Workflow Sample: Email inquiry

Showing posts with label Email inquiry. Show all posts

"We will sincerely correspond to your voice"

Easier said than done. Actually, sometimes it might be impossible to "Immediately respond to customer voice". Suppose if you set up a framework to dynamically scaling up the "human resources", it will have its limit. No, wait. First of all, the policy of "simply increase manpower" will lead to "increase of cost". Consequently, it will not be for your customers.

Hmm, what truly is "corresponding sincerely"?

"ISO 100002" will be a great hint. That is, focusing on "making continual improvement by PDCA cycle for Complaint handling process". (It may also be said that to increase the maturity of the organization.)

Specifically speaking, it is to capture and to record the progress between the completion of answering to the customer, from the acceptance of the opinion and demands from customers. And then, continue to improve the "flow of Complaint handling process" or the "Work Manuals".

ISO 10002: Quality management (Customer satisfaction):
Guidelines for complaints handling in organizations (2004)

The following Workflow Definition is a very simple "Complaint handling process."

* You may refer to as "Claim handling process" or " Inquiry handling process", as well.

To begin with, you run this simple Workflow for "Customer voice" for a week or a month. And then you will conduct the first Process alteration based on the accumulated handling records and actual experiences. Thereafter, iterate the improvement cycle.

In addition, it is excellent that it refers "Customer Master". If you have prepared the "customer master", operators will be able to input "customer name without fluctuation", easily.

[Inquiry Correspondence process]

There, it will come one more month later...

The Individual Number system will start also here in Japan. (2015-10-05) In this blog as well, I have exemplified several Workflows (Business Process) about "Process of Individual Number collection".

And I am going to introduce examples of utilizing "Corporation Number" also in the following weeks. Also,I am planning to publish utilization examples of "Web-API function" of Corporate Number system sequentially as soon as I confirm operation on "Pre-verification environment".

In this article, I will summarize on "Error detection" which is indispensable in the business that deal with "Individual Number".

The Workflow definition below is a sample which allows you to experience 'accuracy check' on input data. It is set both of [1] the mechanism of automatic data checking during input (JavaScript in input screen), and [2] the mechanism of data checking on the server computer (JavaScript in Script Step)

By the way, "Check Digit" means a character for inspection. It is used widely for such as "Credit card number", "Product code"(EAN / JAN barcode), "International Standard Book Number" (ISBN), etc. In the case of "Individual Number" in Japan,

Corporation Number (13 digits): The leftmost digit
Individual Number (12 digits): The rightmost digit

are calculated by the "specific formula", and is added.

[Check Digit sample:"Test form" screen]

Information which may threaten the life and property of a person.
Personal information that is not necessary to be stored as business records.
Descriptions which may violate the laws and regulations, such as crime notice.
Description that is immoral such as indecent or obscene.

What should you do if information like above has been contained in the business data?

Although I do not want to think too much, but it's the same old story in some business, that there are Business flows which have been increased anonymity, such as "Suggestion box flow" or "whistle-blowing handling". Here, we are going to study about 'Data edit' by the privileged Users.

First of all, business data is a subject to be edited over and over, being checked by the approver or being corrected through reworking Step, until it finally reaches to the last Step. By the time the Issue reaches the [End Event], business data will be finished as a record of the company. And after that, nobody would alter.
The specification that even a privileged user cannot alter this data after completed, is applied in many Workflow products, (as well as Cloud-based workflow Questetra). Suppose if it is possible to edit later, it will be a system that allows tampering data, and there will be a problem in perspectives of "reliability of data" or "audit trail"(compliance). If you found any error in the data of the past, you should restart as a new Issue through the appropriate procedures. ([Delete] the original data, If it gives noise on aggregation)

The following Workflow is a business operation which, automatically taking in "Google Alert" (or "Analytics Alert", etc.), detecting information new content on the Internet, and taking necessary reactions. Because the information is collected mechanically, most of them will be finished with selecting 'Do not share this information'. However, there are also Issues which would include the data that should be [Data Edit] among them. In this example, it is given a postponement that can be [data editing] for privileged users. Although it is a very sober consideration, but it's excellent.

[Internet Surveillance Operation]

"I must improve the Business Process..."

Many of proprietors and managers think so. But when it comes to be "putting into practice", it is not the so simple story. First of all, as is written in the article of "I Wonder Why My Boss won't Draw Workflow Chart", it is difficult to draw a "Workflow Diagram". (ummm...)
That said, If it is such a business that could be harmful to the "person on the outside the company", I can not even say so. I want to improve the rules and the procedure day by day. It shouldn't be like for example, you don't grasp when and who corresponded (corresponding) to a complaint at "Personal Information Grievance Desk".

The workflow definition below shows the workflow for performing the necessary actions to the "informing and complaining from the outside" received at the Web site.
When you import and run this definition (Process Model), you can make it record all the contacts automatically, and authorized people can monitor the progress of the correspondence to them. An excellent twist, is "able to attach a file". It means they can easily attach an image file which captured on their Smartphones.

# Personally, I want it to be accepted on the Web site to report burned out street lights, instead of a phone call (9:00 to 5:00). (Because we can find it only at night.)

[Personal Information Complaints Corresponding flow]

'Want to collaborate in reply emails'
'Want to visualize the progress of creating reply emails'

A flow of Contact Support is complicated. Many companies have their complicated splitting flows such as, "Escalation", "Technical survey", "Committing to Sales section" or "FAQ registration", etc.. Also, it varies according to the company scale. Even in the same business industry, the flow will be totally different in organization with 10, 100, 1000 personnel. That is, Contact Support operation is one of the businesses that you want to explore "the way it should be" for your own. Nowadays, you better make your attempt to optimize the business flow using a 'Business Process Management tool' (BPM tool).

However, even though 'Modifying and Improving' is the specialty of "BPM tools", they are less good at usability of the input screen. For example, the importance of each item cannot be known even if they have been carefully set to fit the business of the company, because it looks flat.

"Questetra BPM Suite" is equipped with a feature that you can customize 'Input Form screen' exhaustively.
Though you will need knowledge of HTML, you can continue to explore 'an Input screen which anyone can handle' or 'an Input screen that allows quick responding'. That will make even rookie employees to play active roles. (Advanced Layout feature)

[Contact Replying flow]

Contact from customers should be replied 'quickly' and 'accurately'.

There are many 'Contact Management System', but most of them do not support your original answering flow. The motivation of business flow improvement varies such as Improving quality, speed up, recurrence prevention. But if the system did not reflect your original creative Contact Reply flow, the 'Human Cost' will keep on increasing.
Suppose if there is a business rule that 'reviewing by technical staff is a must for the answer to inquiries about bug', it should be managed by 'Business Process Management system' rather than by 'Contact Management System'. The progress (bottleneck) can be overviewed on the Flow Chart, the instructions by the chief manager will speed up. (Moreover, flow expansion might happen that the receptionist would distribute queries manually according to who is good at.)

In the following Business Process definition, a Workflow from 'email inquiry' or 'inquiry via Web form' to 'reply email sending' is defined. Using this Workflow, you can record 'the Time of checked by senior staff' and 'Advice from other departments', as well as 'Sentences of the primary answer' or 'Sentences of final answer', as Business data in a bunch. It will be referred as knowledge, and it could be the basic data for the further improvement.

[Inquiry flow-Auto-set Reply]

How long is the average corresponding time to the contact via Website?
Are you dealing with the contacts on weekends for sure?

When the number of processed grows, you will want to analysis it. For example, 'Average corresponding time' to the contacts via "Contact Form" on your Website. When you observe your business quantitatively, business improvement will be accelerated. It will be the basic data for evaluation meeting, and will help to put up the goal easily.

The following Business Process Definition is devised for analyzing. That is, not only to start [Inquiries Workflow] automatically, "the time it took to the final answer" and "the day of the week" of the contact comes in will be automatically set as business records,

when there is a submission to the "Contact Form" on your Website, or,
when an email comes in to the "Contact email address" which has been published here and there.

To tell the truth, it is almost the same as the Workflow which we have introduced to you in the past, but it is different at the point that it has been added "Script Task" for data processing.

[Inquiry flow-response time]

Are you capable to answer sufficient information quickly to inquiries through 'Inquiry Form'?

The inquirer may have a 'large anxiety'.
The inquirer may have a 'large expectation'.

You might be able to ensure a certain quality of supporting in 'Inquiry Form' or 'Inquiry Email' by devising procedures in the team, while 'Telephone Support' highly depends on the ability of the person.

In the following setting sample of Business Process, it will start 'Inquiry Response flow' automatically when;

a question is submitted through the 'Contact Us form' in the Web page,
an email comes in at the email address for Contact Us that has been published here and there.

That is, automatically starting 'Inquiry Handling' by a team.

If the question was simple, the answer is prepared and the operation is completed soon after the Workflow was started. For a higher difficulty level question, only the primary response will be sent and advice request is routed to the R & D department, etc.. In either of the cases, all the inquiry will become obvious about 'Who is taking care of' and 'What state it is in' or 'How it is discussed', by managing the Inquiry Handling in Workflow system. Needless to say, visualizing the "Progress" leads to 'speeding up' and 'raising the quality'.

[Inquiry Response flow]

I want to collect "customer data" only...

Workflow of Web lead handling, Inquiry handling, Outing report flow (Business card exchange)... 'Prospective Customer Information' is being collected in various operations in a company. Hopefully, it should be managed centrally. (Basic data for CRM activities)

The following is a Workflow only for managing Prospective Customer Information.
It is assumed to be transmitted such as 'Zip code', 'Country', 'Organization', 'Position', 'Name', 'Email Address' as main data, and 'email delivery agreement' (flag), 'prospectivity' (rating).

You can say this is 'Usage like a Database'.
But you should be careful that there is only adding of data one after another, it is not focused on "updating" or "Deleting". That means, you will need some kind of scheme when utilizing the accumulated data, such as narrowing down by the date or by the operator.
As well as it is an idea that will be required for utilizing so-called 'Big Data', there are many cases that you should give the priority to "adding" new information, and suppress the cost for "updating" and "deleting". Speaking specifically, you should not use "business card information of more than three years ago", unless you have to.

[Customer Data Collection]

On 26 May 2013 this week, the Revision of the Public Officers Elections Act will be enforced.
Finally, 'Election campaign' on the internet will be available in Japan. (Too late...)

That means, candidates (political parties) will be updating Facebook everyday during the campaign. Emailing as well. They can fairly appeal 'Please vote for me!' (It seems stupid now that telephoning over and over before.)

What you should be cautious is that even ordinary people are also 'campaigning'.
For example, anyone can originate messages such as 'Hooray for Candidate TANAKA!' or 'Support for candidate SUZUKI!' Or just carelessly be outgoing 'Candidate YAMADA, such guy shouldn't Win.'
However the regulations enforced this time, requires indication of 'information about contact' to whom campaigning and negative campaigning on their blog or Social network Services. It will not be a problem if posting to Facebook or Twitter, but need to be careful when letting the messages outgoing from blog or home page.

(Little bit digressing though,) "Election campaign" with email is still expressly prohibited in Japan. General public is not allowed 'election campaign' with email including Forwarding.

Well...
There seems to be happening new duties in service providing companies for blog and BBS.

A. Requesting deletion of libel and defamation against the author.
B. Notifying violation of duty of indication of contact information.

It seems like to become human tasks of considerable scale to me...
The person who would claim the "Delete of libel", would be the candidate him/herself. First of all, 'personal Identification' must be carry out. And if it is popular sites, there might be that notification of the breach of display duty will be a huge number. For Internet-related companies, maintenance of related business process (workflow development) is urgently needed.

[Public Article Modification Request flow]

When you have succeeded "Cloud Computing" of the Workflow, you surely will want to make "Workflow for email queries corresponding" as well.

The reasons are simple.

Can correspond from anywhere. (When you are out or at home)
Can grasp who is corresponding (The point of view of real-time monitoring)
Can find where the bottleneck is (The point of view of performance aggregation)

However, when you run the Workflow in practice, you will notice that "flow of obtaining advice from internal" is more important than "flow of assigning respondent".
That is for example, if queried "Is the server down?", the contact person doesn't even know about it. Also, when an inquiry comes saying "I want to ask something technical about...", the contact person has absolutely no choice to seek advice from the technical department. And how soon you can respond to queries of this kind will affect the reliability of the company.

The following Workflow, "Query Response Operation flow" is enclosed a very simple "Advice Request flow". It is very excellent.

[Query Response Operation flow]

Complaints should be responded quickly.
In fact, it is often spoken in complaint handling operation, 'in the middle of the complaints, lies opportunities'. You may even get more reliabilities by how you handled them.

The following Workflow, is a "Complaint Handling operation" that corresponding to complaints which come in by email and Web form by email (and others). It is assumed a company which has no dedicating section of complaint handling, and 'reply sentence' will be written by personnel of various sections. When you operate this Workflow in the Cloud-based Workflow, Questetra BPM Suite, you can grasp 'what complaint is coming in' and 'what complaint had been coming in' at anytime from anywhere.

* BPM: Business Process Management

[Complaint handling flow]