Estimating the Number of Customer Service Agents For Your Business

Operating any business successfully involves balancing customer demand and available resources. In customer service, this means having enough agents to handle requests without excessive staffing. Overestimating can be costly, and underestimating can lead to customer dissatisfaction. But how many customer service agents do you genuinely need? This article provides a guide for making an accurate estimation.

Let's examine some fundamental factors to consider:

Understanding Your Customer Traffic

One primary consideration for estimating the number of customer service agents needed is understanding your customer traffic. Analyze the volume and pattern of customer contact. Are there peak times during the day or specific periods with higher customer requests? Factors like holidays, promotions, or peak business hours can cause spikes in your typical customer service traffic.

To gain accurate insights, utilize robust technologies for tracking and analyzing data. This will provide you with clear operational patterns to base your staffing decisions on.

Consider the Workload

Not all customer requests are the same. Some require quick resolutions, while others may take more time. Factor in the average time your agents spend on each interaction, follow-up actions, and administrative duties. This Average Handle Time (AHT) is crucial for estimating the number of agents needed. Calculate the workload by dividing the total handling time per period (including talk time, hold time, follow-ups) by the length of the period.

Take Into Account Shrinkage

It is essential to consider shrinkage—the time when agents are unavailable to handle requests. Shrinkage includes vacation, breaks, training, meetings, sick days, and time between calls.

Implement Service Level Targets

Your target Service Level Agreement (SLA) plays a key role in determining your staffing needs. The SLA dictates the percentage of calls that should be answered within a certain number of seconds. A higher SLA will require more agents.

Now, let's look at how to apply these aspects practically:

The Erlang C Formula

The Erlang C Formula is a mathematical model used in call centers to estimate the number of agents required based on the factors mentioned above. It uses your desired service level, the number of calls you receive, and the average duration of those calls (AHT) to provide an estimation of the necessary customer service agents.

Keep in mind that while the Erlang C Formula gives the number of agents needed, it doesn't account for shrinkage. Adjust the number derived from the formula to accommodate this.

Simulation Modeling

Simulation modeling provides accurate predictions. This software simulates your contact center environment, using inputs such as call volume, AHT, SLA, and shrinkage. These programs forecast workload by repeating the process thousands of times for different possible inputs, allowing you to anticipate potential demand scenarios and plan your staffing requirements accordingly.

Estimating the correct number of customer service agents involves understanding various factors, from customer traffic and workload to shrinkage, and using that data effectively. Tools and methodologies like the Erlang C Formula or Simulation Modeling can help ensure a balance between customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.