Addison Lee automates workforce management

Private car hire firm wants to save £1m by using new scheduling system

The new system is expected to give Addison Lee a better view of vehicle demand

Vehicle hire firm Addison Lee hopes to save £1m with the rollout of a workforce management system intended to optimise call centre forecasting and driver scheduling.

The company also wants to generate a 30 per cent reduction in annual staffing costs by using the software provided by Sabio, which replaces an Excel-based set-up.

Addison Lee expected to reap operational benefits from the automation in planning and forecasting introduced by the system, as well as a reduction in administrative procedures. Using the platform, agents will also be able to book their own holidays and swap working shifts.

"Our previous approach to scheduling was to get in as many agents as possible when we knew it was going to be busy. While that meant we were able to deliver an unrivalled service level, we were also paying a bottom-line penalty due to overlapping shifts, excess occupancy and unplanned overtime," said Chris De Souza, call centre manager at Addison Lee.

De Souza said that, so far, the company has been able to generate " significant savings" by using the system, which included achieving return on investment. Other benefits mentioned included greater control over scheduling and occupancy.