Calls

A "Call' in ConsolQ is the main parent object that links Tasks, Service Notes and File attachments.  Examples of 'calls' include 'problems' or 'issues' that need to be resolved and tracked. A call may be received by a customer by telephone in the traditional "call centre" context, by email, or directly within the workgroup or project team by a manager or team member. Remember the uses of ConsolQ are limited only by your imagination.

There are three ways of entering a call in ConsolQ.

New Call
Call Macro
from an incoming email

New Call
Click on New Call in the General Menu

You are presented with a tabbed screen with the call number.

A call can be created without selecting a client but if a client is to be associated with the call it is recommended that is your first activity.  Search for the caller by typing in all or part of their first and/or last name or their User ID.

Please note in ConsolQ v4.0 a much more powerful configuration item is featured - client is just one of many configuration items.  Select 'client" from the list if it has not defaulted to that position - and enter client information. Enter new client or edit client details as required. Not all fields need to be completed but it is advisable to complete as many fields as possible. When you have filled in all the details necessary, click on the submit button.  The new client will be entered into the data base.

Complete all necessary fields pertaining to the call depending on your configuration of the ConsolQ.

If you wish to attach a file (or import a scanned image for those with the WebScan feature) go to the files tab and upload as required.

Tasks can be added and assigned to team members or groups as required.

Configuration item TAB: Configuration items can be linked to a call.  For example if the caller wishes to report a problem with a piece of equipment, a location or whatever - it can be linked to the call.

Note if the Configuration Item is a piece of IT equipment with an IP address - you can PING that device from ConsolQ. A new window will open with Ping and Traceroute information.

See configuration items later.  (LINK)

Priority:  This should denote the urgency (user configurable) of the request.  eg.

1.       Urgent – Same Day Response Required

2.       <48 Hour Response required

3.       Routine

Allocated To: The call logger may allocate the call to themselves (default - you don't need to do anything) or another team member or group (not both).  This will depend on the business rules of the call centre.

The person taking the call can enter the call type. 

Please note. ConsolQ has call type and actual call type fields.  This is because the nature of the call is often not know for sure when the call is first taken.  The 'actual call type' can be entered later when the call is closed.  This is a useful feature which allows the ConsolQ system users to determine whether there is a training requirement for call staff.

Call Type: Calls types are configurable by the system administrator. Before configuring call types it is worth carefully considering what you want to do with the call type information.  The information is used for reports. This can be completed later after the call has been investigated. Common examples:

Customer complaint
Hardware problem
Billing enquiry

Progress: As work on the call proceeds call progress can be updated.

Call Status: If the call can be closed immediately then close the call. Leave the call open if there are issues to be resolved.

Delete a client
A client can also be deleted. Follow the same process as above, check the Delete box and "Submit".

Private Notes: Can be used for making notes about callers that you don’t want publicly available.  All call information with the exception of this field is publicly viewable by anyone with access to the ConsolQ web pages on your intranet. 

At this point the call is created and a task is automatically assigned to the ConsolQ user logging the call.  If you want to allocate the call/ task to a specific team member

Attach documents

If a document needs select the Files TAB and .

Add some file information and then browse to the file then UPLOAD.  The file will be available to any team member with access to that call.

Scanning (option)

Please note Scanning is an additional cost feature not available as part of the base ConsolQ product. 

The scanning feature allows a ConsolQ user to operate a scanner from ConsolQ and save a scanned document directly into the system.  The Dynamic Web Twain service allows you to operate any Twain device (eg. Fax, camera, scanner) directly from ConsolQ and allows you to edit the image (rotate, crop, resize etc) prior to upload.

To operate the scanner

To operate the scanner using ConsolQ in a Call click in the Documents tab. 

Place the document in your scanner and click the SCAN button in ConsolQ. Your normal local scanning software will open and you scan the document as normal. 

After scanning is complete the image will be displayed in ConsolQ.  If you are happy with the image simply UPLOAD. 
 

Important Note:  Depending on the resolution settings of your scanner image sizes can vary significantly in storage volume.  We recommend you use the smallest file size as possible to reduce storage and back up costs.

If you wish to EDIT the image click the EDIT button in ConsolQ and the Dynamic Web Twain (DWT) window will allow you to edit the image. Make changes as required then click SAVE (disk icon second from top right). You must SAVE for the change to be picked up in ConsolQ. The Close the DWT Window.

if you wish to EDIT again simply click EDIT in ConsolQ and repeat the procedure.

Notes: The DWT window operates within Internet Explorer - if you minimize this window you may not see an icon in the Windows Task Bar at the bottom of your screen.

Please note:
Even without the SCAN feature ConsolQ users can save scanned documents into the system simply by operating your stand alone scanner, saving the document to a file then uploading the file using the Document attachment feature.

To view all details of the call

Tasks

Tasks are activities directed to team members. Each call can have multiple tasks (or none).

To edit the current task, click on the folder in the status column that corresponds to the task you wish to edit.

To create a task from the Call page

Select a team member and category, and enter the details of the task requirement.  ENTER.

Manage a Task

The team member selects the task from their home page and can update progress.  To record details of work performed on each task add a service note . 

If required update progress, add time, and enter.

The task can be deleted by checking the tick box top right and ENTER

·    Add Time: Each time you hit the task Update button, 5 minutes default time is added to the task record.  If however you wish to add more time to the task you can do this by entering the amount (in minutes) in the Add time box.  You can also remove time by entering a negative integer.  You can change the default unit of time for each task - see ADMINISTRATION

Navigates back to the call.

Service Notes

The service note section is where you can write brief notes describing activities undertaken, further findings etc.  You should add a new service note each time you attend to something relating to the task.

To add a service note, click on the “Add new service note” button.

Type the details of the note in the appropriate area and click on the “Add New” button.

Knowledgebase

If the service note is deemed to be useful check the “Make this note a Solution” box.  The item will then be searchable in the knowledgebase.

You will then be returned to the Task Summary screen and your service note should appear in the service note box.  It is possible to edit the service note by clicking on the icon next to the corresponding service note.  The screen is similar to the “add service note” screen.  Click on “ENTER” when you have finished editing a previously added service note.

A service note can be emailed. Click on the email link beside the service note.

Closing a Task/call

Once you have completed a particular task, you should close the task.  To do this you should click on the task in question.  When you get to the task summary screen, change the status to “Closed” and click on the “Update” button.

Once the last task in the call is closed, the system will ask you if you want to close the call.  If so, you should change the “Close Call” to “Closed” and select a “Close Type”.  Close type may be the same as the original Call type or it may be a different type if, during the investigation you decide the problem was in fact due to another issue.

If you don’t want to close the call then don’t change the “CloseType” to closed.

Click “Update Call” to update the details.

As you can see, once a task is closed, the status is changed to closed.  If you close a call and later need to re-open a call, you can accomplish this by clicking on the “Close /Edit Call” link from the summary screen and selecting the close type as “Re-Open” and updating the call. If you need to re-open a task within a call, you can do this by clicking on the task in question and changing the status to “Re-Open” and clicking on the update button.

Audit Trail

All Tasks and Calls have an audit trail.  This allows you to track what has been done by each user.  To view the audit trail, click on the “Audit” link of the respective page.

Deleting calls

Previous versions of ConsolQ allowed the Administrator to delete a call - which deleted all record of the call.  In version 4.0 we have decided that we will no longer offer this feature as it could lead to valuable data loss.

We recommend the following solution, however.  Create a "close call type" Deleted Call".  Calls can then be closed with this call type and can be removed from statistics if necessary.