Create a skill (web Forecasts tool)

Create a new skill to forecast for. Configure the skill settings to define for example what the service level target is and what activity to use when scheduling for this skill. See WFM: Prepare for forecasting (initial setup) for more information on what to think about when you create skills.

When a skill is created in the Forecasts web tool, a workload is automatically created with the selected queues and open hours.

Currently you can create Inbound telephony, Email, Chat, and Back office skills in the web Forecasts tool. To create skills of other skill types, use the Forecasts module in the client.

If you need to adjust for example the service level target or the shrinkage later, this is done in the Forecasts module in the client.

Prerequisites

This feature is available to Calabrio GovSuite users.

  • You have the Web > Forecasts > Modify skill permission.
  • There is historical queue data on the queues which are connected to the skill. The queues can be either queues from an ACD integration or queues with imported queue data.

Page location

WFM > Forecasts

Procedures

Create an Inbound Telephony or Chat skill

  1. Click New skill.
  2. Select a Time zone. It's often most convenient to select the time zone where the workload is. If the workload covers several time zones, you can select the time zone where the resource planners are.
  3. Select Inbound Telephony or Chat as the Skill type.

  4. Select the Queues to connect to this skill.

    By default, queues that are not connected to any other skills are shown. Click Include used queues to show queues that are already connected to other skills.

  5. Click Next.
  6. Enter a Name for the skill.
  7. Select the Skill activity. This is the activity used when scheduling this skill. The activities which are available to select are the activities for which the Requires skill check box is selected.

  8. Select the Interval length. If you are using the same skill activity as a previously created skill, the interval length is already set. If you want to use a different interval length, select another skill activity or create a new one.

    NOTE   If your time zone has an offset from UTC that is not full hours, you must select an interval length that makes it possible to align to full hours. For example, for UTC+5:30, select 15 or 30 minutes. For UTC+5:45, select 15 minutes.

  9. Enter the Service level target. The service level is expressed as a combination of a percentage and a number of seconds.

    EXAMPLE   The service level 80% and 20s means that the target is to answer 80% of the contacts within 20 seconds.

  10. Enter the expected Shrinkage. Shrinkage is the loss of resources because of unplanned absences, such as sick leave. This is used to calculate the total number of agents to schedule, including the number of agents required to cover for unplanned absences.

    To automatically adjust the shrinkage values for the near future, use dynamic shrinkage. See Manage dynamic shrinkage for more information

  11. Enter the Abandon rate. The abandon rate is used to forecast the number of agents needed and calculate the predicted service level. Analyze your abandon rates when the service level is reached or acceptable and enter that abandon rate for the skill. Avoid using the average abandon rate.
  12. For chat skills, enter the Max parallel tasks. This is the number of chats that an agent can have ongoing at the same time. The resource need is calculated as the total resource need if each chat was handled one at a time divided by the Max parallel tasks value.

  13. Add Open hours for the skill. The suggested open hours are based on the historical data for the selected queues.

    1. If there are other open hours, click Add open hours and adjust the open hours.
    2. Select for which days of the week to use these open hours.

    NOTE   If this skill has some queues with different open hours, use the Forecasts module in the client to create an additional workload.

  14. Click Create.

Create an Email or Back office skill

  1. Click New skill.
  2. Select a Time zone. It's often most convenient to select the time zone where the workload is. If the workload covers several time zones, you can select the time zone where the resource planners are.
  3. Select Email or Back office as the Skill type. For a back-office skill, it is possible to set an extended service level target up to 30 days. See Create a skill with an Extended service level target.

  4. Select the Queues to connect to this skill.

    By default, queues that are not connected to any other skills are shown. Click Include used queues to show queues that are already connected to other skills.

  5. Click Next.
  6. Enter a Name for the skill.
  7. Select the Skill activity. This is the activity used when scheduling this skill. The activities which are available to select are the activities for which the Requires skill check box is selected.

  8. Select the Interval length. If you are using the same skill activity as a previously created skill, the interval length is already set. If you want to use a different interval length, select another skill activity or create a new one.

    NOTE   If your time zone has an offset from UTC that is not full hours, you must select an interval length that makes it possible to align to full hours. For example, for UTC+5:30, select 15 or 30 minutes. For UTC+5:45, select 15 minutes.

  9. Enter a target value for Handled within. Handled within is a target for the maximum time a contact have to wait for their case to be handled. The maximum Handled within time is 24 times the interval length of the skill. For back-office skills, this value will be used if the extended service level target setting is toggled off.

    The handled within time is only counted during the skill open hours. If an email arrives during closed hours, the handled within time is calculated from the first interval of the open hours. This means, if you promise your customers a reply within 24h and the skill is open 8h per day, set the handled within time to 8h or less.

  10. Enter the expected Shrinkage. Shrinkage is the loss of resources because of unplanned absences, such as sick leave. This is used to calculate the total number of agents to schedule, including the number of agents required to cover for unplanned absences.

    To automatically adjust the shrinkage values for the near future, use dynamic shrinkage. See Manage dynamic shrinkage for more information

  11. Add Open hours for the skill. The suggested open hours are based on the historical data for the selected queues.

    1. If there are other open hours, click Add open hours and adjust the open hours.
    2. Select for which days of the week to use these open hours.

    NOTE   If this skill has some queues with different open hours, use the Forecasts module in the client to create an additional workload.

  12. Click Create.

Create a skill with an Extended service level target

  1. On the Forecasts page, in the upper-right corner, click New Skill.
  2. On the Create skill page, select the Time zone that you want to apply.
  3. Select Back office for the Skill Type.
  4. Toggle the Extended service level target button on.
  5. Enter a number for Handled within (days).
  6. Select the queue(s).
  7. Click Next.
  8. Enter a Name.
  9. Select an activity for Skill activity.
  10. Enter a number for Handled within (hh:mm) and Shrinkage (%). This will be used as a fall-back if the extended service level is later disabled.
  11. Select the Open hours. Click Add open hours to add more open hours for the skill.
  12. Click Create.

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