Call Center Workforce Management Practices and Strategies Survey Launched Today by the International Customer Management Institute

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), now in its 25th year, today launched its 2010 Call Center Workforce Management Practices survey in an email solicitation to call centers and vendors around the world, and online at www.icmi.com/wfmresearch.

The survey will provide the most comprehensive analysis of call center best practices; explore the greatest challenges in forecasting and scheduling; evaluate how workforce management (WFM) technology is being embraced; and examine various staffing strategies (e.g., home agents, outsourcing and staff-sharing) and their impact on the center's ability to manage a dynamic workload.

ICMI (www.icmi.com), which offers WFM training, conferences and consulting, conducted a similar survey in 2007.

ICMI's most recent Contact Center Operations Report, which polled over 430 contact center professionals worldwide representing a range of industries and professions, indicated that 25 percent of centers planned to invest in workforce management system technologies/ enhancements. However, more than half of all respondents reported that they did not use an automated tool.

"Our survey will reveal the types of investments contact centers have made and how they're paying off," said Layne Holley, ICMI's Director of Community Services. "We'll also learn how organizations are approaching workforce management from a strategic as well as a tactical perspective. Are they considering or embracing such alternative workforce or sourcing strategies as home agents, outsourcing and staff sharing? How are they managing the multichannel environment? And what's their level of adoption and use of more sophisticated WFM tools?"

Respondents completing the survey between today and March 25, 2010 will be entered into a drawing to win free registration for ICMI's four-day Workforce Management Boot Camp (www.icmi.com/bootcamp a $2,895 value). The winner will be announced in ICMI's e-newsletter Call Center Insider (www.icmi.com/signup) on April 15. All respondents who complete the survey by April 9 will also be entered into a drawing to win a free all-access pass to ACCE 2010 (www.icmi.com/ACCE2010 a $2,495 value). The winner will be announced in ICMI's e-newsletter Call Center Insider on April 29. And all respondents who complete the survey receive a copy of the survey data. This is an anonymous survey; individual responses will remain confidential and will not be shared or stored.

In June 2010, a free whitepaper on the survey results will be posted on www.icmi.com, and the complete research report, with cross-tab analysis and expert commentary, will be available for purchase.

On June 15, 2010, the survey findings will be shared with call center directors and executives at ICMI's Executive Roundtable (www.icmi.com/acce2010/roundtable.aspx), part of the ACCE 2010 Conference and Expo in New Orleans.

Additionally, results and commentary will be presented around the world via a live webinar and podcast, (look for these at www.icmi.com/webcasts and www.icmi.com/podcasts).

Funding for the survey is provided by WFM software and services provider Pipkins, Inc. (www.pipkins.com). (The underwriter, Pipkins, does not have access to individual survey responses, nor will they be shared with the underwriter.)

About ICMI

The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010, is the leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals – from frontline agents to executives – who wish to improve contact center operations, empower contact center employees, and enhance customer loyalty. ICMI's experienced and dedicated team of industry insiders, analysts, and consultants are committed to providing uncompromised objectivity and results-oriented vision through the organization's respected lineup of professional services including: Training and Certification, Consulting, Events, and Informational Resources. Founded in 1985, ICMI continues to serve as one of the most established and respected organizations in the call center industry.

ICMI is a part of UBM Live which provides leading integrated media solutions and professional services across 20 different markets. Operating across the globe, its events, training, publications, award programs, and websites offer professionals in Interiors, Security, Venues, Customer Management, Safety & Health and Facilities the ultimate experience in learning, networking, and business development.

For more information, visit www.icmi.com.

About Pipkins, Inc.

Pipkins Inc., founded in 1983, is the leading supplier of workforce management software and services to the call center industry. Vantage Point, Pipkins' premier product, is the most accurate forecasting and scheduling tool on the market and enables managers to solve the complicated operational issues in today's multi-faceted call center environment. Pipkins' systems forecast and schedule more than 300,000 agents in over 500 locations across all industries worldwide. The company is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

For more information, visit www.pipkins.com.

SOURCE UBM Live/International Customer Management Institute (ICMI)

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