Hello Stretch,
I am using software that is known as the Call Center Bid Manager (CBM). You can actually visit website at
WWW.CallCPM.com to view it.
One of my close collegues at another center introduced me to this application and since it's implementation, I have seen a dramatic increase in employee morale and better service levels.
My agents enjoy the fact that there schedule will never get worst than what they currently have. Prior to this application, my shiftbids took too long to complete and I would have a line of people standing outside my door for schedule changes once completed. The last shift bid before this created so mush tension that a few agents started a petition which was escalated to senior manager. So trust me, this has been a LIFE SAVER!!
Basically, the concept of this software is to perform as many passes it takes to exhaust my schedule inventory. And what is left over goes to the new hires (which are the schedule that are left over after each agents preference has been checked)
Theoritically, if one agents move from his/her old schedule to a new schedule, their old schedule is free and the system goes back to the top to see if someone higher ranked had it as a higher preference. if so, then they move into that sched and their other sched is passed on. My agents love this concept and they see that it is fair and consistent and their is no human intervention with the exception of downloading schedules. I can also dentify the schedules that we no longer need and as agents come off those schedules, I have the opporutinity to download more efficient ones and meet the needs of the business. I have done more than 4 bids a year and have not had one complaint with the process....Check out this website...
WWW.CAllCPM.com
I actually had the opportunity to dial in on a video web conference and watch a live demonstration. I don't know if they still do that but when I saw the demo, I was excited and brought my boss in on one and it has been a God sent.