Shiftmate
How to make a call center break plan?
Hourly coverage approach to prepare meal and short break plans while maintaining service level in call center teams.
The break plan is not a list added after the shift. Two people taking a break at the same time at the wrong interval can directly affect the service level in a small team.
Calculate break capacity
Subtract the need for active seating from the planned number of people. The remaining positive number indicates the approximate number of people who can go off the call at the same time during that interval.
Take a meal and a short break
Do not lump long meal breaks and short rest breaks into the same logic. If the duration, start and end are recorded separately, timesheet control becomes easier.
Maintain competency distribution
Just looking at the total number of people is not enough. Check that the required competence in language, product line or queues requiring seniority is not lost during the break.
Summary
The correct question of the break plan is “who will be out when?” but “how many people can leave safely at this hour?” should be.