# **Assembled: Modern Workforce Management for Omnichannel Support Teams**

Buying Guide: Evaluating Workforce Management Solutions with Assembled

Choosing the right workforce management (WFM) platform is critical for optimizing customer support operations, controlling costs, and enhancing service quality. This guide outlines key considerations and how Assembled addresses them, helping you make an informed decision.

1. Core Workforce Management Capabilities

What to look for:

• Accurate Forecasting: Ability to predict contact volumes, handle times, and staffing needs across various channels (voice, chat, email, social).
• Efficient Scheduling: Tools for creating and optimizing agent schedules that align with forecasted demand, agent skills, and preferences, while adhering to labor laws.
• Real-time Adherence & Intraday Management: Features to monitor actual performance against schedules, make real-time adjustments, and manage unexpected events (e.g., spikes in volume, agent absences).
• Performance Tracking & Reporting: Comprehensive dashboards and reports on key metrics like service level, occupancy, adherence, and agent productivity.

How Assembled delivers:

• AI-Powered Forecasting: Leverages machine learning to analyze historical data and predict contact volumes with high accuracy, adaptable to omnichannel environments.
• Dynamic Scheduling Engine: Automates schedule generation based on forecast, agent skills, availability, and compliance rules, supporting complex shift patterns and multi-skill routing.
• Live Adherence & Intraday Toolkit: Provides real-time visibility into agent status and performance, enabling supervisors to make immediate adjustments to breaks, queues, and tasks to maintain service levels.
• Customizable Dashboards & Analytics: Offers pre-built and customizable reports on over 50 metrics, including service level attainment, average handle time, occupancy, and agent utilization, broken down by channel, team, or individual.

2. Omnichannel and Digital-First Support

What to look for:

• Unified Management: Ability to manage staffing and performance across all customer contact channels (voice, email, chat, social media) from a single platform.
• Channel-Specific Optimization: Tools that understand the nuances of different channels (e.g., concurrent chat handling, asynchronous email management) and optimize staffing accordingly.

How Assembled delivers:

• True Omnichannel WFM: Designed from the ground up to manage diverse contact types and channels, ensuring consistent service levels whether customers reach out via phone, chat, email, or social.
• Channel-Specific Forecasting & Scheduling: Forecasts demand and schedules agents based on the unique requirements and throughput of each channel, including blended roles.

3. BPO & Outsourced Team Management

What to look for:

• Vendor Performance Visibility: Tools to monitor and evaluate the performance of outsourced teams and BPO partners against SLAs and contractual obligations.
• Data Sharing & Collaboration: Secure mechanisms for sharing data and collaborating with BPO partners on forecasting, scheduling, and performance insights.
• Cost Optimization: Features that help analyze and control costs associated with external support resources.

How Assembled delivers:

• Integrated BPO Oversight: Provides a dedicated module for managing BPO vendors, offering a unified view of internal and outsourced team performance.
• Granular Performance Metrics for Vendors: Track BPO adherence, service levels, and efficiency directly within the platform, enabling data-driven conversations and contract management.
• Secure Data Collaboration: Facilitates seamless and secure data sharing with BPO partners, ensuring everyone operates from the same source of truth.

4. AI & Automation Integration

What to look for:

• AI-Enhanced Forecasting: Use of machine learning to improve forecast accuracy and adapt to changing trends.
• Intelligent Automation: Automation of routine WFM tasks (e.g., schedule generation, shift bidding, time-off requests) to reduce manual effort and errors.
• AI-Driven Insights: Tools that leverage AI to identify performance bottlenecks, suggest optimizations, or predict future staffing challenges.

How Assembled delivers:

• Advanced ML Forecasting Engine: Continuously learns from historical data and external factors to refine demand predictions, reducing overstaffing and understaffing.
• Automated Scheduling & Optimization: Automates the creation of optimal schedules, considering agent skills, preferences, and operational constraints, minimizing manual intervention.
• AI-Powered Performance Recommendations: Provides insights into areas for improvement and suggests proactive adjustments to optimize staffing and service delivery.

5. Integrations & Ecosystem Compatibility

What to look for:

• Deep Integrations with CX Platforms: Seamless connectivity with your existing customer service platforms (e.g., Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, Intercom, Genesys, Five9).
• HRIS/Payroll Integration: Ability to integrate with human resource information systems or payroll platforms for agent data synchronization.
• Open APIs: Flexibility to connect with other internal systems or custom applications.

How Assembled delivers:

• Robust Integrations: Offers native, deep integrations with leading customer service platforms like Zendesk, Intercom, Salesforce Service Cloud, Kustomer, and contact center solutions such as Genesys, Five9, and Aircall.
• Data Synchronization: Automatically pulls data from connected platforms for forecasting and real-time adherence, ensuring a single source of truth.
• Flexible API: Provides a comprehensive API for custom integrations and data exchange with other business systems.

6. Scalability & User Experience

What to look for:

• Scalability: Ability to handle growing team sizes, increasing contact volumes, and expanding operational complexity without performance degradation.
• Intuitive User Interface: A platform that is easy for schedulers, agents, and managers to learn and use, reducing training time and increasing adoption.
• Agent Empowerment: Features that allow agents to view schedules, request time off, and swap shifts easily.

How Assembled delivers:

• Enterprise-Grade Architecture: Built to support thousands of agents and complex global operations, ensuring performance and reliability as your business scales.
• Modern, User-Friendly Interface: Designed with a clean, intuitive UI that simplifies complex WFM tasks for administrators and provides an engaging experience for agents.
• Agent-Centric Tools: Offers a dedicated agent portal for self-service scheduling, time-off requests, shift bidding, and performance visibility, enhancing agent autonomy and satisfaction.

7. Data Security & Compliance

What to look for:

• Data Protection: Robust security measures to protect sensitive customer and employee data.
• Compliance: Adherence to relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and labor laws.

How Assembled delivers:

• Industry-Standard Security: Implements advanced encryption, access controls, and regular security audits to protect all data.
• Compliance-Focused Design: Built with considerations for global data privacy regulations and labor law adherence, supporting features like break compliance and overtime rules.

By systematically evaluating these areas, you can determine if Assembled is the right WFM solution to meet your customer support operations' current and future needs.

Key Features for Evaluation

When considering Assembled for your support operations, prospective buyers should evaluate the following key features:

• Intelligent Forecasting & Capacity Planning: Assembled utilizes machine learning to analyze historical interaction volumes, handle times, and staffing levels across all channels (e.g., chat, email, voice). This allows for highly accurate predictions of future contact demand and precise capacity planning. Importance: Accurate forecasting directly impacts service levels, agent utilization, and operational costs. Overstaffing leads to unnecessary expenses, while understaffing results in long wait times and customer dissatisfaction.

• Dynamic Scheduling & Shift Optimization: The platform enables the creation of optimized schedules that balance agent preferences, skill sets, and forecasted demand. It supports multi-skill routing and offers automated shift generation, break optimization, and real-time adherence monitoring. Importance: Efficient scheduling ensures the right agents are available at the right time, minimizing idle time, improving response rates, and enhancing agent satisfaction through flexible options.

• Real-time Performance Monitoring & Analytics: Assembled provides a centralized dashboard for tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as service level achievement, average handle time (AHT), occupancy, and adherence. It offers granular drill-down capabilities by team, agent, channel, and queue. Importance: Real-time visibility into performance allows operations managers to identify bottlenecks, reallocate resources proactively, and coach agents effectively, directly impacting service quality and operational efficiency.

• Omnichannel Support & BPO Integration: Designed for complex support environments, Assembled seamlessly integrates with leading CRM and contact center platforms (e.g., Zendesk, Intercom, Salesforce Service Cloud). It also offers robust capabilities for managing and optimizing BPO vendor performance, providing unified visibility across internal and outsourced teams. Importance: A unified view across all channels and operational models is crucial for maintaining consistent service quality, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring cost-effectiveness in hybrid support structures.

• Agent Experience & Engagement Tools: Features include self-service shift swapping, time-off requests, and personalized performance dashboards. The platform aims to empower agents with tools that offer flexibility and transparency regarding their schedules and performance. Importance: A positive agent experience reduces attrition, improves morale, and directly contributes to better customer interactions and overall service quality.

• AI-Powered Automation & Workflow Optimization: Assembled leverages AI to automate repetitive tasks, identify trends in customer interactions, and suggest workflow improvements. This can include automating schedule adjustments based on real-time events or flagging areas for process optimization. Importance: AI automation reduces manual effort, improves decision-making speed, and frees up operations teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than reactive adjustments.

Common Use Cases for Assembled

Assembled empowers diverse organizations to optimize their customer support operations through intelligent workforce management. Here are common use cases with specific examples:

1. Scaling High-Growth E-commerce Support Teams Rapidly expanding e-commerce businesses face the challenge of maintaining service levels while scaling their support teams. Assembled helps by providing accurate demand forecasting based on historical ticket volume, seasonal peaks, and promotional campaigns. This allows them to proactively staff agents, preventing backlogs and long wait times. For example, an online fashion retailer uses Assembled to forecast ticket volume increases during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, ensuring they have sufficient agents scheduled across chat, email, and social media channels, thereby maintaining a 90% first-response time even during peak periods. They leverage Assembled's scheduling automation to create optimized shifts that cover 24/7 support needs without overstaffing.

2. Optimizing Omnichannel Support for SaaS Companies SaaS companies often manage support across multiple channels like in-app chat, email, phone, and community forums. Assembled unifies this omnichannel view, enabling managers to understand agent utilization and performance across all touchpoints. A B2B SaaS provider uses Assembled to analyze agent performance by channel. They discovered that while phone support had the highest resolution rate, chat support had the shortest average handling time. This insight allowed them to reallocate agents based on skill sets and channel demand, improving overall efficiency by 15% and reducing customer frustration from channel-specific queues.

3. Managing Global BPO Partnerships and Internal Teams Enterprises frequently rely on a mix of internal support teams and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) partners. Assembled provides a single pane of glass for managing both, ensuring consistent service delivery and cost efficiency. A global tech company with internal support hubs in Europe and a BPO partner in Asia utilizes Assembled to synchronize scheduling and performance metrics. They use Assembled's BPO oversight features to monitor adherence to SLAs, track agent productivity, and ensure consistent training across both internal and external teams. This unified approach has led to a 10% reduction in BPO management overhead and improved global service quality.

4. Enhancing Agent Performance and Development Beyond scheduling, Assembled provides tools for performance monitoring and coaching, crucial for agent development. A financial services company uses Assembled's real-time dashboards to track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as average handle time (AHT), customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores, and resolution rates for individual agents and teams. Managers identify agents who might be struggling or excelling, enabling targeted coaching and recognition. This data-driven approach has resulted in a 5% improvement in overall CSAT scores and a 7% reduction in agent attrition within their support department.

Pricing Models

Assembled offers flexible pricing models designed to scale with the needs of modern support operations, primarily utilizing a subscription-based approach with considerations for usage and enterprise-level requirements.

Subscription Tiers: Assembled's core pricing is structured around tiered subscriptions. While specific tier names and feature breakdowns are proprietary, these tiers generally differentiate based on:

• Number of Agents/Seats: A primary cost driver, with pricing scaling based on the total number of agents managed within the platform.
• Feature Set: Higher tiers typically unlock advanced functionalities such as more sophisticated forecasting models, deeper analytics, BPO vendor management capabilities, AI automation features, and premium integrations.
• Support & Services: Enterprise-grade support, dedicated account management, and professional services (e.g., implementation assistance, custom reporting) are often included in higher-tier packages.

Usage-Based Considerations: While not a purely usage-based model (like per-API call), Assembled's pricing implicitly incorporates usage through agent count. For organizations with highly fluctuating agent numbers, custom agreements can be negotiated to accommodate seasonal or rapid scaling without rigid tier lock-ins.

Enterprise Pricing: For large organizations with complex requirements, Assembled provides custom enterprise pricing. This involves a consultative sales process to tailor a package that addresses specific needs regarding:

• Volume discounts for a high number of agents.
• Advanced security and compliance requirements.
• Custom integrations and API access.
• Dedicated infrastructure or specific deployment models.
• Enhanced SLAs and white-glove support.

Cost Factors: Key factors influencing the total cost include the number of agents, the breadth of features required (e.g., basic scheduling vs. full BPO oversight and AI), desired level of support, and any specific integration or customization needs.

Typical Price Ranges: Due to the customized nature, specific public price ranges are not disclosed. However, businesses can expect pricing to reflect the significant operational efficiencies and strategic advantages gained from a comprehensive WFM platform. Prospective customers are encouraged to contact Assembled directly for a personalized quote based on their unique operational footprint and feature requirements.

Technical Requirements for Assembled

Assembled is a cloud-native SaaS platform designed for high availability and scalability, requiring minimal on-premise infrastructure from our customers. Our architecture emphasizes secure data handling, robust integration capabilities, and adherence to industry-standard security and compliance protocols.

System Requirements

• Client Access: A modern web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) with JavaScript enabled. No desktop application installation is required.
• Network Connectivity: Stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth for real-time data synchronization. Assembled recommends a minimum of 5 Mbps download/upload per active user for optimal performance.
• Data Volume: The platform is designed to handle large volumes of historical and real-time operational data. Specific data storage requirements are managed by Assembled, with no direct customer infrastructure needed for data storage.

Integration Needs & API Capabilities

Assembled offers extensive integration capabilities to seamlessly connect with existing customer service ecosystems:

• Pre-built Integrations: Direct, out-of-the-box integrations are available for leading contact center platforms, CRMs, and communication tools, including:
  • Zendesk
  • Intercom
  • Salesforce Service Cloud
  • Genesys
  • Talkdesk
  • Aircall
  • Slack
  • Google Calendar
• RESTful API: For custom integrations or extending functionality, Assembled provides a comprehensive RESTful API. This API allows for:
  • Programmatic access to forecasting, scheduling, and performance data.
  • Automating data ingestion from proprietary systems.
  • Exporting operational data for business intelligence tools.
  • API documentation is available upon request and through our developer portal.
• Webhooks: Support for outbound webhooks enables real-time notifications and triggers for external systems based on events within Assembled (e.g., schedule changes, performance alerts).

Security Protocols & Compliance Standards

Assembled prioritizes data security and privacy, adhering to stringent industry standards:

• Data Encryption: All data, both in transit and at rest, is encrypted using industry-standard protocols (TLS 1.2+ for in transit, AES-256 for at rest).
• Access Control: Role-based access control (RBAC) is implemented to ensure users only access data and functionalities relevant to their roles. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is supported and recommended.
• Infrastructure Security: Hosted on leading cloud infrastructure providers (e.g., AWS, GCP) with robust physical and network security measures.
• Compliance: Assembled is committed to maintaining compliance with key regulatory frameworks and certifications, including:
  • SOC 2 Type II: Regular audits ensure the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data.
  • GDPR: Adherence to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for data processing and privacy rights.
  • CCPA: Compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California residents' data.
• Data Residency: Options for data residency may be available depending on customer requirements and regional availability.

Business Requirements for Assembled

Team Size: Assembled is designed for customer support operations ranging from 50 agents to several thousand. While smaller teams (20-50 agents) can benefit from enhanced scheduling and forecasting, the platform's full value, particularly in complex omnichannel environments and BPO vendor management, scales significantly with larger internal and outsourced teams. Companies experiencing rapid growth in their support function will find Assembled's scalability particularly beneficial.

Use Case Fit: Assembled is best suited for organizations with complex customer support operations that require:

• Omnichannel Support Management: Businesses managing customer interactions across multiple channels (chat, email, voice, social).
• Dynamic Staffing Needs: Teams with fluctuating contact volumes requiring precise forecasting and flexible scheduling.
• BPO Vendor Oversight: Companies utilizing outsourced contact centers and needing unified visibility and performance management across both internal and external teams.
• Performance Optimization: Organizations focused on improving key support metrics like adherence, service level, and agent productivity through data-driven insights and AI.
• Integration with Existing CX Ecosystem: Businesses using popular customer service platforms (e.g., Zendesk, Intercom, Salesforce Service Cloud) and seeking seamless integration for WFM.

Industry Requirements: Assembled is industry-agnostic but excels in sectors where customer support is a critical differentiator and operational efficiency is paramount. This includes:

• Tech & SaaS: Fast-growing companies with complex product support.
• E-commerce & Retail: Businesses with high seasonal demand and diverse customer inquiry types.
• Fintech & Financial Services: Organizations requiring stringent adherence and compliance in customer interactions.
• Healthcare: Providers managing sensitive patient inquiries and complex scheduling.

Budget Considerations: Pricing is typically based on the number of agents managed, with tiered plans reflecting feature sets (e.g., core WFM, BPO management, advanced analytics, AI automation). Prospective buyers should anticipate an enterprise-grade SaaS subscription model. A detailed ROI analysis is recommended to justify the investment, considering potential savings from optimized staffing, reduced overtime, improved service levels, and enhanced agent productivity.

ROI Expectations: Organizations deploying Assembled can expect to see ROI through:

• Reduced Labor Costs: Up to 15-20% improvement in staffing efficiency through accurate forecasting and optimized scheduling.
• Improved Service Levels (SLA): Enhanced ability to meet target service levels, leading to higher customer satisfaction.
• Increased Agent Productivity: Better adherence and reduced idle time through dynamic scheduling and performance monitoring.
• Enhanced Operational Visibility: Unified data across internal and BPO teams, enabling faster, more informed decision-making.
• Reduced Attrition: Improved agent experience through fair scheduling and clear performance feedback.

Typical Implementation Timeline for Assembled

Implementing Assembled typically spans 4-8 weeks, depending on the complexity of your existing support operations, the number of integrations, and the availability of your internal resources. Our structured approach ensures a smooth transition and rapid time-to-value.

Phase 1: Discovery & Planning (1-2 Weeks)

• Key Activities: Initial kickoff meeting, in-depth understanding of current WFM processes, data sources, and organizational structure. Defining success metrics and integration requirements.
• Milestones: Documented Implementation Plan, confirmed integration list (e.g., Zendesk, Intercom, CRM), identified key stakeholders.
• Resource Requirements: Project Manager (client-side), WFM Lead, IT/Integration Specialist (as needed).

Phase 2: Configuration & Integration (2-4 Weeks)

• Key Activities: Assembled platform setup, user role configuration, data import (historical data, agent profiles), integration with core support platforms. Workflow definition and initial schedule template creation.
• Milestones: Functional integrations, populated agent data, initial schedule prototype, successful data sync.
• Resource Requirements: WFM Lead, IT/Integration Specialist, Data Analyst (for historical data prep).

Phase 3: Training & Go-Live Preparation (1-2 Weeks)

• Key Activities: Comprehensive training for administrators and key WFM users. User acceptance testing (UAT). Refinement of schedules and reporting dashboards based on UAT feedback.
• Milestones: Trained WFM team, UAT sign-off, finalized schedule templates, ready for pilot or full rollout.
• Resource Requirements: WFM Lead, Training Participants.

Phase 4: Go-Live & Optimization (Ongoing)

• Key Activities: Initial rollout of Assembled for scheduling and performance tracking. Post-go-live support and troubleshooting. Continuous optimization of forecasting models and scheduling rules based on real-world data.
• Milestones: Successful platform adoption, initial performance reports generated, feedback loop established for ongoing improvements.
• Resource Requirements: WFM Lead, Assembled Customer Success Manager.

Comprehensive Support for Optimal Workforce Management

Assembled is committed to ensuring our customers maximize their investment through robust and multi-tiered support options. We understand that effective workforce management is critical, and our support infrastructure is designed to provide timely assistance and comprehensive resources.

Support Tiers & Response Times:

• Standard Support: Included with all Assembled subscriptions, offering email and in-app chat support during business hours (9 AM - 5 PM PST, Monday - Friday). Target response time for critical issues is within 4 hours, and non-critical issues within 12 hours.
• Premium Support: Available as an add-on, providing 24/7 dedicated support via phone, email, and chat. Includes a named Customer Success Manager (CSM) and accelerated response times: 1-hour for critical issues, 4 hours for non-critical.
• Enterprise Support: Tailored for large organizations, offering all Premium features plus a dedicated technical account manager, quarterly business reviews, and proactive system health checks. Custom SLAs are available based on specific operational requirements.

Training & Resources:

• Assembled Academy: A comprehensive online learning platform featuring video tutorials, interactive courses, and certifications covering all aspects of the Assembled platform, from basic scheduling to advanced forecasting and BPO management.
• Knowledge Base: An extensive, searchable library of articles, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides, regularly updated with new features and best practices.
• Webinars & Workshops: Regular live and on-demand sessions covering product updates, best practices in workforce management, and industry trends.

Community & Professional Services:

• Assembled Community Forum: A platform for users to connect, share insights, and collaborate on best practices with fellow WFM professionals and Assembled experts.
• Professional Services: Our team offers specialized consulting services for complex implementations, custom integrations, advanced data analytics, and bespoke training programs to optimize Assembled for unique operational challenges.

Integration Capabilities

Assembled offers robust integration capabilities designed to seamlessly connect with your existing customer service ecosystem, ensuring data fluidity and operational efficiency. Our platform prioritizes ease of integration to accelerate time-to-value for support operations.

Supported Platforms & Pre-built Connectors:

Assembled provides native, pre-built connectors for leading customer service and communication platforms, enabling rapid deployment and immediate data synchronization. Key integrations include:

• Customer Service Platforms: Zendesk, Intercom, Salesforce Service Cloud, Kustomer, Gladly
• Communication Channels: Aircall, Talkdesk, Twilio Flex, Genesys Cloud, Five9, RingCentral, Amazon Connect
• HRIS/Identity Providers: Okta, Google Workspace, Microsoft Azure Active Directory (for single sign-on and user provisioning)
• Data Warehouses/BI Tools: Snowflake, Google BigQuery (for advanced analytics and reporting via outbound data exports)

These connectors facilitate automatic ingestion of critical data such as ticket volumes, agent states, interaction duration, and customer sentiment, which are then utilized for accurate forecasting, scheduling optimization, and performance analysis within Assembled.

API Documentation & Custom Integrations:

For scenarios requiring bespoke connections or advanced data exchange, Assembled offers a comprehensive and well-documented RESTful API. This API allows organizations to:

• Ingest Custom Data: Programmatically push proprietary data sources into Assembled for enriched forecasting and scheduling.
• Extract Performance Metrics: Pull Assembled's operational insights into internal dashboards or data lakes.
• Automate Workflows: Create custom automations based on Assembled data or trigger actions within Assembled from external systems.

Detailed API documentation, including endpoints, authentication methods (OAuth 2.0, API tokens), and example use cases, is readily available upon request and through our developer portal. Our solutions engineering team is also available to provide guidance and support for custom integration projects.

Security & Compliance at Assembled

Assembled prioritizes the security and privacy of your workforce management data. Our platform is engineered with a multi-layered security approach to protect sensitive information, ensure operational integrity, and meet stringent compliance standards.

Certifications & Frameworks: Assembled is committed to achieving and maintaining industry-recognized security certifications. We are SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, demonstrating our adherence to rigorous controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Our security program is also aligned with best practices defined by frameworks such as ISO 27001 and GDPR, ensuring robust data protection measures are in place for all customers, especially those operating internationally.

Data Protection & Encryption: All data, both in transit and at rest, is encrypted using industry-standard protocols. Data in transit is secured with TLS 1.2+, while data at rest is encrypted using AES-256. Our infrastructure leverages leading cloud providers with inherent security capabilities, including advanced threat detection and prevention systems. We implement strict data segregation policies to ensure your organization's data is logically isolated and accessible only by authorized personnel.

Access Controls & Audit Capabilities: Assembled employs granular, role-based access controls (RBAC) to manage user permissions, ensuring that employees can only access the data and functionalities necessary for their roles. This includes configurable permissions for scheduling, forecasting, reporting, and administrative functions. All access to the Assembled platform is logged and continuously monitored. Comprehensive audit logs are available, providing a transparent record of user activities, data modifications, and system access, which are crucial for internal oversight and compliance audits.

Operational Security: Our security posture is continuously enhanced through regular vulnerability assessments, penetration testing by independent third parties, and a robust incident response plan. We conduct regular employee security training to foster a security-aware culture across our organization.