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Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

  • 1.  Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    GENESYS
    Posted 08-05-2024 09:08
    Edited by Tracy Vickers 08-13-2024 05:04
      |   view attached

    Hi Community, 

    there has been a lot of interest and questions around the new Trade with the system Shift Trades, Alternative Shifts, and I wanted to cover as many of them as possible in a short walk-through video. 

    In addition to the video, we are updating the Resource Centre documents to help better explain how to use the feature. I'll update the post with links as soon as the updated documentation is queued for release.

    update

    Paul


    #Configuration
    #WorkforceManagement
    #Scheduling

    ------------------------------
    Paul Wood
    Product Manager for Genesys Cloud Workforce Management
    ------------------------------



  • 2.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    GENESYS
    Posted 08-07-2024 11:39

    Any questions for @Paul Wood about this new feature? Don't hesitate to ask!



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    Tracy
    Genesys
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  • 3.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    Posted 8 days ago

    Paul we are still not seeing the alternative shifts in the Browse option. Verified all settings per your video. What else can we be missing?

    Flexible workplan shows 9 variations.

    Shows flexibility on agent schedule but no system shifts on Browse.



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    Greg Barrett
    Outdoor Network LLC
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  • 4.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    GENESYS
    Posted 8 days ago

    Correct permissions? 

    • Agents to submit alternative shift trades: Workforce Management > Agent Alternative Shift > Submit permission

    Sure that you have enough room in your service goal impact flex where alternatives are even valid?

    • "...offering shifts that match the service goal impact configured."

    If it is not a permission thing and if you have confirmed that there is reasonable flex in your service goal impacts to not filter out the potential variants, then I would recommend opening a support ticket.



    ------------------------------
    Jay Langsford
    VP, R&D
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  • 5.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    Posted 7 days ago

    Yes on that permission.

    We went super aggressive on the Service Goal Impact since we are in off season and can afford to test like this.



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    Greg Barrett
    Outdoor Network LLC
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  • 6.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    Posted 7 days ago

    We have it Paul. Our test workplans are supervisors so not On Queue. Once we added On Queue time the shifts showed up. We had the same issue with Activity Plans. Hard to test with our agents but lesson learned build "realistic" workplans to test with. 



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    Greg Barrett
    Outdoor Network LLC
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  • 7.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    Posted 08-13-2024 14:22
    Edited by Jennifer DiCesare 08-13-2024 14:25

    Hi Paul,

    Any chance more documentation on how to configure the shifts to become available for the agent could be provided?  I have followed the steps in the video (although it does not cover this part of the configuration) and tried various work plan changes, yet no alternate shifts are appearing for agents.

    As per the idea post we were chatting on, you mentioned the Alternative Shifts are based on the employee's Work Plan Configuration.  I assume since I'm assigned to the following Work Plan, that I need to add an extra shift in here, which I've done in the second record.

    However, that just shows me this view in my Schedule, but I cannot find any alternate shifts.

    I have also tried configuring a new work plan assigned to no agents (since you cannot be assigned to more than one), but that does not appear as an Alternate Shift either.

    Thank you,

    Jennifer



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    Jennifer DiCesare
    Esri Canada
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  • 8.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    GENESYS
    Posted 08-14-2024 07:39

    The shift rows in work plan configurations do not directly result in alternative shifts. The variability in one or more shifts that are configured in a work plan allow for multiple potential shift variations. The mix of all the constraints will reduce that to a valid set of shift that meets constraints. Among those variances the next best (in terms of service performance impact) up to 15 are presented as alternative shifts to the agent.

    In your screen shot you have only 1 shift variant possibility because your shift is completely locked down (fixed shift start/end, fixed activity start/end) and as such there are no alternatives possible. Likely just trial, but the difference between your two shifts is only in start time and that variability could be done in one shift row with flexible start times rather than have two shifts - e.g., shift start could be from 8am to 9am with 60m step increment that would allow for the possibility of either an 8am start or a 9am start. 

    The following resource article has two expandable Example sections near the top explain a bit more about work plan configuration and how the scheduling engine chooses amongst. https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/work-plans-configuration-overview/



    ------------------------------
    Jay Langsford
    VP, R&D
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  • 9.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    Posted 08-14-2024 07:54

    Hi Jay,

    Thanks for the clarification.  This is what I had originally thought when it was released, but thought maybe I was wrong based on some feedback received.

    Unfortunately, we have an employee-first approach so we work with our employees to have set shifts that work best for their lives.  If we make the start time flexible, it means the scheduling engine will schedule them based on what it thinks is best in that range causing them to possibly have different shifts every day.  When we were implementing Genesys, we were under the impression that the flexible start time meant the employee could start their shift within that given range and be within adherence, not that the scheduling engine would choose their start time for them.  Therefore we are kind of stuck with static shifts.

    I was hoping the Alternative Shifts would finally provide the solution we were hoping for and allow the agent to trade for another start time within our approved flexible range (spoken word since Genesys doesn't support this) that can suit their lifestyle.  Especially having some offices in a cities with traffic volatility causing some of our staff to arrive later than expected.  Alternative Shifts had the potential to help with this had they had the option to switch their shift once reviewing traffic in the morning.  Or alternatively if their child was sick and they needed to find last minute care, etc.  There are so many reasons why true flexible start (and then an adjusted end time based on this) is so important for us.

    While the scheduling engine is good for larger call centers, there are many scenarios where we need to provide more fixed shifts for some of our staff members, layered with true start/end time flexibility, and the scheduling engine does not cover our needs to put the employee first.

    This brings me back to requesting again for my idea to be re-opened as Alternative Shifts does not cover our needs as it currently is.
    https://genesyscloud.ideas.aha.io/ideas/WESCH-I-211

    Thanks,

    Jennifer



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    Jennifer DiCesare
    Esri Canada
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  • 10.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    GENESYS
    Posted 08-14-2024 10:35

    Hi Jennifer, 
    we might be able to better support your use case with the Employee Availability project that @Eric Hagaman and @Andrew Boland are currently researching.

    This will allow the employee to select specific days and times when they are available for work. The Schedule engine will look to schedule shifts from the Work Plan that fall within these times. This would allow for more flexible work plans, opening up the possibility of Alternative shifts, but restricting the schedule engine options to the agreed start times.

    To help with my understanding a little more, if an employee is on a fixed work plan what level of flexibility would you want to give in terms of moving the shift/offering an alternative?

    Paul



    ------------------------------
    Paul Wood
    Product Manager for Genesys Cloud Workforce Management
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  • 11.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through

    Posted 08-14-2024 10:56

    Hi Paul,

    Thanks for the response and suggestion.  Our schedules are currently posted up to almost 6 months in advance for time off visibility and planning purposes.  Our employees would not know that far in advance if the need to adjust their schedules.

    In most scenarios, employees may need 30-60 minutes of flexibility in their scheduled start time due to unforeseen circumstances (ex; traffic, kids, appointments, etc.).  The allowed range would be on circumstances specific to the employee, the flexibility we can allow (none, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, etc), and what we can accommodate depending on how many staff generally work at the time of day they start/end their shifts to account for proper coverage.

    In it's best form, we would like the option in a work plan for a true flexible start - meaning the employee can start within the range of time outlined in the workplan and not be out of adherence if they begin within that range.  For example, they may be scheduled to start at 8am, but if we allow them to start between 8-8:30am without being out of adherence, they could log in at 8:15am and work until 4:15pm - completing their 8 hour shift.

    If we were to take it a step further, displaying the flexible ranges on the published schedule, so others are aware their start/end times are flexible, would be preferable.  This would be similar to the personal schedule image I posted earlier where the beginning and end of the shift were more pale in colour and the bolded colour would be the time they would definitely be working. In the scenario I mentioned above - 8-8:30am would be pale, 8:30-4pm would be a bolder colour, and 4-4:30pm would be pale again indicating the agent may log off at some point in that window of time.

    The Alternative Shifts was an option originally, only because you could trade the shift even as close as 15 minutes before the shift start.  While this isn't ideal, being able to "trade" the shift that close to the start would solve some of our issues for employees that know they will be late prior to the start of their shift.  However, the downfall is the amount of configuration that would be involved with providing multiple alternative shifts that would cover their needs.  If they have a flexible start time of a 1-hour window, we may need to create 3 alternative shift options for that employee on each 15 minute interval.  When you compound that work with the number of employees that would require a flexible start time, it becomes a lot of overhead.  Whereas a true flexible start time would be ideal.  One setting per agent in their work plan.

    We really do not find the Scheduling Engine useful for our needs.  We are a smaller contact center of approximately 90 staff - a few of which do not take any interactions but are more on the management side.  We find it more beneficial for employee retention to work with them and find "static" schedules that provide the coverage we need, while also accommodating the employee.  Static being in quotes since we do prefer slight flexibility in the start time for some staff.  Furthermore, because we're on the smaller side and that we work in the technology industry, we often have more staff than incoming interactions through Genesys.  We do the bulk of our communication with customers via Salesforce as our tickets can last days or weeks.  Therefore the Scheduling Engine is really not of use to us.

    It would be great to see true flexible start times that don't need to rely on the Scheduling Engine.  That always seems to be the suggested solution, but we do not use it, so we need an alternative solution.  One that's also more dynamic than the Scheduling Engine since we publish schedules fairly far in advance.  Ideally so flexible that the employee can start within a range, but as high-level as 15 minute increments for possible start times would also work.

    I'm also happy to have a call to discuss our needs further if there is benefit when researching customer needs for the Employee Availability project.

    Thanks,

    Jennifer



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    Jennifer DiCesare
    Esri Canada
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  • 12.  RE: Alternative Shift (Trade with the System) Shift Trade Walk-Through