Minimizing makespan in a multiclass fluid network with parameter uncertainty
Probability in the Engineering and Informational Sciences
Shift Scheduling Problem in Same-Day Courier Industry
Transportation Science
The stochastic root-finding problem: Overview, solutions, and open questions
ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation (TOMACS)
Staffing optimization in complex service delivery systems
Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Network and Services Management
A Simulation Optimization Approach to Long-Term Care Capacity Planning
Operations Research
Modeling a complex global service delivery system
Proceedings of the Winter Simulation Conference
Discrete-valued, stochastic-constrained simulation optimization with compass
Proceedings of the Winter Simulation Conference
Expert Systems with Applications: An International Journal
Computers and Industrial Engineering
ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation (TOMACS)
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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.