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  • 1.  How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    Posted 12-20-2019 16:35
    Edited by Robert Wakefield-Carl 12-20-2019 16:35
    We all know that PureCloud WFM is easy to use, built-in, and has great features, but how does it compare to other platforms out there like Teleopti, Calabrio, IEX, Verant, Monet, Aspect, and others?  What do you feel makes PureCloud WFM better and what do you think it is lacking?  

    For most of our customers, it is the "what-if" stuff and the ability to schedule multiple weeks that is the biggest miss in PureCloud.  All the others seem to be nice to have items, but having to schedule a week at a time from forecasts is burdensome.  

    What are your pain points or wish list for PureCloud WFM?

    Robert
    #Roadmap/NewFeatures

    ------------------------------
    Robert Wakefield-Carl
    Avtex Solutions, LLC
    Contact Center Innovation Architect
    robertwc@avtex.com
    https://www.Avtex.com
    https://RobertWC.Blogspot.com
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    Posted 01-05-2020 17:28
    Nice thread Rob, 

    I am REALLY interested to see what PureCloud is going to offer in the WFM space this year.
    Lack of features in WFM is the biggest issue we come up against when trying to convert customers over to PureCloud. 

    I also hear Genesys are currently rebuilding some core functionality before working on features.

    My wish list is:

    • Automated time off planning/approval
    • Long-term seasonal forecasting for interactions and FTE requirements
    • Bulk import historical data (for dates prior to PureCloud going live)
    • Schedule change audit trail
    • Work plans with rotations
    • Shrinkage reporting
    • Upcoming scheduled activity alerts
    • Automated meeting scheduler (e.g. 10 agents per meeting in these slots at these times)
    • Flexible future activity planner (e.g. meeting every 2nd Tuesday at 15:00 or for a 1 hour block every day any time between 10:00 and 14:00)
    • Filter/categorise agents in schedules/reporting view (e.g. by teams or contract type). Filter types must be configurable by admins
    • Multiple On-Queue schedule activities/statuses linked to specific queues/media types (e.g. Voice only or Email only)


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    Will Bellerby
    Pyrios NZ Ltd
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  • 3.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    GENESYS
    Posted 01-06-2020 09:24
    Edited by Cameron Smith 01-09-2020 14:00
    Morning Robert, 

    Thanks for starting this thread, we would love to hear any feedback that you or others may have on the product, there is never a bad idea on how we can improve the experience for our customers and their employees.

    To help the thread along, I thought it might it would be appropriate to talk a little about what we are working on at the moment.  

    Our Focus Area:

    • Efficiency: Operational complexity requires tools that simplify the execution with automation and rules driven outcomes
    • Blended AI: Employees get smarter when they're backed by AI and AI gets personal when they're backed by humans
    • Intelligence: Make quicker and more intelligent execution with the assistance of AI

    What are we currently working on within the WFM space:

    Expected around March/April 2020

    Business Unit Forecasting and Scheduling: In order to forecast and build schedules across multiple Management Units, it is necessary to introduce an additional level above the MU. The Business Unit concept will enable the grouping of Management Units and to allow the Planning Group capability for forecasting.

    Multi-week Scheduling: Improve scheduling by increasing the maximum schedule length per schedule run from one week up to six weeks. A new column will be added that displays the number of weeks in the schedule.

    Multi-week Forecasting: Increase the maximum length of a single short term forecast run from one week to six weeks.

    Multi-Week Work Plan Schedule Constraints: Introduce the following multi-week schedule and work plan constraints: pre-defined number of weeks (1-6) in which scheduling constraints are applied

    • Planning period - pre-defined number of weeks (1-6) in which scheduling constraints are applied
    • Days off per planning period - This is the minimum and maximum number of times per planning period that agents who are assigned to this Work Plan must have a specified day or days off. This does not include Time Off requests.
    • Min/Max paid hours per planning period
    Weekly Work Plan Schedule Constraints: 10 new weekly scheduling constraints for more accurate planning.
    • Minimum duration between the end of the day and start of the next working day
    • Minimum duration between the start times of two consecutive working days
    • Schedule planning period type (None, monthly, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, five weeks and six weeks)
    • Maximum consecutive working days
    • Minimum working days per week
    • Weekend first day - the day of the week that the weekend starts
    • Consecutive days off hours per week
    • Synchronization of shift start and shift start and duration
    • Max shift start time variance - the amount of time that the shift start time can vary from the synchronized start time
    • Days off rules
    External Calendar support: Provide the ability for agents import and sync WFM schedules to an external calendar on a mobile device which supports the iCal format such as Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Yahoo Calendar and Outlook. This is a read-only solution, meaning agents cannot make changes from their mobile device and have them take effect in the WFM schedule.

    We are also actively looking at more automation in the following areas:

    • Interaction Forecasting
    • Vacation and Time Off Management
    • Schedule Flexibility
    We are also open to catching up and discussing these live, so if this is of interest please reach out. 

    Have an amazing day

    ------------------------------
    Cameron Smith
    VP, Product Management - Workforce Engagement Management
    Genesys - Employees
    cameron.smith@genesys.com
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    Posted 01-06-2020 09:59
    Thank you Cameron for chiming in and filling in some of the roadmap information.  This all sounds really great.  I know that most PureCloud customers that give up on WFM and move to other products are looking for depth in features like these.  Two that have been coming up most often are the ability to input and track time off and the ability to schedule over multiple weeks.  Those would be two big wins.  Thanks again.

    Robert

    ------------------------------
    Robert Wakefield-Carl
    Avtex Solutions, LLC
    Contact Center Innovation Architect
    robertwc@avtex.com
    https://www.Avtex.com
    https://RobertWC.Blogspot.com
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    Posted 01-06-2020 14:33
    @Cameron Smith this is awesome info, really appreciate it! 

     Can you shed some light on what you mean by "schedule flexibility"?

    ------------------------------
    Will Bellerby
    Pyrios NZ Ltd
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  • 6.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    GENESYS
    Posted 01-06-2020 16:14
    Thanks @Robert Wakefield-Carl, multi-week scheduling should be with us around the middle of March. For time off, we are gathering a lot of ideas and feedback, so keep those ideas coming and we will be looking at design soon.

    @Will Bellerby my pleasure :)

    Schedule Flexibility really is an umbrella term we use to define the different approaches and needs of employees in the modern contact center. When we talk to our customers around the operational complexity of managing such flexibility we really come back with one fundamental core issue. 

    The employee is not clear on the needs of the business and is frustrated with not being presented with options but more either open choice or no choice at all.
    For organizations their ability to be flexible is also limited by not only the tools but the rules in which they are governed, either at a country, region, state, workers union, individual employee contract level. 

    So its a complex challenge. Here is what we are doing however: 

    • This year we added shift trading, including the ability for the employee take up and drop full shifts.
    • We are currently in the design phase for:
      • Work rotations, and while they are designed for repetitive patterns can be used to build flexibility into the shift patterns. 
      • Time Off Planning, which includes Automation, Balance Management, Carryover capabilities and room for future notifications. 
    • And also actively researching the wave behind these which is looking at:  
      • Automated Overtime and Under time Management 
      • Bidding Scenarios for Time Off Requests
      • Performance based scheduling
    Our overall longer term goal is to really give as much flexibility to the employee in the customer experience environment as much flexibility as their corporate colleagues, where they can leave early, make up time and accommodate their lives outside of the workplace. With that however we appreciate the operational and localized rules in place with a lot of organizations.

    Like always we welcome open collaboration on the best ideas for the future, this can be done here in the community or through our ideas portal. 

    Have a great day
    Cam




    ​​

    ------------------------------
    Cameron Smith
    VP, Product Management - Workforce Engagement Management

    cameron.smith@genesys.com
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    Posted 01-07-2020 15:54
    @Cameron Smith

    >Time Off Planning, which includes Automation, Balance Management, Carryover capabilities and room for future notifications. 

    Can I put my 2 cents in here and make a request! Re Balance Management  and Carryover etc..

    In New Zealand and Australia it's normal to have a leave balance that 
    ​does not expire.
    It's just a balance of time that you've accrued during your tenure and you can spend it when the WFM gods allow you to. You don't lose it (unless you're fired), it's your time that's owed to you - It's very simple.

    NICE WFM for example has mandatory date-ranged "use it or lose it" leave balance concepts. In order to use the Time Off Manager (in our part of the world) you have to create complicated workarounds. It's a massive burden to manage and opens several risks for agents over-spending balances etc., not to mentioned being confusing for agents and management to understand. 

    These concepts just don't exist in our parts of the world... so can they please be optional?! 

    Thanks!

    ------------------------------
    Will Bellerby
    Pyrios NZ Ltd
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    GENESYS
    Posted 01-09-2020 14:09
    Hi Will,

    Thanks for your feedback/use case!  Absolutely we can make carryover optional meaning if there is no carryover date, the balance will continue to accrue. Will this support your use case?

    Thanks,
    Michele Fisher

    ------------------------------
    Michele Fisher
    Genesys - Employees
    Director, Product Management
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  • 9.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    Posted 01-09-2020 18:05
    Thanks Michele,

    Yes I think that sounds right!

    ------------------------------
    Will Bellerby
    Pyrios NZ Ltd
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: How does PureCloud compete with other platforms

    GENESYS
    Posted 01-09-2020 14:17
    Hi @Will Bellerby, you can also add more requirements, comments to this idea which is tracking a lot of our feedback for this feature at the moment.

    Time Off Planning
    https://purecloud.ideas.aha.io/ideas/CLWFO-I-7

    ------------------------------
    Cameron Smith
    VP, Product Management - Workforce Engagement Management

    cameron.smith@genesys.com
    ------------------------------



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