How to Use the Analytics Portal to Forecast Staff Planning

Introduction

In today's dynamic business environment, efficient staff planning is crucial for maintaining productivity and managing costs. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to calculate the number of Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) you need for a specific period of time.

To make this calculation, you’ll need two key insights:

1. Net Inbound Activity

2. Productivity per 15 minutes

Step 1: Understanding Net Inbound Activity

The Net Inbound Activity is calculated as:
All inbound activity minus:

• Archived conversations with no agent messages

• Unwanted conversations

This metric helps you determine the actual workload your team needs to handle.

Step 2: Accessing the Analytics Portal

To find your net inbound workload and productivity, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your CM.com platform account.

2. Click on the nine-tile menu in the top-right corner.

3. Select the Analytics Portal from the app center.

Step 3: Viewing the Workload Dashboard

1. Navigate to the Workload Dashboard in the Analytics Portal.

2. Apply the relevant filters, such as the time period you wish to analyze.

   • For example, you can select a week, month, quarter, or full year.

   • This is especially useful if your workload fluctuates during peak seasons.

3. Click on Net Inbound Workloads to view your average inbound workload per day.

These numbers will form the basis of your calculations.

Step 4: Checking Productivity per 15 Minutes

1. Go to the Main STAs Dashboard in the Analytics Portal.

2. Apply the same filters as you did for the workload dashboard.

3. View your outbound efforts productivity per 15 minutes.

Now you have all the data you need to calculate your staffing requirements.

Step 5: Calculating Staffing Needs

Here’s how to calculate the number of active 15-minute intervals required to manage your inbound workload:

Example Calculation:

• Net Inbound Workload: 100

• Average Productivity per Agent per Active 15 Minutes: 5

Formula:
Net Inbound Workload ÷ Productivity per 15 Minutes = Active 15-Minute Intervals Needed

Calculation:
100 ÷ 5 = 20 active 15-minute intervals

This means you’ll need 20 active 15-minute intervals to manage your inbound workload.

Step 6: Applying the Calculation Across Channels

You can repeat this calculation for every channel within the Mobile Service Cloud. For more details on how activity is calculated per conversation type, refer to the Glossary in the Analytics Portal.

Step 7: Creating a Working Schedule

Once you have your staffing numbers, fit them into a working schedule. Be sure to account for other activities your employees may perform during their shifts.

Pro Tip: Track Efficiency Updates

As you implement efficiency updates, monitor how your staffing numbers change. Use these changes to:

• Calculate time and cost savings

• Build a business case for why certain changes are beneficial for your company

Conclusion

You now know how to calculate the number of FTEs you need for a specific period of time. This process will help you optimize your staff planning and improve efficiency.

In this video, Customer Success Manager Nienke will walk you through the process of staff planning.