Optimizing Call Center Staffing Using Simulation and Analytic Center Cutting-Plane Methods

Júlíus Atlason (), Marina A. Epelman () and Shane G. Henderson ()
Additional contact information
Júlíus Atlason: THOR Development and Research, Reykjavík, Iceland
Marina A. Epelman: Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
Shane G. Henderson: School of Operations Research and Information Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853

Management Science, 2008, vol. 54, issue 2, 295-309

Abstract: We consider the problem of minimizing staffing costs in an inbound call center, while maintaining an acceptable level of service in multiple time periods. The problem is complicated by the fact that staffing level in one time period can affect the service levels in subsequent periods. Moreover, staff schedules typically take the form of shifts covering several periods. Interactions between staffing levels in different time periods, as well as the impact of shift requirements on the staffing levels and cost, should be considered in the planning. Traditional staffing methods based on stationary queueing formulas do not take this into account. We present a simulation-based analytic center cutting-plane method to solve a sample average approximation of the problem. We establish convergence of the method when the service-level functions are discrete pseudoconcave. An extensive numerical study of a moderately large call center shows that the method is robust and, in most of the test cases, outperforms traditional staffing heuristics that are based on analytical queueing methods.

Keywords: simulation optimization; call centers; analytic center cutting-plane method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (37)

Downloads: (external link)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.1070.0774 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:54:y:2008:i:2:p:295-309

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Management Science from INFORMS Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Asher ().