Approach
In collaboration with the client, the first phase involved mapping out the various requirements and constraints that the planning needed to meet. These were categorised into different levels of strictness. Contractual obligations, customer preferences, and employee characteristics were taken into account:
-
Contractual obligations ("must have"): such as adhering to work schedules, respecting the maximum number of quarterly shifts, ensuring there is no early shift following a late shift the previous day.
-
Customer preferences ("nice to have"): for example, ideally, each call agent should have one full weekend off.
-
Employee characteristics ("must have"): including language proficiency (Dutch or French), skill availability, etc.
-
Employee preferences ("nice to have"): such as desired shifts based on evening classes or hobbies.
Möbius consultants then began integrating these requirements and constraints into the existing Excel file but quickly encountered limitations (e.g., excessive calculation time, lack of flexibility for customisation). After consultation with the client, a decision was made to transition to the programming language R. A heuristic model was developed in R, generating a potential solution that met all contractual obligations and maximised consideration for employee preferences through monthly iterations. Möbius also added necessary (visual) control mechanisms.
Finally, efforts were made to incorporate the monthly output of the R model into the Excel file in a clear and organised manner to minimise communication changes for the employees.
Result
Möbius delivered the developed R model to the client, along with a user manual and technical documentation. The project resulted in the automation of the methodology for creating monthly schedules for all employees in the Contact Center, resulting in substantial annual savings on Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions.
