ckp@cup.portal.com (11/11/90)
Has anyone had any experience with a scheduler for ACD staff that is both effective and efficient? The product we are currently struggling with is called NAMES-10, it's an MS-DOS based package marketed by AT&T. It's extremely difficult to use and our supervisory staff spends an excessive amount of time attempting to get it to meet our needs. We have a situation here where the tail (software) is wagging the dog (organization). Any and all recommendations are welcome. Within reason, money is no issue at this point in time. We need something that will help us cover our volumes effectively, without dooming our supervisors to endless attempts to 'fool' the system into meeting our needs. Many thanks. Christine ckp@cup.portal.com
bill@gatech.edu (11/14/90)
In article <14596@accuvax.nwu.edu> you write: X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 811, Message 8 of 11 >Has anyone had any experience with a scheduler for ACD staff that is >both effective and efficient? The product we are currently struggling >with is called NAMES-10, it's an MS-DOS based package marketed by >AT&T. My sympathy is with you. We also use(d) NAMES. >It's extremely difficult to use and our supervisory staff spends an >excessive amount of time attempting to get it to meet our needs. We >have a situation here where the tail (software) is wagging the dog >(organization). Yes, that describes NAMES perfectly. >Any and all recommendations are welcome. Within reason, money is no >issue at this point in time. We need something that will help us >cover our volumes effectively, without dooming our supervisors to >endless attempts to 'fool' the system into meeting our needs. Let me tell you what not to use. We have also used EMPS (marketed by Cybernetics Systems International in Miami). EMPS has a much better user interface than NAMES, so its easier to use, but the schedules it produces aren't worth a whole lot by our estimation. We scrapped EMPS in favor of NAMES, and are now scrapping NAMES as well. FYI, I work at the reservation center for Days Inns. We have an AT&T System 85 in Atlanta supporting 200 reservations agents, and two other System 85's in Knoxville supporting 400 more agents. Our center in Knoxville is about to purchase MPS by TCS. I have not worked with TCS, but I saw a demonstration that was given by one of their salesmen. I have some reservations about the product, but the folks in Knoxville were willing to go along with it. Two of us here in the Atlanta office are currently writing our own package (This software is being developed with our own resources away from the company). We feel especially qualified, having viewed the shortcomings of two other packages. Our product should be ready within four months, at which time we intend to market it. Just out of curiosity, what kind of setup do you have (how many agent positions, what kind of hardware, anticipated call volume, type of operation)? (Our product is not ready to be marketed, I'm just curious). Also, could I dig up the name of a TCS representative and send it your way? Bill Crane ...!gatech!daysinns!bill bill%daysinns@gatech.edu Days Inns of America Inc., Atlanta GA