There are several different ways in which customers can request staff, however it appears the most commonly used continues to be through telephone requests, of which there are two different types of telephone input requests - simple and power.
Simple
The simple mode ensures quick data entry, and means that as data is entered, specific requirements are met. For example if a customer requires a Japanese speaking linguist, then the system will automatically narrow the search and only display employees that speak Japanese. If particular availability is then required, the search can be further refined. The whole process is carried out very quickly and ensures limited customer waiting time.
When a shift is selected default and most recently used options are displayed, meaning that if a customer requests a previous employee this is easy to organise. Both multiple or individual dates and shifts can be selected. A customer reference and the customer requesting the staff can be added at this point in the process. Various information is then automatically generated including department codes, and charge and pay rates; notes can also be added.
At this point the selection is saved and a unique job reference is created; the request is then time stamped and the user entering the request is added.
The requested shift can be immediately added to the availability diary, else it becomes available later for another user to process.
Power
There is not a huge difference between the simple and power input methods, however the power method contains additional features, allowing requirements to be continually met. There are in fact over 60 additional categories of information, ensuring your agency is completely on the ball in meeting customer's needs.
Retrospective
If an employee is self-booking, the information will generally be inputted through a completed time sheet. This is very straightforward and enables new shifts to be added from the time sheet window in a second if need be.