Topstep future-proofs support operations with WFM that’s built to scale
Topstep is all about positive growth: from the evolution of traders’ skills to the improvement of traders’ lifestyles to the success of the company. Founded for futures traders by futures traders, the company’s program is designed to help traders build their skills by working with live capital — without risking their life savings. It’s a mission that resonates beyond the world of futures trading, as Topstep has been included on Inc. 5000’s list of America’s fastest-growing private companies and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list.
In May 2023, Topstep reached an inflection point. The company was adding new traders to its program at a record pace, which meant demand for support was higher than ever. This increased volume ushered in a new wave of complexity, and the support team needed to ensure they had enough coverage to serve the growing number of traders that needed their support.
The team started by hiring a new cohort of agents. During their onboarding, these new agents shadowed team members to learn from real interactions with traders. This peer learning process was extremely valuable, but it introduced unique scheduling challenges. Sarah Hecker, Manager of Support, remembers trying to manage all of this in spreadsheets.
“We had one person who managed the spreadsheet, but we were growing so fast that the process didn’t serve us anymore. It was so painful and so hard anytime I needed to account for shadowing. We had one person who was our Excel whisperer who could manipulate the spreadsheet perfectly, but this ate up way too much of his time, so I’d have to step in. I’m no stranger to spreadsheets, but it just got to the point where I wanted to throw my computer out the window in frustration."
Sarah Hecker, Manager of Trader Support
Sarah got to work evaluating workforce management (WFM) solutions. She knew Topstep needed a platform that was as forward-thinking as they were. Sarah’s team member Brendan McGuire, Trader Support Manager, is all too familiar with the pitfalls of legacy WFM software.
“With traditional WFM, you have to download their apps and constantly keep them updated. In a previous role, it got to the point where we were using Internet Explorer 8 just to keep our WFM tool running. I thought to myself, ‘What are we doing?’ I’m a WFM fan, but other tools just haven’t kept up with the times.”
Brendan McGuire, Trader Support Manager
Topstep’s top priority was ensuring the team selected a WFM that integrated with the tools they already use. Assembled stood out because it integrated with their ticketing system, Zendesk. Better yet, Assembled integrated with Google Suite, ensuring workforce data and Google Calendar data synced up seamlessly. The team was able to quickly validate that data was flowing accurately, consistently, and quickly into Assembled — and then the real fun started.
The team had been using an Erlang-C calculator to predict chat volume, but it wasn’t working because the equation was originally developed for synchronous phone scheduling. Immediately after implementing Assembled, the team saw dramatic improvements in chat staffing accuracy. The platform’s intuitive interface provided full visibility into who was doing what and when, making it easy to schedule seasoned employees and trainees alike. As the team doubled — and then tripled — in size, they were able to keep adjusting schedules smoothly across queues, specialties, and shifts.
“There’s a giant difference between Assembled and the other WFM tools I’ve used. The ease of access, the ease of use, and the quick and consistent updates — it’s just fantastic.”
Brendan McGuire, Trader Support Manager
Everything was moving smoothly until — plot twist! — Topstep moved its ticketing system to Intercom. Thanks to Assembled’s platform-agnostic design, the team was able to bring their WFM with them. The migration took place in under 10 business days, so Topstep didn’t miss a beat.
“The Assembled team was right by our side when it came to the Intercom migration. We were up and running so quickly, and the fact that the team ran a data validation really put our minds at ease. Migrations are hard enough without worrying about all the details of a WFM integration.”
Sarah Hecker, Manager of Trader Support
Today, Topstep continues to deliver excellent support to the traders that use its platform. After implementing Assembled, the support team’s adherence improved by 10% — which means nobody is left hanging in a chat. The team’s support operations have matured significantly, with multiple teams that have flexible schedules and talks of bringing on a business process outsourcing partner. Topstep’s growth shows no sign of slowing down, and now its support team has a reliable WFM solution that will continue to grow as the company grows.
