Using simulation in call centers

A company's call center is its most visible strategic weapon. It is a business battlefront where millions of dollars of products and services are purchased, sold, and traded. It is also a place where thousands of customers are won and lost in an instant. As leading companies become more creative in disseminating information and providing value to their customers over telephone lines, it is only natural that they look to the call center as their beachhead into the market. With the importance of call centers on the rise and as reengineering activities within them growing rampant, simulation technology is emerging as the best analysis tool to manage change within an increasingly complex environment (D. Profozich, 1997). The paper defines the value of simulation in call center design, planning, and management by examining key weaknesses and strengths of traditional approaches and industry trends. It also discusses how call centers can maximize their investment in simulation.