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Table of Contents
What are Service Requests?
Service Requests are requests from customers (physical persons or companies with a CRM.COM financial account) for information or change. Service Requests can contain information on Physical Goods and Services, the resources required to deliver the Request and their Resolution before and after delivery.
Service Requests Glossary
Term | Description |
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Caller Contact | The Caller Contact is the customer who calls the Call Center to make a Request. The Caller Contact can be either the Account Owner who initiated the Service Request or any other Contact who is associated with the Account Owner. |
Impact Level | Level set based on the effects the Service Request has either on the customer or the company so that it can be handled accordingly by the company's technical staff. |
Urgency Level | Defines how critical the Service Request is so that it is given the appropriate priority for resolution. |
Priority Level | Level automatically assigned to the Service Request based on the selected Impact and Urgency Levels. It defines the priority that will be given to the Service Request for its resolution. In Service Request Definitions, a Priority Level is assigned to each combination of Impact and Urgency Level. View Configuring Service Request Definitions for more information on configuring the Priority Level calculation. |
Response | The answer provided by the User in reply to the issue/question logged on the Service Request. |
Temporary Resolution | An interim solution to a Service Request until the final solution is provided. |
Final Resolution | The final solution provided to a Service Request. |
Resources | A User that works to complete the Service Request. |
Service Requests Key Processes and Concepts
Processes / Concept | Description |
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Service Request Resolution Flow | A Service Request State Flow consists of the following steps:
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Accepting Service Requests | When a Service Request is created, it can be assigned either to a Unit or a specific User. If the specific tasks should not be assigned to a specific person, it can be assigned to a Department (i.e. Unit). Any of the employees of that Department can then access the Service Request, accept it, and assign it to themselves. It is imperative that a Service Request is accepted by a User as no further processing is allowed, if not accepted. |
Communicating Service Requests | The nature of a Service Request often requires a continuous interaction between the agent and the customer. To ensure that the customer is contacted at the appropriate time Communications can be automatically triggered and sent, whenever the Life Cycle State of a Service Request is modified. Pre-configured Communication Templates are used that include the information to be communicated to the customer. View Understanding Communications & Configuring Communication Definitions for more information on Dynamic Links. |
Planning a Job to complete a Request from a Customer | Service Requests can be independent tasks or be a part of bigger tasks. There are cases where an inquiry results in a new order, such as a New Subscription or the replacement of a Physical Good. Such tasks must be handled by Jobs as they cannot be completed by Service Requests. To this end, the 'Plan A Job' Action is available through Service Requests. The Service Request cannot be completed unless the associated Job is cancelled, deleted or completed, thus ensuring that the Request is successfully handled. |
Scheduling an Activity to complete a Request | Service Requests may be handled by agents and closed instantly or may require follow-up Actions. If the required follow-up Actions are simple, they can be handled through Activities which are easily planned with the 'Schedule An Activity' Action, available through the Service Request. |
Creating and relating Service Requests to existing ones | An open Service Request may require the creation of a new one, to satisfy the customer's request. Additional Requests can be easily created and related to an existing Service Request from within the same page, by utilising the NEW action available in the Outward Relations tab of the Related Service Requests sections |
Service Requests Access & Viewing Controls
Network Characteristics define the level of access for each entry. i.e., whether it will be available for selection, viewing or editing.
Entity | Network Characteristics | Description |
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Service Requests |
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Service Requests Types |
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Service Requests Related Modules
Entity | Interaction of Service Requests with the Entity |
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Activities | Various activities can be scheduled through Service Requests. |
Accounts Receivable | A Service Request is owned by Accounts Receivables. |
Contact Information | Contact Information own the Service Requests through their Accounts Receivable. |
Jobs | Service Requests and Jobs are related in two separate ways:
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Subscriptions | Service Requests can be created as a result of an issue that was raised by the Caller Contact referring to a Subscription. |
Physical Goods | Non-Traceable Physical Goods can be added to Service Requests so that they can be checked. |
Services | Servicescan be added to Service Requests so that they can be checked. |
Installed Items | Installed Items can be added to Service Requests so that they can be checked. |
Units and Users | A Service Request is assigned either to a Unit or a User. Users have the option to assign the Service Request to a Unit so that a further assignment is done by the employees within the Unit. Service Requests cannot be processed unless assigned to a specific User. |
Communications | Communicationscan be automatically sent when a Service Request reaches a specific Life Cycle State depending on the Service Request Type. |
Service Requests - Business Examples
The following section provides business examples of how the CRM.COM Service Requests module is used.
Raise Service Requests
Business Requirement
- Company ZX enables its customers to call the Call Centre and raise a Request for technical support, including problems with their Subscriptions and Installed Items.
- Customers have the option to associate this technical problem with a Job or Subscription.
- Agents will then process the Service Request based on the issue.
CRM.COM Solution
Configuration
The configuration is specific to the above business requirement. Additional required configuration which is not related to the specific example is skipped (e.g. Job Statuses or the complete configuration of a Job Type).
Service Request
Service Request Statuses (Life Cycle State) |
| Service Request Type | Service Request Definitions |
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The following should also be configured:
- Job Types: Installation
- Price Plans: that allow creating billable Jobs
- Communications: Templates for each Service Request State
User Process
- New Service Request
Create a New Service Request
Type Related Entities Affected Products Technical Issue Job / Subscription Services Physical Goods
- Accept and Respond to Service Request
- Support Team 1 should go to Service Request page.
Search using:
Assigned to Unit Life Cycle State Type Support Team Pending Technical Issue - Accept the Service Request.
- Change the Status to 'Assigned'.
- Progress Service Request
- Support Team 1 should go to Service Request page.
- Retrieve assigned Service Request (Responded).
- The agent decides how to proceed with the Service Request depending on the raised issue. Options are:
- Schedule an Activity.
- Plan a Job.
- Provide a Temporary Resolution.
- Provide a Final Resolution.
- Complete Service Request
- Support Team 1 should go to Service Request page.
- Retrieve Final Resolved Service Request (Final Resolved).
- Contact Caller and confirm that the resolution has been accepted.
- Change the Status to 'Completed'.
More Information on modules referred to in this example can be found here:
Related Areas