January 26, 2026
Reinventing Workforce Management: How CXL Raised the Bar with Peopleware
When Belgium’s leading contact-center outsourcer CXL set out to modernise its workforce management (WFM), it made a bold decision: replacing its legacy WFM platform with Peopleware’s enterprise-grade WFM suite. What might have seemed like a standard technology refresh quickly evolved into a strategic transformation, one that significantly boosted efficiency, empowered employees, and laid the foundation for future innovation.
The Challenge: Complexity at Scale
CXL is not a typical outsourcing firm. Serving multiple clients across various verticals, the company operates in a highly complex multi-industry, multi-skill, multi-channel environment. Agents switch seamlessly between voice, chat, and automated analysis, often in up to four languages. Adding to this complexity are Belgium’s strict labor regulations, particularly around break timing in relation to shift start times.
The previous WFM software was labor-intensive. To manage the workload, CXL had dedicated planners each responsible for a different part of the WFM cycle: long-range forecasting, scheduling, and intraday ‘traffic’ management. This structure forced the team into a reactive posture, constantly adjusting rosters, protecting service-level agreements, and putting out fires rather than focusing on strategic priorities.
Additionally, their existing software could not optimise lunch breaks around demand while complying with labor rules. Access management was also overly complicated. These limitations restricted the system’s ability to produce optimised compliant schedules.
The Turning Point: A Seamless Integration with Peopleware
Faced with growing frustration and clear limitations, CXL’s search for a new WFM platform was methodical and intentional. They required a system capable of supporting their multi-client, multi-skill, multi-channel model, but without adding unnecessary layers of technical complexity.
Given the diversity of their client base, CXL needed a tool that could optimise schedules across channels and skill sets while honoring multilayered client contracts. Integration was equally critical: as a BPO, CXL needed to rely on its WFM software for accurate reporting, and required out-of-the-box connectors and APIs to build dashboards, ingest data, and avoid reinventing the wheel. They also sought a modern self-service agent portal that was intuitive, accessible in any browser, and mobile-ready. Another crucial requirement was scalable pay-per-use licensing that flexed with seasonal peaks and contract changes.
Among all vendors evaluated, only Peopleware met every requirement. After selecting the platform, CXL and Peopleware assembled a joint team of planners and expert consultants to drive the migration. Rather than a risky “big bang,” they opted for a phased rollout: gradually transitioning clients to minimise disruption.
“We gave ourselves a year to migrate but ended up doing it in 5 months”– Jéroen Beutels, WFM Lead, CXL Implementation progressed smoothly. The system’s browser-based design meant IT teams weren’t overloaded, and agents found the Peopleware “Me” portal intuitive on both desktop and mobile. Integration with the contact routing platform, an end-user task in Peopleware, took only a few clicks.
Training was also minimal, thanks to the user-friendly design, online training materials, comprehensive Help Center, and expert consultant support – features their previous system lacked.
The Results: Visibility, Efficiency, Satisfaction
The impact of the transformation was visible not only in operational outcomes but also in the organisational structure. Instead of having separate specialist roles for forecasting, scheduling, and intraday management, CXL now operates with a leaner, more versatile team of cross-functional multi-skill planners.
They own the full WFM cycle, a change made possible by Peopleware’s flexibility and transparency. Operationally, CXL’s cycle became decidedly more strategic. Constraints with the previous system that required manual juggling, multi-client rosters, break rules, and channel balances are now handled automatically. The planning team no longer needs to micro-manage every shift and can focus on optimising outcomes.
Peopleware’s advanced reporting and API integrations enable CXL to handle numerous campaigns with diverse contractual commitments. Key metrics and operational KPIs are now more visible and easier to control. CXL can monitor coverage, track full-time equivalent (FTE) usage in real-time, and align planning more closely with contractual requirements, a capability the previous system lacked.
Employee experience also improved. Agents use Peopleware’s “Me” portal to view upcoming shifts, request leave, and swap shifts with colleagues. Because the portal runs in any browser and on any device, no dedicated app is required. This simplicity has boosted adherence and higher satisfaction.
For the WFM team, the change has meant a shift in focus. Tasks that used to eat up a huge chunk of time have shrunk in both effort and duration.
“We have reduced the time needed to modify an employee’s team and roster by 60% compared to our old system” – Jéroen Beutels, WFM Lead, CXL
Looking Ahead: Innovation and Agility
CXL’s work with Peopleware is far from over.
The WFM team at CXL will keep abreast of these innovations, and thanks to the scalable, AI-native platform that Peopleware provides, CXL is well-positioned to turn these ambitions into reality. The system’s built-in flexibility ensures that as business evolves, workforce planning can evolve with it, giving CXL the confidence that their workforce management system is ready to scale for the future.
Final Word
By adopting Peopleware’s enterprise-grade suite, CXL streamlined complexity, boosted planner productivity, and restored control back into the hands of both managers and agents.
The result is a more agile operation that’s built for growth and ready for whatever lies ahead.
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