Best Practices for Using ServiceDesk

Use the tips on this page to use your Template:HelpDesk solution in the most advantageous ways.

1 Setting Up a B2B System

For a business-to-business system, you'll typically:

• Have an Account record for each organization you serve, and Contact records for the individuals in those organizations.
• Set up Email to Case so that Customers can use email to create a new case, but only if their email address matches an existing Contact record
• Set up your Support Portal so that only registered users can access it, so your knowledge base and community support channels are available only to your customers.

2 Setting Up a B2C System

For a business that sells product to consumers--especially one that sells through indirect retail channels, rather than through direct contact, you'll typically:

• Maintain Contact records for people that file cases or use your Support Portal. (Except in rare cases, you won't have Account records.)
• Disable new case creation in Email to Case, to minimize the effect of spam.
• Allow anonymous users to access your Support Portal, along with your knowledge base and community support channels.
• Depending on the size and activity of the anonymous-user base, you may or may not allow anonymous users to create new cases in the Support Portal.

3 Use Case Status to Manage Workflow

You're free to use Case Status settings in any way you like. You can even Template:HDlink. But the strategy outlined here is recommended, especially if this is your first encounter with a Template:HelpDesk management system.

New --> Open when Claimed or Assigned

Open --> Pending when waiting on information from the Customer (for SLAs)

--not when waiting for information from anyone else, inside or outside of your organization

Open --> Resolved when satisfaction survey goes to customer

Resolved --> Closed when Customer is satisfied, or when several days have passed

Resolved --> Reopened when Customer is not satisfied