Management Science 101: Call Center Staffing and Cost Reduction using Excel

[@BrandonFoltz]

Thank you for the very nice comments. As of now I do not have any other videos directly related to the call-center environment. However many videos in my channel can be adapted to your needs. For example statistics can be used to evaluate call-center performance. I would especially draw your attention to the videos on the Poisson distribution which has many applications in cuing theory. I will add Erlang to my wish list to look into. Take care!

[@BrandonFoltz]

Hello! Thank you for your kind words. As for your first question, probably not. The blue constraint "minimum CSRs" has been decided ahead of time by management. The scheduling of individual employees based on the result is more an art than science; productivity, availability, etc. I am unsure what you are asking in the second question. Every shift has to be used in this example, the goal is just to minimize cost based on call demand throughout the day. If I am misunderstanding just let me know.

[@founder1]

Hey Brandon! I would not use linear programming to staff for call centers but rather use Erlang C where it takes service level and AHT into account to determine the number of agents required to meet the service level specified. Erlang assumes call arrivals to follow poisson distribution while time between calls to follow exponential distribution. The model you have proposed is ideal in staffing areas not subject to SL % and Queue time tolerance. Hope that helps! Thank you for everything you do

[@CreativelyChallenged]

Is there a add in or selection for that?

[@squints408]

Running a call center can be a real BEAST. Running a call center with explosive growth is even crazier. I sincerely thank you for taking the time to create this video. I had my sheet created within 20 minutes. By chance do you have any more videos pertaining to the call center environment. I'd love some help creating an excel erlang C calculator. :)

[@arnoldybanez2140]

Thanks Brandon. I think you did answer both questions. What I am asking on the 2nd question is that we have one shift that has to be used as it is the shift of our team lead. His shift would be constant.

[@matthewlopez1348]

I used to do this stuff long hand and just recently started picking it up again. Thank you for Excel lesson. It is much easier!

[@weloveyoona693]

hi, unfortunately the file is not there anymore. Can you please re upload? Thanks heaps

[@karenflores6250]

Hello Brandon! Very helpful video and well explained, thank you! Would you have by chance any other example for a Multiskill Call Center? Best Regards!

[@TiburonCPT]

Hi Brandon, since your site is down with the working file can you possibly forward this to me as I'd like to work along as you speak in the tut

[@dakota6922]

Hi Brandon, gerat worksheet, but I am having an issue on calculation, getting a runtime error. Can you help?

[@ilopata1]

Besal - Take a look at "schedulingspreadsheet period com" and specifically the Call Center version will do this for you.

[@AmolGuptafindings]

What exactly is the case study / problem (referenced from Hilmen text). Can you put it here ?

[@varunagnihotri907]

Hi Brandon! The link to the spreadsheet shows no file there. Is it removed. Hoping for a response. Thanks!

[@arnoldybanez2140]

This was an awesome example. Have already used it. I do have a couple of questions. Can this Excel file also be expanded where is would help create 40 hour schedules based on the results? Also, is there an option where a shift had to be used regardless of cost per shift?

[@francoismarsau6412]

Great work Brandon. What tool do you use to highlight, grey out ect for this presentation? Need to train on sheets I have created and would like to use your method of explaining and showing areas.

[@Raju-uc8qv]

Where is the excel sheet? I am not able to see it.

[@mcwaffle]

Hi Brandon, quick (and late) couple of questions.. do you have to enter anything to set up the binaries coding the 0 and 1 meanings? Also In terms of an automatic solver that could plot person specific rotas using this data, do you have another video or a link?

[@Idontcare889]

Hi Brandon, thanks for this amazing video. I've got one problem though, while doing it in excel 2007 I get different set of values for the column H9,H12, H13 and I don't see the same value of $30610 in the TotalCost column.. Please share some light on this. And one thing more, How would I select SimplexLP as my solving method in Excel 2007

[@katieallen6619]

Your video was so helpful! Very easy to follow and understand!

[@MoustafaAbdelhady]

file isnt there anymore!! could you update that

[@mrdripnoodle]

Hi! I want to create a Cross Training staffing model for a Manufacturing facility. The model should provide optimal staffing when there is any short staffing issue. I wanted your ideas on how should I go about it. To explain a little more, for example, if the Packaging area needs 3 people but there are only 2 people on a given day, from which other non value added or value added area should I pick up one person to work in packaging for that day? I hope you understand my query and give me some ideas on it. Thanks

[@baldwinyinkore9441]

DId you by any chance figure this out?

[@scapist19]

YOU SAVED MY DEGREE

[@zeinabelkady6093]

Does any one know how to staff based on the abandoned rate not the SLA ?

[@MrSamds]

Thanks for your efforts , however I believe we have to mentioned Number of calls , targeted SLA and occupancy to give us accurate figures

[@BrandonFoltz]

Hello! Yes, no doubt a more "real world" situation would be more complex. The video is meant to show how to set up a simple scenario in Excel so that more complex problems can be understood later on.

[@skriaz6075]

HI Samer, can you help in the Formula been used to find the Agent required to be staffed on a hourly basic and in a day. SLA-85% AHT-90 Sec Calls to be answered in 20 Sec Thanks

[@vimbaibadza8667]

Well explained! Thank you Brandon

[@willd0g]

Thanks Brandon

[@markt4571]

Very helpful. Thanks! Just a side note - has anyone ever told you that you sound just like Seth Rogan?

[@Realbloxxcrafts]

Thank you this is very helpful.

[@lic2kil007]

Awesome work Brandon, much appreciated.

[@themandalorian4456]

Lets go Brandon

[@ashinebaharu4262]

hi

[@luckystrike656]

it's not a , you should use ;