Index: openacs-4/packages/ecommerce/www/doc/ecommerce-customer-service.adp =================================================================== RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/ecommerce/www/doc/ecommerce-customer-service.adp,v diff -u -r1.1 -r1.2 --- openacs-4/packages/ecommerce/www/doc/ecommerce-customer-service.adp 20 Apr 2001 20:51:14 -0000 1.1 +++ openacs-4/packages/ecommerce/www/doc/ecommerce-customer-service.adp 26 May 2002 04:36:50 -0000 1.2 @@ -1,107 +1,118 @@ - -The Customer Service Submodule of the Ecommerce Module + -The Customer Service Submodule can be found at -@ec_url@admin/customer-service/ -(it is also linked to from the main Ecommerce Administration page). + + @title@ + @signatory@ -

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Issues and Interactions

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The Customer Service Module can be found at @package_url@admin/customer-service/ + (it is also linked to from the main Ecommerce Administration + page).

-There are two main concepts underlying the customer service submodule: customer service -interactions and customer service issues. +

Issues and Interactions

-

+

There are two main concepts underlying the customer service + submodule: customer service interactions and customer service + issues.

-There is a many-to-many relationship between issues and interactions. During the course -of one interaction, a customer may bring up any number of issues ("My credit card shows -a charge for $7.99, but I thought this ant farm was only supposed to cost $6.99 AND, -while I have you on the phone, I'd like to mention that delivery took three days instead -of the promised two."). Furthermore, if an issue is not resolved the first time it is -brought up, it might span any number of interactions until it is finally closed. +

There is a many-to-many relationship between issues and + interactions. During the course of one interaction, a customer + may bring up any number of issues ("My credit card shows a charge + for $7.99, but I thought this ant farm was only supposed to cost + $6.99 AND, while I have you on the phone, I'd like to mention that + delivery took three days instead of the promised two."). + Furthermore, if an issue is not resolved the first time it is + brought up, it might span any number of interactions until it is + finally closed.

-

-Issues can be categorized either for reporting purposes or so -that different departments of your company can handle the issues. Open issues -are linked to from the front page of the customer service submodule to attract -attention. Whenever email is sent to the customer (either automatically or -by a customer service rep), an issue is created (or added to, if it is based -on a previous issue). This is so that a complete interaction history containing -all correspondence to and from the customer can be maintained. All issues created -due to automatic emails are closed immediately so that they don't get in the way of -other issues. +

Issues can be categorized either for reporting purposes or so + that different departments of your company can handle the issues. + Open issues are linked to from the front page of the customer + service submodule to attract attention. Whenever email is sent to + the customer (either automatically or by a customer service rep), + an issue is created (or added to, if it is based on a previous + issue). This is so that a complete interaction history containing + all correspondence to and from the customer can be maintained. + All issues created due to automatic emails are closed immediately + so that they don't get in the way of other issues.

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-Small note: the intersection between an issue and an interaction is called an "action" -(i.e., the part of a specific interaction that deals with a specific issue). This rarely -comes up. -

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Small note: the intersection between an issue and an interaction + is called an "action" (i.e., the part of a specific interaction + that deals with a specific issue). This rarely comes up.

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Registered Users and Unregistered Users

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Registered Users and Unregistered Users

-As a customer service rep, much of your interaction may be with people who -have used the site but are not registered users (people don't become registered -users unless they log in when they order, when they submit product reviews, etc.), -yet you still want to capture the details of the interaction with as much -identifying information about them as you can. +

As a customer service rep, much of your interaction may be with + people who have used the site but are not registered users (people + don't become registered users unless they log in when they order, + when they submit product reviews, etc.), yet you still want to + capture the details of the interaction with as much identifying + information about them as you can.

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Whenever you record a new interaction, you are asked to enter as + much information as you can gather (or feel comfortable gathering) + about the user. The system then tries to match this person up + with either registered users or unregistered people who have had + interacted previously with customer service. If no match can be + made, a new "user identification record" is created.

-Whenever you record a new interaction, you are asked to enter as much information -as you can gather (or feel comfortable gathering) about the user. The system then -tries to match this person up with either registered users or unregistered people -who have had interacted previously with customer service. If no match can be -made, a new "user identification record" is created. +

Each time you view a user identification record, the system sees + if it can match that person up with a registered user of the + system (in case they have registered in the meantime).

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+

Sending Email to Customers

-Each time you view a user identification record, the system sees if it can -match that person up with a registered user of the system (in case they -have registered in the meantime). +

When you're viewing a customer service issue, you can send the + customer email regarding that issue by clicking "send email" at + the top of the page. The contents of your email will + automatically be added to the customer's interaction history and + will become part of the record for that customer service issue.

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If you find yourself using the same phrases over and over again + when you respond to customers' emails, the Canned + Response System will be useful to you. You can enter your + commonly used phrases once, and then whenever you send email + you'll be able to automatically insert any number of these + phrases.

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Sending Email to Customers

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If you want to send email to customers in bulk, then use the Spam System. + You can spam users based on what products they've bought, what + products they've even looked at, by when they've last visited, by + how much they've spent at your site, by which mailing lists + they're signed up for. If you're spamming customers that you + like, you can issue them all gift certificates at the same time.

-When you're viewing a customer service issue, you can send the customer -email regarding that issue by clicking "send email" at the top of the page. -The contents of your email will automatically be added to the customer's -interaction history and will become part of the record for that customer -service issue. -

-If you find yourself using the same phrases over and over again when you -respond to customers' emails, the Canned Response System will be useful -to you. You can enter your commonly used phrases once, -and then whenever you send email you'll -be able to automatically insert any number of these phrases. -

-If you want to send email to customers in bulk, then use the -Spam System. -You can spam users based on what products they've bought, what products -they've even looked at, by when they've last visited, by how much they've -spent at your site, by which mailing lists they're signed up for. -If you're spamming customers that you like, you can -issue them all gift certificates at the same time. -

-Your email text is also sent through a spell checker before it is sent -to the customer. +

Your email text is also sent through a spell checker before it is + sent to the customer.

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-

Picklist Management

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Picklist Management

-When your customer service data entry people are recording customer -interactions, you want it to take as little effort as possible. One -way to help is to predefine picklists that they can choose from when -entering data. With the Picklist Management tool, -you can specify what goes in what picklist in what order. +

When your customer service data entry people are recording + customer interactions, you want it to take as little effort as + possible. One way to help is to predefine picklists that they can + choose from when entering data. With the Picklist + Management tool, you can specify what goes in what picklist in + what order.

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Reports

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Reports

-Reports and statistics are generated so that you can tell what types -of issues are occurring most frequently, which customer service reps -are handing the most interactions, what resources the reps need to use -most often, etc. Each report can be filtered and -sorted in a variety of ways to give you a clear picture of what's -happening and what can be done to improve efficiency. +

Reports and statistics are generated so that you can tell what + types of issues are occurring most frequently, which customer + service reps are handing the most interactions, what resources the + reps need to use most often, etc. Each report can be filtered and + sorted in a variety of ways to give you a clear picture of what's + happening and what can be done to improve efficiency.