Customer Service and Support Functions & Features

The Customer Service and Support Functions & Features comprise the following elements:

• Assigning Cases

  Modules include When new case records are created, they can be automatically assigned to the appropriate person using predefined assignment rules;When cases are assigned to someone, this person can be automatically notified of the case via e-mail;Case records can be automatically assigned to a work queue (using predefined assignment rules) that multiple people can access them from;When working from a work queue or a list of cases a user can simultaneously take "ownership" of multiple case records (i.e., assigning him or herself to the cases);When working from a work queue or a list of cases a user can simultaneously assign the "ownership" of multiple case records to another person (or queue);When working from a work queue or a list of cases a user can simultaneously change the status of and escalate multiple case records;. Assigning Cases, Customer Service and Support Functions & Features

• Creating and Maintaining a Solutions Knowledge Base

  Functionality below covers New solution records can be automatically classified as such (i.e., new, draft, or unreviewed) until they are formally reviewed and approved by authorized personnel;A workflow engine is available to help implement "best practice" solution knowledge base maintenance;While closing a case, a new solution record can be created and associated to the case ("on-the-fly");Solution records can be selected for automatic publication to the customer self-service portal;Solution records can be "rated" by users and the highest rated solutions can be easily viewed and accessed;Solution records can be associated with (hyperlinked to) other related solution records;. Creating and Maintaining a Solutions Knowledge Base, Customer Service and Support Functions & Features

• Escalating Unresolved Cases

  Modules include Case escalation rules can be defined that will control the automatic escalation of a case if it is not resolved within a certain period of time;Case escalation rules can be defined that will control the automatic escalation of a case when specified conditions are met, including values input into custom data fields;Escalation rules specify to whom the case will be reassigned to;Escalation rules specify all of the people who will be automatically notified via e-mail about the escalated case;. Escalating Unresolved Cases, Customer Service and Support Functions & Features

• Solving and Closing Cases

  This covers Solution records (a knowledge base) can be searched for possible answers to the customer's problem;Solution records that address a case can be associated with (hyperlinked to) the case record;An e-mail can be automatically sent to the customer regarding the case and its possible solution (using a predesigned e-mail template);The reason for the customer's problem can be input on the case record using a predefined list of "reason" codes or descriptors;Service level agreement management;. Solving and Closing Cases, Customer Service and Support Functions & Features

• Customer Self-Service Portal

  Features and functions below include Online registration and authentication using logins and passwords;Product detail records that are associated with (hyperlinked to) an opportunity that is "won," can be automatically associated with the account record (as assets or purchased product records);Online access to the company's published solution knowledge base to find solutions to their problems;Online access to open case or service request status;Online input of new cases or service requests;Online input of new orders;. Customer Self-Service Portal, Customer Service and Support Functions & Features

• Creating New Cases (Service Requests)

  Feature and functions covered Pre-configured case (service request) home page and data records;Quick access to recently created, modified, or viewed case records;Pre-configured case list views (case record subsets based on user-definable filter variables);Multiple case data record "layouts" can be defined to handle cases and service requests with different processes and data needs;A workflow engine is available to help implement "best practice" case management activities;A mass e-mail function that can be used to send out responses to many people encountering the same problem;. Creating New Cases (Service Requests), Customer Service and Support Functions & Features