Workforce management software will help GMP optimise costs
Optimising customer service resources is set to realise significant savings for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) over the next 20 months through overtime reduction and other efficiencies. The force is installing workforce management software in its Operational Communications Branch as part of its ongoing centralised resource management strategy.
Optimising customer service resources is set to realise significant savings for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) over the next 20 months through overtime reduction and other efficiencies. The force is installing workforce management software in its Operational Communications Branch as part of its ongoing centralised resource management strategy.
The software, from specialist contact centre and unified communications systems integrator Sabio, will support GMPs drive to optimise contact centre staffing levels and realise significant back-office savings by securing a 50 per cent reduction in overtime hours required over the next four years.
The Operational Communications Branch employs 700 full and part-time staff to deliver the local 999 emergency service, handle non-emergency number calls and also deliver police duty management and command and control operations.
The workforce management approach will help GMP achieve the right balance between workloads and contact centre staffing, allowing the forces resource management team to create optimal schedules to consistently and cost-effectively meet demanding service levels.
Like many other UK police forces, GMP is undergoing a priority-based budgeting exercise to ensure we optimise our back-office performance and focus as much of our activities as possible on delivering frontline services, explained Ian Charnock, business hub manager for GMPs Operational Communications Branch.
Adopting an integrated workforce management approach to help improve our resource management operation is clearly an important part of this process.
In addition to reducing contact centre staff overtime levels, the new workforce management software will also support GMP with the integration of previously separate resource management teams. The introduction of real-time adherence will also enable the production of more granular contact centre staffing schedules, allowing the force to deliver on its comprehensive customer service level targets.
The new workforce management solution replaces GMPs previous Excel-based scheduling system.