Run your entire organization from the Internet
 
1
Requests and Help Desk Features in Detail
previousTable of ContentsSearchKeywords Indexnext

The Request Process Explained:

The process begins by entering a request.  Requests can be entered by the customer using the Customer Request Entry page or by an Administrator using the Admin Request Entry page.

 

If more than one Request Type has been configured, the user must select a Request Type.  The Request Type determines if the user must login (or signup) and determines the fields and questions displayed on the Request Entry page.  The Administrative Request Entry pages may be configured to have additional fields that the Customer page does not have.  A direct link to Request Entry for a specific Request Type can be configured using Menu Builder or the user can be taken to a generic Request Entry page where the first step is to select a Request Type.  Admin Request Entry can include an Operator Script to describe to a Help Desk Operator what to say to the customer.

 

The Request Entry process can be broken down into 6 major steps:

1)      Identify Request Type (Problem Type or Type of Requested Service).

2)      Identify Customer (Optional).

3)      Collect payment or acquire authorization for work (Optional).

4)      Track Time (Optional).

5)      Collect Request information.

6)      Resolve Problem, provide Requested Service, or assign to staff as one or more Tasks.

 

The first major step of identifying the problem type or requested service is denoted by selecting a Request Type.  E.g. Request Types might include the following three choices “Report an Error Message”, “Request Assistance with a Problem or Question”, and “Request for Programming and Development Engineering Services”.  The user would select one of the three choices.

 

Based on the user’s Request Type selection the applicable Request Entry screen is displayed.  The information collected on the Request Entry page is determined based on the settings for the selected Request Type in Request Types Feature Management. 

 

The second major step of identifying the customer is optional.  This is determined by settings for each Request Type in Request Type Feature Management.  If the Help Desk service is billable it is necessary to identify the customer to determine if the service is covered by an existing contract (Work Order), if a Work Order must  be created, or if payment is required to continue.  As part of the Customer Request Entry process, Customer’s are prompted to either login or signup as a new user.  The Administrative Request Entry process provides a customer search optimized for quickly identifying existing customers as well as the ability to signup new customers.  Request Types with Billing Status of anything other than “Not Billable” require customer identification.

 

The third major step of collecting payment or acquiring authorization for work is also optional.  Non-billable Request Types skip this step.  Billable Request Types can be configured to either require this step at the time of Request Entry or to skip this step at the time of Request Entry and perform it later when the price for the work has been estimated. 

The third major step is to either collect payment from the customer or acquire the customer’s authorization to perform the work and the charge for the services.  Charges are determined by the Fee Type.  When pre-payment is required, the payment entry screen is displayed and the customer must provide payment online.  The Request Payment process uses PortalProdigy’s standard payment processing component which can be configured to automatically connect to an electronic payment gateway/processor to authorize and settle credit card charges.  Payments can also be configured for manual authorization and settlement.  Additionally, Payments can be configured to not require authorization.  If payment authorization is required, the payment must be authorized before the customer can continue with the Request Entry process.  When payment authorization is not required, the payment information is collected and the customer continues with the Request Entry process. 

Requests fall into one of the following categories at the time of Request Entry as determined by the Billing Status for the Request Type:

§         Not Billable – Work Order & Payment Entry are skipped. 

§         Internal - Work Order & Payment Entry are skipped at time of Request Entry and are deferred until the cost of the work can be estimated.  Work Order is created manually using Administrative Work Order Management.  This is done after submission and review of Request.

§         Provide Estimate – Work Order & Payment Entry are skipped at time of Request Entry and are deferred until the price of the work can be estimated.  Work Order is created manually using Administrative Work Order Management.  This is done after submission and review of Request. 

§         Billable – System must first check to see if customer has an applicable Service Contract.  If customer has an applicable Service Contract and the Service Contact WO specifies the Request Type as “Not Billable” then Work Order & Payment Entry are skipped at time of Request Entry.  If it specifies the WO as “Billable” then a Work Order is required.  If there is no Service Contract then it performs according to the Request Type’s Billing Method as follows:

o       Pre-Payment Required – Payment Entry is required.  A separate Work Order Approval is not required because work is approved as part of payment entry.  A single Work Order is created and a single Order/Invoice is created and the Payment is automatically applied to it.  The Order/Invoice is fulfilled and completed at time of creation.

o       Retainer Required - Work Order is required and retainer payment is required.  Approval by customer is also required.  Work is then invoiced against retainer according to Billing Terms. 

o       Invoicing Terms – Work Order is required including approval by customer.  Work is invoiced according to Invoicing Terms.  Payments for Invoices are due according to customer’s Payment Terms or Payment Terms specified for WO.  A Work Order Payment Schedule can also be created to invoice and require payment on specific dates or upon completion of phases of work.

 

The requirement for pre-payment is determined in the second step as a result of identifying the customer.  When searching for applicable Work Orders, the system shall look for oldest open Work Order first then look to see if the type of request is covered and if there is a charge for this, otherwise it repeats this for each open Work Order from oldest to most recent.  If no Work Order covers the type of request, then customer is asked to pay online.  If there is an applicable Work Order but it requires payment on terms, then the customer shall be asked to approve the applicable charge which will be invoiced using the customers terms specified in the Work Order.

 

The fourth major step is to track time.  Time may be tracked for both billable and non-billable services.  Time can be tracked automatically or it can be entered manually.  This can be done directly from the Admin Request Entry page using the Start and Stop buttons. Start button causes a Task to be created for the Request which is then used to log the time. You must specify the Administrator Entry Task to use for each Request Type.

 

The fifth major step is to collect information. Request Form Builders is used in Request Types Feature Management to define an unlimited number of information data fields (or questions) to be included on the Request Entry page.  This includes the following types of fields:

  • Memo fields
  • Limited Length Text fields
  • Date fields
  • Dollar amount fields
  • Numeric fields
  • Radio Button options
  • Check Box options
  • Drop down list boxes

 

Additional fields such as Product Code, Model #, and Event ID that are linked to various other feature component records can also be included. 

 

The Tasks and Tickler Notes Engine is used to manage Tasks and Notes for Requests.  Both Tasks and Notes can be entered directly from the Request Entry page.  A default Task is created and is used to log the Administrator request entry time.  An unlimited number of additional Tasks can be created; typically this is done at a later stage in the process with the default task being sufficient to log the initial request.  Task Templates can also be specified in Request Type Management to automatically create a series of Tasks for the Request.  E.g. you may create a Request Task Template to automatically assign the following set of tasks to all Manufacturing Requests:

  • Review Manufacturing Request
  • Gather Additional Requirements
  • Prepare Bid
  • Get Customer Approval
  • Start Project
  • Create Blueprints
  • Customer Approval of Blueprints
  • Schedule for Manufacturing
  • Trial Run
  • QA Testing
  • Production Run
  • Package Product
  • Ship to Customer
  • Invoice Customer

 

The sixth and final major step is to resolve the request or perform the requested service. What this entails can vary widely for each Request Type. E.g. for a Help Desk application, if the request is immediately resolved, a description of the solution may be entered into a solution memo field (in the Request form) and either verbally communicated to customer or emailed using automated email option; if the solution cannot be immediately resolved, one or more Tasks can be assigned.  Tasks can be individually entered or a Project Type (Task Template) can be selected which will automatically create applicable Tasks.  An example Project Type could be “Quote for Development Work” and it could create five tasks “Gather Requirements from Customer”, “Prepare Requirements Document”, “Customer Approval of Requirements”, “Create Design Concept”, and “Estimate Cost”.  Two of these tasks “Prepare Requirements Document” and “Estimate Cost” could include deliverables; “Requirements Document” and “Price Quote”.  Each task can be assigned to a group or an individual.  Depending on the configuration options, the task assignees will either receive an email notification of their assignment or they will retrieve their tasks using the Task and Tickler Notes Management feature.  For other applications (Request Types) the resolution could be a price quote; information sent to the customer by email, postal mail, or fax; etc.

 


previousTable of ContentsSearchKeywords Indexnext

© PortalProdigy, Inc. 2000-2007
 
©2000-2024 Portal Prodigy, Inc.©1994-2024 Brolin Corporation