Forecaster

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Hills-B Optimizer Pro
Forecaster Call Center Management Software
Sample Forecast.
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The Forecast Scenario

• To create a forecast for the month of January
  2002. This forecast will be used to determine
  the number of resources required to meet expected
  call volumes and distribution realize quality of
  service and the applicable costs. And,
  calculate Januarys FTE requirements.

• The end result will offer a clear-cut view of all
  the vital data necessary to assist you in your
  decision-making process. The whole picture comes
  alive before your eyes and you will see and
  understand things you never knew could effect the
  validity of your forecasts!

• The accurate, informative calculations ensure
  that your call center will consistently operate
  efficiently and cost-effectively for the month.
  (Barring any unforeseen catastrophes - which, of
  course, Hills-B can manage as well!)

Specifics

• Length of forecast study will be a calendar month

Start date of January 1, 2002 End Date January
31, 2002
Closed on Tuesday, January 1, 2002 (New Years
Day)
Open on Tuesday, January 21, 2002 (Martin
Luther King Day)
Lets get started...
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Open Hills-B Optimizer Pro

• Open Microsoft Excel

• Click Hills-B Pro from the Excel toolbar

• Select Forecasts/Create new study

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Select a Template

• From the New Study screen,

• Select the Forecast Agent Resources template.

• Click OK.

Yes, Hills-B forecasts IVRs as well!
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Customizing the Forecast Sheet template

• The next 3 steps involves setting up the
  template with the specific
• Dates
• Days
• Times (Hours of Operation display increments)

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Step 1 of 3

• Step 1 - Dates
• Enter the start and end dates of the new forecast.

• Using the drop box provided, select Calendar
  month .

• Using the calendar provided, or the
  day/month/year arrows, select Tuesday 1 January
  2002.

• Click Next or the Step 2- Days box.

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Step 2 of 3

• Step 2 - Days
• Include/exclude specific days that fall within
  the Forecast length specified in Step 1.

• To exclude a specific day of the week (DOW),
  Clear the appropriate box(es).

• Note that 2 potential national holidays for the
  USA fall within the Forecast period. Click the
  box next to 01/21/02 Mon Martin Luther King Day
  as the call center will be open for business.
  Leave 01/01/01 Tues New Years Day clear as the
  center will be closed.

• Click Next or the Step 3 - Times box.

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Step 3 of 3

• Step 3 - Times
• Enter hours of operation and how Performance
  Detail results are to be displayed.

• Using the drop boxes provided in the Start/End
  Times fields, select Start time as 0800 and End
  Time 1700.

• In the Period field, select to have Performance
  Detail results displayed in 30 minute periods in
  the forecast.

• Click Finish.

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Name the Forecast Sheet

• Prompt appears to name the new Forecast Sheet -
  default will be the dates of the Forecast Sheet
  specified in Step 1 of 3.

• In this sample the default will be retained by
  clicking OK. However, to enter a new name,
  simply overwrite the current default.

• Quick Note You will be working in a Forecast
  Sheet, which is equivalent to MS Excels
  Worksheets. You will be saving the Forecast
  Sheet(s) within a Study, which is equivalent to
  MS Excels Workbook.

• For those not familiar with MS Excel, think of a
  Study as a 3-ring binder. Think of the Forecast
  Sheet(s) as the paper inside the binder.

• Studies can contain as many Forecast Sheets
  necessary.

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Save the Forecast Sheet

• The Save New Study window provides the
  opportunity to save the new Forecast Sheet into a
  new Study folder.

• If the default file/folder locations were
  selected during installation, it is located as
  shown below.

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• In this sample, the Forecast Sheet will be saved
  within a new Study entitled 12 Month Forecast
  Sheets 2002

Because a Study could potentially contain many
Forecast Sheets, it is recommended that the
Forecast Sheet and the Study names are not
identical, even if the Study only contains one
Forecast Sheet.

• Enter the new Study name in the File name field
  provided.

• Click Save to continue.

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Hills-B Toolbar!
Summary Month of Jan 2002 (minus Tuesday - New
Years Day)
30-min display increments for each day of the
month
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Summary Table Provides a daily summary for each
day of the Forecast Sheet. Also, it provides a
warning via red shading if any day falls below
the established worst scenario for SL and/or
ASA. Lastly, it contains the Call Scale Factor
and Adjustment Column, which are used to adjust
call volumes.
Helpful LEGEND Black print represents general
parameters (dates/times) Blue print reflects
required Forecast Details by User Red print
strictly represents results. Do not access.
Main Table Provides details for each period of
each day of the forecast. In this case, it is
every 30 minutes. It is within the Main Table
where Hills-B provides the number of resources
required based on the Forecast Details provided
by the user. Additionally, it is within the Main
Table actual resources are scheduled by user.
And lastly, all 25 performance details are
displayed in the Main Table (only 3 currently
displayed).
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Forecast Details Required by User include
Best Worst case for SL and ASA
Historical Call Data
Optimization type and goals.
Input Parameters
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Optimization type and goals.
Best Worst case for SL and ASA
Historical Call Data
Input Parameters
Once Forecast Details are inputted, Hills-B
calculates Resources Required!
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Once resources are scheduled, Watch 25
performance results calculate instantaneously!
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Accessing the Hills-B Functions
There are 2 ways in which to activate the various
functions of Hills-B. First is utilizing the
Hills-B Toolbar provided.
The other is utilizing the MS Excel toolbar, and
navigating to the function you need at the time.
Whichever method you prefer...
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Change Optimization Type and Goals
The default Optimization parameters are Service
Level with a goal of 80 of all calls answered
within 35 seconds. This will change to 80 in 30
seconds...
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Change Optimization Type and Goals

• Changing the default Optimization type and goals
  is quickly accomplished with Hills-B.
• From the Hills-B Toolbar, click the Change
  Optimization icon.

Note there are 4 options for Optimization.
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Service Level Average Speed of Answer
(ASA) Minimum Cost Limited Agents (catastrophic
Situations)

• In this sample, the SLs speed of answer has been
  adjusted from 35 to 30 seconds by clicking on the
  secs field and overwriting 35 with 30.
• Click Finish

You have the option to switch optimization goal
types and parameters at anytime during a
forecasting study.
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Set Service Level and ASA Benchmarks

• To adjust the default SL and ASA benchmarks,
• Click the appropriate box
• Overwrite the current value
• In this sample, Worst Case has been changed
  from 50 to 70 and 50 secs has been changed to
  30 secs.

70
30
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Populate Calls based on typical day
Next, the Calls Based on Typical Day will need to
be populated.
This column is not populated directly in the
Forecast Sheet. Instead the User will populate
the Typical Calls Table. Once this is
accomplished, it is the Typical Calls Table that
will automatically populate the Forecast Sheet.
Each and every Study will contain a minimum of 2
sheets, (1) the Forecast Sheet, and (2) the
Typical Calls Table. This table consists of a
24/7 grid where the average of typical calls
received, and the distribution of those calls are
entered. Once completed, the program will
extract the calls from the Table and populate the
Calls based on Typical Day column shown below.
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Access Populate the Typical Calls Table
To open the Typical Calls Table, click on the tab
located in the bottom left-hand side of your
screen.
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Details on the Typical Calls Table

• The Typical Calls Table is a 24/7 grid worksheet
  that is populated each day with
• The Average Number of Calls Received
• Distribution of those Calls

By following a simple method described in the
User Manual, you will learn how to accurately
determine and input typical calls data into this
template.
Other templates available!
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Populating with Sample Data
For this sample, the Sample Calls.xls provided
by Hills-B will be accessed to quickly illustrate
the process. The steps are below

• While in the Typical Calls table, click Hills-B
  Pro from the MS Excel toolbar.
• Select Import Typical Calls.

• Navigate to the Calls folder provided by the
  program, and click on Sample Calls, then Open.

• Highlight Sample, click OK.

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1. Sample data was inserted into the Typical
Calls Table.
3. Back in the Forecast Sheet, the Calls based on
typical day Column is automatically populated
from the Table
2. Return to Forecast Sheet by clicking on the
tab.
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User Input Parameters Required
There are 12 Input Parameters requested by the
Hills-B Formula. The default values are shown
below. Each represents a fixed average value.
User Input Parameters can be either a fixed
average value, or they can be a variable.
To change any of the average values, simply click
on the appropriate cell(s) and overwrite current
value with the new value.
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Convert Fixed Average to Variable
There will be situations when an average value
does not make sense because there is too much
variation throughout the forecast day(s).
In this sample, the Input Parameter Resource
Cost (per hr) will be changed from a fixed
average value of 15, to a variable value.

• From the Hills-B Toolbar, select Customize
  Forecast

• Select the Input Sources tab, the Performance
  Details range, and the input Resources Cost (per
  hr)

• Select to insert a new column, then click Apply

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Note that Agent Cost (per hr.) now has a column
in the Main Table. And the Input Parameter cell
for Resource Cost (per hr.) has been shaded as a
visual reminder that the Hills-B Formula will be
referring to the new column located in the Main
Table until any future adjustments are made.

• There is now access to each period of each day
  for the input, Resource Cost (per hr.).
• Values are changed by clicking the appropriate
  cell(s) and overwriting with new value.
• In this sample, the earlier shift is at 20 per
  hour vs. 15 per hour.

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Recap of Forecast Details entered
Set Optimization Type and Goals
Entered Best Worst Case Benchmarks
Populated Typical Calls data
Based on current inputs, the FTE Required
has been calculated for the month automatically!
Populated Input Parameters
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Calculated Resources Required
And, now with the Forecast Details entered, the
Hills-B calculations in the Resources Required
column contains valid data for consideration
prior to the actual scheduling of resources.
The scheduling of resources is the final Forecast
Detail required by the user prior to beginning
what if exercises.
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Scheduling Resources
In a perfect world the ideal would be to
schedule as many resources as there are required
by Hills-B. In this next exercise, lets assume
we have that option.

• From the Hills-B Toolbar, click the What if
  (Agents) icon.

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• From the Adjust Agents Scheduled screen,
• Click the box for Select All Dates
• Enter new value as 100
• Click Apply

The number of Resources Scheduled are identical
to the number Required by Hills-B.
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Which in turn provides desired Performance Detail
results!
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Adjusting Call Volume
The Hills-B program actually uses the values in
the Calls expected for this day column and not
the Calls based on typical day column when
factoring in call volume and distribution. The
Adjustment Column and the Call Scale Factor
located conveniently between the columns allows
the user to adjust the original data with these
two handy features.

• The Adjustment Column located between the Calls
  based on typical day column and the Calls
  expected for this day column is available for
  increasing and/or decreasing call volume within
  the Calls based on typical day. You do not have
  to revert back to the Typical Calls Table to make
  adjustments to the original Typical Calls.

The Adjustment column is for adjusting specific
days within your forecast.
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Utilizing the Adjustment Column

• This sample will illustrate how the Adjustment
  column is used to increase (or decrease) call
  volume.

• Because the center is closed New Years Day
  (January 1, 2002) the sample assumes there will
  be an increase in calls on Tuesday and Wednesday.

• To increase calls for both Tuesday and Wednesday,
  simply click on the appropriate cell in the
  Adjustment column, and enter the percentage. For
  negative numbers use the minus sign in front of
  the percentage (e.g. -10)

• Note the Calls expected for this day column
  automatically adjusts as do the Totals at the
  bottom of the table.

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• Note the Resources Required column has increased
  due to the increased call volume. Obviously,
  additional resources will be needed to meet this
  adjusted volume demand.

Also note that the Performance Details in both
the Main Table and the Summary Table have fallen
below the Worst Case Benchmark.
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• One way to boost Performance Detail results would
  be to add additional resources when possible as
  shown in the sample below.

• Using the Add/Del column provided, additional
  agents were added (to delete agents, simply place
  a negative sign in front of the value).

• The Diff column still shows discrepancies between
  the values in Resources Required and Resources
  Scheduled (which factors in the Add/Del column).

Note Performance Details still not where they
need to be consistently.

• The final number of resources scheduled are the
  values in the Resources column. This is the
  column Hills-B will factor in to the calculations.

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• The sample assumes there are no more agents
  available for these times. The Input Parameter
  value Talk Time (secs) will be reduced slightly
  for these specific times. Possibly cutting out a
  lengthy intro...

There are a couple ways to accomplish shaving
time off the input. First, would be to simply
click on the value cell for Talk Time (secs), and
overwrite the current value with the new.
However, by doing it this way - EACH period of
EACH day of the Sheet will be effected with the
change (and thats not necessary at this time).
The second way would be to change Talk Time
(secs) from a fixed average value to a variable
value as done earlier with Resources Costs (per
hr.). This allows for only adjusting specified
periods.
Reducing Talk Time (secs) by 6 seconds, the
Performance Details are at optimum levels again
without additional agents!
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Utilizing the Call Scale Factor
The Call Scale Factor is also located
conveniently between Calls based on typical day
and the Calls expected for this day columns.
The Call Scale Factor is used to increase (or
decrease) the call volumes overall. Any value
placed in that cell will effect the entire
forecast - not just specific days.
The sample below illustrates an overall increase
of 20 in call volume. In addition, Tuesday and
Wednesday still show an additional 15 and 10
increase.
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Performance Details
Hills-B Optimizer calculates 25 results ranging
from resources required, quality of performance
and associated costs. The program has 5
permanent results displayed Service Level,
ASA, Abandonments, Busy, and Total Trunk Cost.
Users have the option to either hide or display
the other 20 results by activating the Customize
Forecast icon located on the Hills-B Toolbar.
Whether or not a result is displayed, with each
input to a forecast, all 25 are always
automatically re-calculated.
Results Generated

• Abandonments
• Abandonments before SL Time
• Abandonments after SL Time
• Abandonment Totals
• Average Speed of Answer (seconds)
• Average Time to Answer (seconds)
• Percentage of Busies
• Immediate Abandonments
• Number of Lost Calls
• Percentage of Occupancy
• Probability of Delay
• Probability of Retry
• Queue Slots Required

• Service Level
• Service Level Adjustment
• Service Level - Nortel users
• Total Agent Cost
• Total Calls Lost
• Total Costs
• Total Queue time (hours)
• Total Talk Time (hours)
• Total Trunk Costs
• Total Trunk Time
• Total Work Time (hours)
• Trunks Required

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Performance Details

• To display a specific result column, the
  following procedures are followed

• Click on the Customize Forecast icon located on
  the Hills-B Toolbar.
• Select the Results Columns tab
• Highlight the Performance Details Range
• Highlight Occupancy
• Click Add

• Occupancy will be moved from the Add to the
  columns in use column as shown.

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Customize Forecast Sheet

• The Customize Forecast icon allows quick
  adjustments to a current forecast. Simply click
  on the icon, and make a selection from the tabs
  provided.

• Start/End times can be adjusted.

• Display periods (e.g. 30 minutes to 15 minutes).

• Input Parameters from fixed to variable (and
  reverse).

• Result columns hidden/displayed and column order.

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Change Forecast Sheet Options
The Change Options icon provides quick
adjustments to current and future forecasts.
Simply click on the icon, and make a selection
from the tabs provided.

• Sample options include
• Changing the name of an Input or Result column
• Changing default values for Input values
• Changing the Holidays Table to a different
  country setting
• Changing how columns are formatted
• Importing a different Typical Calls Table into
  current forecast sheet
• Changing the overall look of the forecast (e.g.
  colors, fonts, etc.)

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Change Column Names
For an example, the Input Parameter entitled
Work Time (secs), can easily be permanently
changed to Wrap Time.

• From the Options menu,
• Select Inputs
• Using the drop box provided, select Work Time
  (secs)
• (Note the definition Hills-B provides prior to
  making any adjustments. This is to ensure that
  we all mean the same thing for each Input
  Parameter.)
• Overwrite Work Time (secs) with Wrap Time
• Click Apply, and the change is complete

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Scenario Library

• The Scenarios icon located on the Hills-B
  Toolbar is another feature worth noting in our
  sample forecast.
• This feature provides you with the ability to
  create different Input Parameters scenarios, and
  save them for future use. A true time saver when
  performing what if scenarios in a current
  forecast, or recalling scenarios for new forecast.

• Heres how it works to add a new scenario
• Select a forecast to input scenario
• Click New
• Give the scenario a name, Retries 50 Trunks 2000
• You have successfully created an Input scenario
  that you can use time and again.

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Review of the Hills-B Toolbar
This Sample Forecast ends with an overview of
the entire Hills-B Toolbar, that is provided for
quick and easy access to all the functionality
within Hills-B Optimizer Pro!

• The Hills-B Optimizer Pro is an analytical tool
  that will bring your forecasting results down to
  a more granular level. It will afford you
  results proven within 1-3 of actual! Its a
  tool considered a valued addition to call centers
  of all sizes across the globe!

Help
Open existing Study
Create a new Study
Add new Forecast Sheet to current Study
Recalc forecast
Holidays Tables
Change Options
Customize Forecast Sheet
Input Scenarios
Change Optimization Type and Goals
What if (Agents)
What if (Daily Calls)
What if (Typical Calls)
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Hills-B Optimizer Pro
Forecaster Call Center Management Software
For more information on our Hills-B Optimizer
Pro, please contact us directly. i2Gemini 40
Cedar Ave Hershey, PA 17033 USA 866-936-IGEM
(4436) 240-547-1304 Sales_at_i2gemini.com www.i2gemin
i.com