital capability: Many contact centers deal with fluctuating call volume based on seasonal demand, product launches and promotional offers, as well as technical issues with products that necessitate intensive customer support etc. WFM modules can forecast the volume of calls or other interaction types based on historical data collected from sources such as your ACD system and network switches. They can also forecast how many agents you’ll need to have in place to handle this volume. Advanced solutions can even factor agents’ skills and service goals (average wrap time, time to answer etc.) into forecasts. Most contact center supervisors won’t need an explanation of the benefits of automated scheduling. Simply scheduling agents according to their preferences is already complex enough when using an Excel sheet, but when you factor in the coverage needs of a multichannel contact center, scheduling can quickly become a nightmarishly complex process. Contact center WFM software completely eliminates the complexity of scheduling by automating it based on rules that take the following factors into account: - Agent skills - Agent requests - Time of day - Events (e.g., server maintenance) - Channel (voice, email, text, web chat etc.) - Department-level needs _Monitoring schedule adherence in WFM module of_ Cisco Unified Contact Center One way in which WFM solutions boost agent engagement is by allowing agents to enter requests for time off and shift changes via self-service web portals and mobile apps. The system then automatically factors in requests when developing schedules. Advanced solutions also include the following features: | Feature | Description | | --- | --- | | “What-if” simulations | Assist in understanding the impact of potential operational changes, such as sudden spikes in call volume, changes to the ACD queue and/or IVR system, scheduled server maintenance etc. | | Self-service portals and mobile apps | Allow agents both to view schedules in real time and to request time off and make other schedule changes remotely. | | Back-office scheduling | Enables automated scheduling of back-office staff as well as agents. Sometimes sold as a separate add-on module. | | Intra-day scheduling | Allows for task-level scheduling throughout the day to keep agents busy during periods of low call volume. Not all vendors offer this capability. | --- ## Quality Management Software Features The most basic form of quality management used in contact centers will be immediately familiar to most supervisors and managers: **call recording**. Contact centers have been recording calls for decades, but there’s a catch: What happens to all these calls after you’ve recorded them? Contact centers still need to decide on: - The number of calls supervisors should listen to - Some type of mechanism for collecting scores, conveying them to agents and storing them for reporting - Supplementary mechanisms for collecting customer opinions in addition to supervisor opinions - Ways to evaluate interactions that don’t happen over the phone The approach taken by many call centers in the past was to select a random sample of calls for analysis. For contact centers that deal with a high volume of interactions, however, the danger arises that a random sample won’t be representative, and in particular that it won’t capture the problem interactions that cost the business the most money. Thankfully, there are now solutions to all of these issues: **Speech and text analytics.** New analytics technologies have made it possible to evaluate 100 percent of a contact center’s recordings instead of taking a random sample. For instance, speech analytics can be used to sift through and categorize recorded calls to spot signs of trouble by using keywords and determining the emotional state of a caller through tone of voice. Similarly, text analytics can be used on emails, SMS text messages, web chat interactions etc. Solutions with speech and text analytics automatically flag problem interactions for supervisor evaluation via a rules engine that defines what counts as “problematic,” and/or allow supervisors to search recorded calls and interactions for keywords and other signs of trouble. **Desktop analytics.** This form of analytics addresses the problem of evaluating interactions that take place within software applications rather than over the phone. Desktop analytics captures how agents use software (e.g., clicks, time spent in applications). Solutions with advanced desktop analytics allow supervisors to define processes for how agents should use applications, then measure whether agents are adhering. Such solutions allow for extensive quality control over interactions that don’t involve a phone call. **Evaluation form templates and scorecards.** Finally, quality management systems support templated forms for scoring calls, and feed call scores into key performance indicator (KPI) dashboards and scorecards for agents and supervisors. _Quality management scorecard in_ [Genesys](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/genesys-contact-centre-profile/) ## Performance Management Software Features Performance management modules go beyond basic quality management with the following features: - KPI monitoring (sometimes found in quality management modules) - Features for managing agent training via e-learning modules - Features for managing agent coaching - Gamification **KPI monitoring** is vital for both agents and supervisors. Generally, historical data is collected from sources such as the ACD system and the WFM system. It is then analyzed by the solution and fed into dashboards and reports that visualize KPIs. _KPI dashboard in quality management module of_ Enghouse Interactive KPI dashboards and scorecards for agents give them overviews of their individual performance, while dashboards for supervisors allow insight into broader performance trends. Supervisors can view KPIs and create reports at the following levels: - Individual agents - Teams - Departments - Sites **Real-time compliance monitoring.** In addition to visualizing KPIs, performance management solutions can automatically notify supervisors when KPIs drop below predefined thresholds. Modules that integrate with WFM systems can also compare agents’ schedules to their activities in real time to ensure adequate coverage and adherence to best practices. **Agent training and coaching.** Performance management extends into e-learning territory generally covered by [learning management systems (LMSs)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/). When an agent’s KPIs drop, the system can automatically schedule an e-learning module for an agent to address the underlying issue at the most convenient time for the contact center (another use case for WFM integration). Performance management solutions can also automatically recommend and schedule one-on-one coaching sessions between agents and supervisors, and track the impact of coaching through continuous KPI monitoring. **Gamification.** Finally, performance management generally includes gamification capabilities for enhancing agent engagement. Common functionality includes tracking KPIs in terms of points, awarding badges to high performers and leaderboard displays for motivating competitive agents. We’ve touched on how gamification can improve customer service in a [guest post](http://blog.freshdesk.com/customer-service-isnt-a-game-but-should-it-be/) we wrote for [Freshdesk](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/freshdesk-profile/). _Team-level leaderboard in_ [Avaya IP Office Contact Center](https://www.softwareadvice.com/voip/ip-office-profile/) ## What Are the Benefits of Call Center WFO? Contact center WFO offers benefits in a number of mission-critical areas. For an illustration, see the chart below: ### Benefits of Performance, Quality and Workforce Management ## Business Model and Industry-Specific Considerations Contact centers serve a number of functions across a variety of industries, so it’s not surprising that some niche WFM capabilities are specific to certain verticals: - In **financial services, retail** and other industries with complex networks of branch sites, visibility is needed into KPIs for individual employees at each branch. Generally, desktop analytics helps to measure the performance of branch office employees who aren’t simply dedicated to answering calls. **Some vendors offer dedicated solutions for branch offices**. - **Organizations that deal with payment card data** must comply with PCI (Payment Card Industry) regulations concerning the storage of this data in call recordings. Advanced systems can detect payment card data in recordings (via time stamps and other techniques) and censor it. - **Organizations with large back-office teams** will need solutions that extend WFM to these employees. - **Multichannel contact centers** will need text analytics in addition to speech analytics for quality management. - **Organizations with numerous teams and/or departments** will need a WFM solution that fully takes account of agent skills, not just coverage requirements for different channels in the ACD queue (voice, email, web chat etc.). - Organizations that rely heavily on outsourcing or remote workers, also known as **virtual contact centers**, will need a solution with web portals and mobile apps that allow agents working from home to use the WFM system, view KPIs etc. ### Related Call Center Workforce Management Software - [Call Center Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/call-center/) - [Contact Center Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/contact-center/) - [Contact Center Quality Assurance Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/quality-assurance/) - [Workforce Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/workforce-management-software-comparison/)