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CUSTOMER STORIES > BILL GOSLING
From Spreadsheets to Speed: Bill Gosling Outsourcing Slashes Planning Time By More Than 50%
With over 100 clients to support, Director of Workforce Management and Operational Performance Justin Hurdle turned to Cinareo to reduce complexity, accelerate decision-making, and increase confidence in capacity plans.
A conversation with:
Director of WFM & Operational Performance, Bill Gosling Outsourcing
ABOUT
Bill Gosling is a global provider of customer experience and account receivables management services
HQ
Barrie, Ontario
INDUSTRY
BPO
COMPANY SIZE
5000 - 8000
Background
Bill Gosling Outsourcing (BGO) is a global BPO supporting a wide range of client needs, each with its own requirements, peaks, and service expectations. For Justin, this translated to high-pressure planning demands and a constant need to model staffing plans across different clients and delivery sites.
Having been with BGO for over 13 years, Justin moved into Workforce Management (WFM) about halfway through his tenure. He now also handles global pricing and Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) in addition to capacity planning. "It’s been a dream ever since," he jokes. "And by dream, I mean a lot of math and a lot of spreadsheets."
The Challenge
Before Cinareo, planning was done entirely in Excel. Massive, complex spreadsheets built from scratch and maintained by Justin himself. "I happen to think my spreadsheets are quite lovely," he said. "But what Cinareo showed me was: Sure, your spreadsheets are doing the job, but we can do it faster, more structured, and make you look like a superhero in less time."
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Time-Consuming Work and Growing Risks
The pressure was real. Every new prospect or client change required a capacity plan, and Justin's time was consumed by this repetitive work. That meant less time for pricing analysis or other strategic contributions.
Beyond the time burden, there were risks:
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Human error: "A single misplaced comma in a spreadsheet can cost millions."
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Lack of service-level projection: Other tools assumed 100% efficiency or one-size-fits-all staffing levels, without interval-level service level visibility.
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Inconsistent data formats: When managing multiple clients or vendors, importing and structuring interval data was slow and error-prone.​
The Solution
Justin was introduced to Cinareo through a referral from Dave Rae, then-CEO of BGO, who connected him to Cinareo co-founder Mark. Although Justin was originally exploring full-suite WFM platforms, he quickly realized those weren’t solving his core pain points.
Rapid Scenario Modelling Made Easy
"None of the forecasting tools in the big WFM suites were this good at capacity planning," he noted. What stood out to him most was how quickly he could build scenarios. “We can build an annual plan in 15 to 20 minutes, then take another 30 minutes to layer in four scenarios.”
He also appreciated the relationship with Cinareo’s founders. "A lot of companies say they take feedback. But Karen and Mark actually do. I suggested a way to import plans and just weeks later, it was there."
Standardized Templates That Save Time
One standout feature for Justin: the structured Excel template for interval data collection and import. Rather than wrangling different formats from clients, Justin now sends a pre-formatted template. "I just grey out the internal parts and say, you fill out yours, I’ll fill out mine, and we’ll load it up."
The Results
With Cinareo, Justin has seen more than a 50% reduction in time spent on capacity planning. For a particular client, he created 10+ plans this year alone, something that would have been far more manual and fragile in Excel.
"Even when I get a ton of data today, I could turn it around by end of day if my calendar’s not packed. And they know it's going to be consistent, and in a format they can use to make decisions quickly."
Helping Clients Move from Data to Action
Having scenario planning built directly into the tool has also made client conversations more efficient. "The client knows they can send me data, and I’ll send back a few different scenarios. Quick call, and they’re making decisions."
Cleaner Outputs, Fewer Follow-Up Questions
Beyond planning efficiency, Cinareo also simplifies downstream communication. Instead of walking others through complex formulas, Justin now shares a simple snip of the Cinareo report. "Here’s the shrinkage we used. Here’s the assumptions. Done."
Looking ahead
Justin had originally been skeptical going into the demo, but kept an open mind and quickly saw the value. “The ability to run multiple scenarios very quickly is what sold me. The name ‘Cinareo’ really fits,” he said.
Now an active user and collaborator, Justin regularly shares feedback that helps shape the platform’s evolution. He continues to use Cinareo to support multiple client engagements and capacity planning needs at BGO. While current use is likely concentrated within a small team, there’s potential for broader adoption.
“A lot of workforce management tools try to handle capacity planning, but they don’t come close to what Cinareo does. It’s purpose-built for people like me,” Justin said. “It makes planning faster, clearer and just better.”