Central to the power of Q-Max is the shift scheduler. It designs optimum sets of shift patterns in line with a company’s employment practices and based on the call volume forecasts. The shift patterns can be adjusted to ensure the correct level of staffing all the time the Contact Centre is open, while also ensuring that peak times are covered by extra staff or overtime.

Typically shifts are built into rotas to ensure fairness all round. For example this allows people to work one Saturday in five, the early shift one week and the late shift the next etc. The benefit of rota working for example is that staff can plan personal arrangements such as child care, appointments and short holidays because they know in advance what their shift patterns will be. This mean fewer non-scheduled absences during working hours that can seriously impact on the efficiency of the contact centre.

Q-Max manages staff rotas week on week and account for people “swapping shifts”. It tracks day-to-day absences, holiday entitlement, sickness rates, a leave planner and all associated costs even down to cost per call.