A Simulation of the ECSS Help Desk with the Erlang A Model

During steady states, the Level 1 help desk might expect about 500 to 600 calls per month. That is about 0.39 to 0.46 calls per user per month, which represents the workload once ECSS is established and most of the users have already received training for the system. The optimal level for this workload is about 12 agents to operate the entire 24 hour period. At this level, the Level 1 help desk would minimize the amount of customers that renege from the system to about 15 to 22 percent and still maintain acceptable utilization percentages of about 52% to 59% while keeping the average wait time under a minute.The Level 2 help desk will experience similar environments like the Level 1 help desk. The major differences are that the Level 2 help desk would see lower call volumes since only about 40% of Level 1 calls are passed on the Level 2; and that the Level 2 help desk will have a longer average service rate. The simulation shows that the optimal staffing level is about 12. The simulation shows average wait times about 1 to 2.6 minutes, utilization from 47% to 60%, and 12% to 33% of customers that would renege.