PhaseWare now has a blog on our site. Please come to see everything customer service and support, automation, knowledge management, self service, help desk, and more.
PhaseWare Blog
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Invest in Customer Service. It will never decrease in value.
With bad news coming on top of more bad news, it can be a challenge to keep things running. One of the best investments for small to medium businesses (SMBs) is a customer service and support solution. Setting up this type of system will streamline many of the steps in providing customer service and automate some steps to keep things on track while keeping headcount steady.
For example, PhaseWare Tracker is the main component of the PhaseWare customer service and support solution. With Tracker customer information, incident information, SLA information, as well as a knowledge base and solutions database plus more is right at your fingertips. Event Engine automates many functions that may currently be handled on a piece meal basis with some of the pieces falling through the cracks. Self Service Center offers your customers support 24/7/365. This is where they can find answers to their questions, research problems, hob knob with other customers through forums, subscribe to content, and more.
All of these highly sophisticated solutions are available to smaller businesses at a reasonable cost.
Go to www.phaseware.com right now for information, demonstrations, and news.
Click here to see the Self Service Center in action.
For example, PhaseWare Tracker is the main component of the PhaseWare customer service and support solution. With Tracker customer information, incident information, SLA information, as well as a knowledge base and solutions database plus more is right at your fingertips. Event Engine automates many functions that may currently be handled on a piece meal basis with some of the pieces falling through the cracks. Self Service Center offers your customers support 24/7/365. This is where they can find answers to their questions, research problems, hob knob with other customers through forums, subscribe to content, and more.
All of these highly sophisticated solutions are available to smaller businesses at a reasonable cost.
Go to www.phaseware.com right now for information, demonstrations, and news.
Click here to see the Self Service Center in action.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Read My Interview with Business Software Advisor
I had a fantastic interview with the Business Software Advisor blog, CRM Buzz. Find it here.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
PHASEWARE, INC. RELEASES TRACKER and SELF SERVICE CENTER v. 3.1
McKinney, TX – PhaseWare Tracker and Self Service Center v. 3.1.0.0, the latest upgrade of the most comprehensive Customer Service and Support solution in the industry, is now available.
PhaseWare Tracker and Self Service Center 3.1 offers even more enterprise-level features made affordable for small to medium businesses.
For incident deflection, both the Self Service Center and Automated E-mail response now have the capability to offer suggested solutions related to a customer’s issue. Self Service Center uses the Assisted Knowledge Base Search: for each potential incident entered by a customer, the Self Service Center offers links to possible solutions prior to incident escalation. Successful solutions are tagged and the incident entry is not completed. For each incident submission initiated through e-mail the Event Engine feature automatically responds with potential solutions to the issue. Successful solutions are tagged and the incident is closed. Both features are optional.
Customers stay on top of the latest information of interest using the subscription option for the Self Service Center. Customers are notified via e-mail or RSS feed of new content in any of the Self Service Center applications related to their interests.
Increased operational efficiencies are realized with e-mail and incident journal enhancements, and new customer level file storage. Now e-mail and incident journals are drag and drop enabled for easy file attachment. E-mail recipient selection is quicker than before. Customer level records allow attachment of files and documents such as contracts, service agreements, and other customer specific documentation. These files are optionally available to the customer through the Self Service Center on a per-folder and file basis. Outside contacts can be authorized to attach documents as well.
There are many other productivity enhancements available with this update. To see more visit PhaseWare, Inc..
PhaseWare, Inc. is a North Texas-based customer support software provider offering solutions for a diverse group of clients world-wide. PhaseWare Tracker, Event Engine and Self Service Center solutions provide customer support process automation, tracking, escalation, and resolution of trouble tickets from origin to close, along with a wide variety of self service options.
PhaseWare, Inc. was founded by CEO Randall Nelson and Company President Hoyt Mann.
www.phaseware.com
1-866-616-6629
PhaseWare Tracker and Self Service Center 3.1 offers even more enterprise-level features made affordable for small to medium businesses.
For incident deflection, both the Self Service Center and Automated E-mail response now have the capability to offer suggested solutions related to a customer’s issue. Self Service Center uses the Assisted Knowledge Base Search: for each potential incident entered by a customer, the Self Service Center offers links to possible solutions prior to incident escalation. Successful solutions are tagged and the incident entry is not completed. For each incident submission initiated through e-mail the Event Engine feature automatically responds with potential solutions to the issue. Successful solutions are tagged and the incident is closed. Both features are optional.
Customers stay on top of the latest information of interest using the subscription option for the Self Service Center. Customers are notified via e-mail or RSS feed of new content in any of the Self Service Center applications related to their interests.
Increased operational efficiencies are realized with e-mail and incident journal enhancements, and new customer level file storage. Now e-mail and incident journals are drag and drop enabled for easy file attachment. E-mail recipient selection is quicker than before. Customer level records allow attachment of files and documents such as contracts, service agreements, and other customer specific documentation. These files are optionally available to the customer through the Self Service Center on a per-folder and file basis. Outside contacts can be authorized to attach documents as well.
There are many other productivity enhancements available with this update. To see more visit PhaseWare, Inc..
PhaseWare, Inc. is a North Texas-based customer support software provider offering solutions for a diverse group of clients world-wide. PhaseWare Tracker, Event Engine and Self Service Center solutions provide customer support process automation, tracking, escalation, and resolution of trouble tickets from origin to close, along with a wide variety of self service options.
PhaseWare, Inc. was founded by CEO Randall Nelson and Company President Hoyt Mann.
www.phaseware.com
1-866-616-6629
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
New Release! PhaseWare Tracker/Self Service Center Version 3.1.
PhaseWare, Inc. has released its latest version of Tracker and Self Service Center. Tracker/ Self Service Center Version 3.1 contains several major new features as well as refinements to existing features.
Major New Features include:
Both the forced knowledge base search and the e-mail knowledge base article links can help increase productivity and lower support costs by deflecting calls using automatic knowledge base article selection. When an incident is submitted via the self service center or through e-mail, suggested solutions from the knowledge base are given. If the issue is resolved, the incident is closed. No intervention needed from the service desk agent.
With Self Service Center Subscriptions customers can subscribe to your SSC portal and receive automatic updates about topics of interest to them. RSS feeds are also available when new content matches the subscription.
Some additional features allow agents to add attachments to an e-mail by dragging and dropping files into the e-mail form. Faster recipient selection and recipient clearing is now available. An incident journal enhancement allows a new journal entry to open in a second window so agents can review existing journal articles while creating the new one. Security options have been added for editing certain logs.
These enhancements and many others are now available upon upgrading to Tracker/Self Service Center Version 3.1.
For more information about PhaseWare, Inc. please visit www.phaseware.com.
Major New Features include:
Assisted Knowledge Base Search (optional)
E-Mail Knowledge Base Article Links
Self Service Center Subscriptions
Customer Attachment Storage
E-Mail and Incident Journal Enhancements
Both the forced knowledge base search and the e-mail knowledge base article links can help increase productivity and lower support costs by deflecting calls using automatic knowledge base article selection. When an incident is submitted via the self service center or through e-mail, suggested solutions from the knowledge base are given. If the issue is resolved, the incident is closed. No intervention needed from the service desk agent.
With Self Service Center Subscriptions customers can subscribe to your SSC portal and receive automatic updates about topics of interest to them. RSS feeds are also available when new content matches the subscription.
Some additional features allow agents to add attachments to an e-mail by dragging and dropping files into the e-mail form. Faster recipient selection and recipient clearing is now available. An incident journal enhancement allows a new journal entry to open in a second window so agents can review existing journal articles while creating the new one. Security options have been added for editing certain logs.
These enhancements and many others are now available upon upgrading to Tracker/Self Service Center Version 3.1.
For more information about PhaseWare, Inc. please visit www.phaseware.com.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Use the Force! Forced Knowledge Base Search
A comment was made in response to my blog entry at http://phasewareinc.blogspot.com/ that brought up management's need to reduce costs in the call center (when it is still considered a cost center). In his case, this was done by lowering wages offered to customer support agents. Likely this reduces the depth of the talent pool as well. To compensate for that lack of talent, these agents are given scripts to follow that will, hopefully, match any issue a customer should call about. Unfortunately, personal experience shows that this is not the path to great customer service.
PhaseWare, Inc. has a new feature that will directly impact both ROI and customer satisfaction. It is a new, higher functioning method of giving your customers access to the right information at the right time while deflecting calls and incident submissions.
It is called Forced Knowledge Base Search. It works this way:
With E-mail
If a customer e-mails an incident submission to you he will receive the customary auto-response with the incident number. In addition, the auto-response will contain links to specific articles in the knowledge base that could resolve the issue. If one of the articles resolves the issue, the incident can be closed.
With Self Service Center
If a customer submits an incident via the self service center, the incident will not be completely logged in until the customer reviews the knowledge base articles automatically offered by the system in response to the entered issue. If one of the articles resolves the issue, the customer can choose not to complete the submission.
In both cases, a call was deflected and an issue resolved before any of your staff needed to intervene. It is all done automatically. Statistics about these types of interactions are tallied and can be used to support a strong ROI report.
Enhance your bottom line while giving your customers top of the line service.
May the Force be with you.
PhaseWare, Inc. has a new feature that will directly impact both ROI and customer satisfaction. It is a new, higher functioning method of giving your customers access to the right information at the right time while deflecting calls and incident submissions.
It is called Forced Knowledge Base Search. It works this way:
With E-mail
If a customer e-mails an incident submission to you he will receive the customary auto-response with the incident number. In addition, the auto-response will contain links to specific articles in the knowledge base that could resolve the issue. If one of the articles resolves the issue, the incident can be closed.
With Self Service Center
If a customer submits an incident via the self service center, the incident will not be completely logged in until the customer reviews the knowledge base articles automatically offered by the system in response to the entered issue. If one of the articles resolves the issue, the customer can choose not to complete the submission.
In both cases, a call was deflected and an issue resolved before any of your staff needed to intervene. It is all done automatically. Statistics about these types of interactions are tallied and can be used to support a strong ROI report.
Enhance your bottom line while giving your customers top of the line service.
May the Force be with you.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
When is an Incident a Quick Incident? A PhaseWare Tracker Tip
First, the definition of "incident" as used with PhaseWare Tracker: an incident is the reason the customer contacted you. Other names for it are Trouble Ticket, Problem Ticket, Complaint. In Tracker, an Incident record will have all of the information about the customer, the source, the product, billing status, a description of the problem, the assigned agent, and quite a few other details. So....when the customer calls, an Incident is created.
And what is a Quick Incident, you ask? A Quick Incident is " a repetitive incident that is typically entered very quickly by the support staff and resolved on the first contact." (PhaseWare Tracker User Guide). A Quick Incident can be created:
1. From the Main Menu. Select Data Entry options then Quick Incident. You would do this if you recognized at the beginning of the contact that it would be resolved on the spot.
2. From the Incident Screen if an Incident has already been created but still has a status of NEW, meaning it has not been saved or posted and is not yet visible in the Incident Manager. Once it is saved. an Incident can no longer be converted to a Quick Incident.
Quick Incidents are set up as templates by the system administrator. The templates contain prerecorded information to save you unnecessary keyboarding and giving the incident standardized content and format. The templates can be restricted to specific groups which will become evident when viewing the quick incident template list for your group.
For information about Tracker or other PhaseWare products visit www.phaseware.com.
And what is a Quick Incident, you ask? A Quick Incident is " a repetitive incident that is typically entered very quickly by the support staff and resolved on the first contact." (PhaseWare Tracker User Guide). A Quick Incident can be created:
1. From the Main Menu. Select Data Entry options then Quick Incident. You would do this if you recognized at the beginning of the contact that it would be resolved on the spot.
2. From the Incident Screen if an Incident has already been created but still has a status of NEW, meaning it has not been saved or posted and is not yet visible in the Incident Manager. Once it is saved. an Incident can no longer be converted to a Quick Incident.
Quick Incidents are set up as templates by the system administrator. The templates contain prerecorded information to save you unnecessary keyboarding and giving the incident standardized content and format. The templates can be restricted to specific groups which will become evident when viewing the quick incident template list for your group.
For information about Tracker or other PhaseWare products visit www.phaseware.com.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
7 Important Features of Online Self Service from PhaseWare
It can seem like adding a feature that puts the onus of work back on your customer is counterintuitive. Kind of like when we all had to start pumping our own gas. But this type of self service means more convenience for your customer and a significant cost savings to you. A deflected call is one call you don't have to spend dollars on. Instead you spend only cents because the customer could look online, at a time of their choosing, and access what they need.
So there really aren't any more than these 2 reasons for having this application. But the application itself can contain some features your web savvy customers will love.
Downloads: When your customer can download the newest software version or the latest user guide or anything else you can offer, this is one less step for you. Even a request for these things by email will use more time that could be put to better use.
Notice Board: Let your customers know any important news right up front when they log in. The notice doesn't even have to visible to everyone. Maybe only one segment of your business needs a particular piece of information.
FAQs: Well, how could we get along without them?
Solutions: Let your customers look for solutions here for their issue before they call and leave a message on your phone at 3 am. If an issue has already been researched and resolved, put it here.
Forums: Your web savvy customers want a community to discuss their business, your products, and other experiences with. It could be that another customer could answer the question just as readily.
Knowledge base: Here is a feature that will give access to all of those above via a natural language search function able to comb through all the solutions, notices, forums, and downloads to answer whatever is on that customer's mind.
Incident Submission: Sometimes it's unavoidable. Something happens that cannot be fixed by self service. This gives your customers a place to submit their problems and track the status and resolution online.
Not all features are needed in all instances, but when you think about how people are using the internet these days, you realize that expectations have been raised regarding access to almost everything. Service has become the only differentiator between you and your competition. Leverage every channel of service you can manage and do it well. You'll keep your customers coming back. And they will bring their friends.
Link to an example of a self service center.
So there really aren't any more than these 2 reasons for having this application. But the application itself can contain some features your web savvy customers will love.
Downloads: When your customer can download the newest software version or the latest user guide or anything else you can offer, this is one less step for you. Even a request for these things by email will use more time that could be put to better use.
Notice Board: Let your customers know any important news right up front when they log in. The notice doesn't even have to visible to everyone. Maybe only one segment of your business needs a particular piece of information.
FAQs: Well, how could we get along without them?
Solutions: Let your customers look for solutions here for their issue before they call and leave a message on your phone at 3 am. If an issue has already been researched and resolved, put it here.
Forums: Your web savvy customers want a community to discuss their business, your products, and other experiences with. It could be that another customer could answer the question just as readily.
Knowledge base: Here is a feature that will give access to all of those above via a natural language search function able to comb through all the solutions, notices, forums, and downloads to answer whatever is on that customer's mind.
Incident Submission: Sometimes it's unavoidable. Something happens that cannot be fixed by self service. This gives your customers a place to submit their problems and track the status and resolution online.
Not all features are needed in all instances, but when you think about how people are using the internet these days, you realize that expectations have been raised regarding access to almost everything. Service has become the only differentiator between you and your competition. Leverage every channel of service you can manage and do it well. You'll keep your customers coming back. And they will bring their friends.
Link to an example of a self service center.
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