Using simulation to evaluate call forecasting algorithms for inbound call center

The call center industry has expanded greatly over recent years and it is constantly striving to increase business efficiency and customer service effectiveness. Incoming call volume forecasting algorithms are used in inbound call centers to predict the demand for services and, as a result, to plan resource allocation. However, a number of phenomena can have an impact on incoming call volumes, meaning that classical forecasting algorithms will produce less than satisfactory results. When evaluating the performance of a forecasting algorithm, acquiring the data needed for research is not always straightforward. This article shows how simulation can be of use to generate data that can be used to evaluate incoming call forecasting algorithms.