A call-centre forecasts staffing using last month’s average call volume. Which forecasting model is this?

The Delphi technique involves gathering expert opinions through a series of questionnaires and is not based on past data averages. It seeks to achieve a consensus among experts rather than relying on historical data trends, making it unsuitable for forecasting staffing based on previous call volumes.

The survey method collects data directly from individuals, typically regarding preferences or behaviors, rather than analyzing historical averages. While surveys can provide insights into expected call volumes, they do not use past data to generate forecasts, which is essential for the scenario described.

Exponential smoothing is a forecasting technique that applies decreasing weights to past observations, giving more importance to recent data. Although it is also based on historical call volumes, it differs from the simple moving average method, which treats all historical data equally without weighting.