Service Request Management
1. Problem Statement
User Roles Identified
Based on the service request management context, the primary user roles facing these problems are:
Call Center Representative
- Handles 40-50 customer calls daily and creates service orders
- Serves as the primary interface between customers and field operations
- Responsible for documenting customer issues and tracking resolution
Customer Executive
- Handles walk-in customers and in-person service requests
- Processes complex service applications requiring verification
- Manages service center operations and customer satisfaction
Pain Points by User Role
Call Center Representative:
- Cannot generate receipts for service requests, leading to customer dissatisfaction and follow-up calls
- No visibility into SLA tracking, making it impossible to set proper customer expectations
- Lack of detailed service request views prevents effective customer communication
- No quick actions available, forcing navigation through multiple screens for routine tasks
- Cannot provide real-time status updates to customers during calls
Customer Executive:
- Cannot provide physical receipts for in-person service requests, reducing customer confidence
- No way to show detailed service history during face-to-face interactions
- Lack of SLA visibility makes it difficult to manage customer expectations in service centers
- Cannot perform quick status updates or modifications during customer visits
Core Problem
The current service request management system lacks fundamental customer service capabilities including receipt generation, SLA tracking, detailed request visibility, and quick action workflows. This creates operational inefficiencies, reduces customer satisfaction, and prevents staff from meeting service level expectations.
2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?
Call Center Representative (Primary User)
- Manages incoming customer service requests via phone
- Creates, updates, and tracks service orders throughout their lifecycle
- Needs comprehensive access to all service request management features
Customer Executive (Secondary User)
- Handles in-person service requests at customer service centers
- Needs access to service request creation, tracking, and receipt generation
- Requires read-only access to historical service data
3. Jobs To Be Done
For Call Center Representative: When I need to create and manage customer service requests during phone calls, But I cannot generate receipts, track SLAs, view detailed request information, or perform quick actions efficiently, Help me streamline service request workflows with comprehensive tracking and customer communication tools, So that I can provide professional service with clear documentation and accurate status updates.
For Customer Executive: When I need to handle in-person service requests and provide customers with documentation, But I cannot generate receipts, show detailed service history, or perform quick status updates, Help me deliver professional face-to-face service with complete request visibility and documentation, So that I can build customer confidence and resolve issues efficiently during office visits.
4. Solution
Comprehensive Service Request Management Platform
Receipt Generation & Documentation
- Automated receipt generation for all service request types with customizable templates
- Digital receipt delivery via email and SMS with tracking confirmation
- Physical receipt printing capability for in-person interactions
SLA Tracking & Monitoring
- Real-time SLA countdown timers with automated alerts at key thresholds
- SLA performance dashboards with historical trending and compliance metrics
- Escalation workflows triggered by SLA threshold breaches
Enhanced Request Visibility
- Comprehensive service request detail views with complete interaction history
- Timeline visualization showing all status changes, assignments, and updates
- Customer communication log with all touchpoints and responses documented
Quick Action Workflows
- One-click actions for common tasks (reassign, escalate, update status, schedule follow-up)
- Bulk action capabilities for managing multiple requests simultaneously
- Customizable action buttons based on user role and request status
Integration Capabilities
- Seamless integration with existing SMART360 modules (billing, customer data, asset management)
- API connections for third-party notification systems and external vendors
- Real-time data synchronization across all user interfaces
Reporting & Analytics
- Service performance dashboards with key metrics and trend analysis
- SLA compliance reporting with drill-down capabilities by team, type, and time period
- Customer satisfaction tracking with automated survey distribution
5. Major Steps Involved
Call Center Representative Flow
- Create Service Request
- Access service request creation from main dashboard
- Enter customer information (auto-populated from caller ID or manual search)
- Select service type from categorized dropdown menu
- Input detailed description with guided prompts
- Set priority level based on service type and customer tier
- Generate automatic reference number and initial receipt
- Track and Monitor
- View active service requests on personalized dashboard
- Monitor SLA countdown timers with color-coded status indicators
- Receive automated alerts for approaching SLA deadlines
- Access detailed request timeline with all updates and communications
- Customer Communication
- Generate and send service receipts via email/SMS immediately upon creation
- Provide real-time status updates during customer callbacks
- Access complete interaction history for context during conversations
- Send automated status notifications at key milestones
- Quick Actions
- Use one-click actions to update status, reassign, or escalate requests
- Perform bulk operations on multiple requests when handling high volumes
- Schedule follow-up calls or appointments directly from request interface
- Generate completion receipts and customer satisfaction surveys
Customer Executive Flow
- In-Person Request Handling
- Create service requests during customer visits with guided interface
- Verify customer identity and account information
- Generate immediate physical receipt with QR code for online tracking
- Schedule appointments and coordinate with field operations
- Service History Review
- Access comprehensive customer service history during interactions
- Show detailed request information and resolution steps
- Explain previous service outcomes and preventive measures
- Identify patterns in service requests for proactive solutions
- Status Management
- Update request status based on customer feedback or new information
- Escalate complex issues to appropriate departments
- Coordinate with dispatchers for urgent service needs
- Follow up on completed requests for satisfaction confirmation
6. Flow Diagram
7. Business Rules
General Rules
- All service requests must have a unique reference number generated automatically
- Service receipts must be generated within 30 seconds of request creation
- SLA timers begin counting from the moment a request is created in the system
- All status changes must be logged with timestamp and user identification
- Customers must receive notification within 2 hours of any status change
Step 1: Customer Information
- Customer Search: Minimum 3 characters required to search existing customers
- Search Fields: Can search by account number, name, phone, or address
- Manual Entry Required Fields:
- Customer Name (mandatory)
- Customer Type (mandatory - dropdown selection)
- Phone Number (mandatory)
- Email (mandatory)
- Service Address (mandatory)
- Navigation: Cannot proceed to Step 2 without completing required customer information
Step 2: Complaint Details
- Required Fields:
- Category (mandatory dropdown)
- Subcategory (mandatory dropdown - dependent on category selection)
- Incident Date (mandatory date picker)
- Priority (mandatory dropdown with Medium as default)
- Description (mandatory text area)
- Expected Resolution (mandatory text area)
- Field Dependencies: Subcategory options populate based on selected Category
- Navigation: Cannot proceed to Step 3 without completing all required fields
Step 3: Evidence & Attachments
- File Upload:
- Maximum file size: 10MB per file
- Supported formats: PDF, JPG, PNG
- Drag & drop or browse functionality
- Additional Notes: Optional text area for evidence-related notes
- Navigation: This step is optional - can proceed to Step 4 without uploads
Step 4: Review & Submit
- Review: Display all entered information in read-only format organized by sections
- Acknowledgment Option: Checkbox to "Send acknowledgment to customer" (checked by default)
- Actions Available:
- Previous (return to edit)
- Save Draft
- Submit Complaint (final submission)
Post-Submission
- Reference Number Generation: System generates unique complaint reference (format: CMP-xxxxxxxx)
- Timestamp: Records submission date and time
- Receipt Generation: Creates printable receipt with all complaint details
- Next Steps Display: Shows expected timeline and contact information
- Actions Available:
- Print Receipt
- Return to Dashboard
- Add New Complaint
General Navigation Rules
- Linear Flow: Must complete steps in sequence (1→2→3→4)
- Save Draft: Available at each step to save progress
- Previous Button: Available on steps 2-4 to return to previous step
- Progress Indicator: Shows current step and completion status with checkmarks
8. Sample Data
Service Request Example
Request ID: SR-2025-05-001234
Customer Information:
- Account Number: ACT-789456
- Name: John Smith
- Address: 123 Main Street, Pune, Maharashtra
- Phone: +91-9876543210
- Email: john.smith@email.com
Service Details:
- Type: Water Pressure Complaint
- Priority: Standard
- Description: Customer reports low water pressure in kitchen and bathroom since yesterday morning
- Created By: Call Center Rep - Sarah Johnson
- Created Date: May 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM
- Expected Completion: May 28, 2025 at 5:00 PM
SLA Tracking:
- Standard SLA: 24 hours
- Elapsed Time: 6.5 hours
- Remaining Time: 17.5 hours
- Status: On Track
- Escalation Level: 0
Assignment Details:
- Assigned To: Field Tech - Rajesh Patel
- Assigned Date: May 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM
- Scheduled Date: May 27, 2025 at 2:00 PM
- Estimated Duration: 2 hours
Status History:
- Created - May 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM by Sarah Johnson Notes: Initial request from customer call
- Assigned - May 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM by Dispatcher - Mike Chen Notes: Assigned to Rajesh Patel, scheduled for 2 PM
Receipt Template Example
WATER UTILITY SERVICE RECEIPT
═══════════════════════════════════════
Request #: SR-2025-05-001234
Date: May 27, 2025, 9:30 AM
Customer: John Smith
Account: ACT-789456
SERVICE REQUEST DETAILS
───────────────────────────────────────
Type: Water Pressure Complaint
Priority: Standard
Description: Low water pressure in kitchen and bathroom
EXPECTED SERVICE
───────────────────────────────────────
Scheduled: May 27, 2025, 2:00 PM
Technician: Rajesh Patel
Est. Duration: 2 hours
CONTACT INFORMATION
───────────────────────────────────────
Status Hotline: 1-800-UTILITY
Online Tracking: utility.com/track
Email Updates: Enabled
═══════════════════════════════════════
Keep this receipt for your records9. Acceptance Criteria
- The system must generate a unique service request reference number within 2 seconds of request creation
- The system must produce downloadable PDF receipts for all service requests with complete request details
- The system must send digital receipts via email within 30 seconds of generation
- The system must display real-time SLA countdown timers with color-coded status (green, yellow, red)
- The system must trigger automatic alerts when SLA reaches 75% and 90% thresholds
- The system must provide detailed service request views showing complete interaction history
- The system must support one-click quick actions for status updates, assignments, and escalations
- The system must enable bulk operations for managing multiple service requests simultaneously
- The system must provide mobile-responsive design that works on tablets and smartphones
- The system must support offline mode for field technicians with automatic sync when connected
- The system must integrate with existing customer database to auto-populate customer information
- The system must log all status changes with timestamp, user ID, and reason codes
- The system must provide role-based access controls preventing unauthorized modifications
- The system must generate completion receipts requiring customer signature or digital confirmation
- The system must send automatic status notifications to customers via their preferred method
- The system must maintain audit trails for all service request modifications for compliance
- The system must provide performance dashboards showing SLA compliance by team and service type
- The system must support customizable service categories and priority levels
- The system must handle concurrent users without data corruption or performance degradation
- The system must provide data export capabilities for service request reports and analytics
10. Process Changes
Process Area | Current Process | New Process | Expected Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
Service Request Creation | Manual entry with no immediate confirmation | Automated creation with instant receipt generation | 85% reduction in customer follow-up calls for confirmation |
SLA Management | Manual tracking using spreadsheets or memory | Automated SLA monitoring with real-time alerts | 60% improvement in on-time service completion |
Customer Communication | Reactive - customers call for updates | Proactive automated notifications at key milestones | 70% reduction in status inquiry calls |
Field Assignment | Phone calls and manual coordination | Digital assignment with mobile notifications | 40% reduction in dispatch coordination time |
Service Documentation | Paper-based with manual filing | Digital documentation with automatic archiving | 90% reduction in documentation processing time |
Performance Monitoring | Monthly manual report compilation | Real-time dashboards with automated reporting | 50% improvement in management decision-making speed |
Customer Satisfaction | Occasional phone surveys | Automated digital surveys after completion | 300% increase in feedback collection rate |
Technician Productivity | Manual time tracking and paper forms | Mobile app with GPS tracking and digital forms | 25% improvement in field efficiency |
Impact percentages are based on industry benchmarks for similar digital transformation initiatives in utility service management
11. Impact from Solving This Problem
Metric Category | Improvement Description | Expected Impact |
|---|---|---|
Customer Satisfaction | Professional service delivery with receipts and real-time tracking | :white_check_mark: Customer satisfaction scores increase by 25-30% |
Operational Efficiency | Automated workflows reduce manual coordination tasks | :white_check_mark: Staff productivity improves by 35-40% |
SLA Compliance | Real-time monitoring and alerts prevent deadline breaches | :white_check_mark: On-time completion rates improve from 75% to 95% |
Cost Reduction | Reduced call volume and streamlined processes | :white_check_mark: Customer service call volume decreases by 60% |
Response Time | Faster assignment and dispatch through digital workflows | :white_check_mark: Average response time improves by 45% |
Data Quality | Automated logging and validation improve record accuracy | :white_check_mark: Service documentation accuracy increases to 98% |
Transparency | Real-time visibility for customers and staff | :white_check_mark: Customer complaint resolution time reduces by 50% |
Compliance | Automated audit trails and documentation | :white_check_mark: Regulatory compliance documentation time reduces by 80% |
12. User Behavior Tracking
Call Center Representative Tracking
Metric | Event | Properties | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
Request Creation Speed | service_request_created | user_id, creation_time, service_type, customer_tier | Measure efficiency of request entry process |
Receipt Generation Usage | receipt_generated | request_id, delivery_method, generation_time | Track adoption of receipt functionality |
Quick Action Usage | quick_action_used | action_type, request_id, time_saved | Measure workflow efficiency improvements |
SLA Monitoring Engagement | sla_alert_viewed | request_id, alert_type, response_time | Assess proactive management behavior |
Key Questions Answered:
- Which service types take longest to create?
- Are representatives using receipt generation consistently?
- What percentage of actions use quick workflows vs. manual navigation?
- How quickly do representatives respond to SLA alerts?
Dispatcher Tracking
Metric | Event | Properties | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
Assignment Efficiency | request_assigned | dispatcher_id, assignment_time, technician_id, optimization_used | Measure assignment decision quality |
SLA Management | sla_breach_handled | request_id, breach_severity, resolution_action, response_time | Track compliance management effectiveness |
Resource Utilization | technician_workload_managed | technician_id, active_requests, travel_time, utilization_rate | Monitor resource optimization |
Escalation Patterns | request_escalated | request_id, escalation_reason, resolution_time | Identify systemic issues |
Key Questions Answered:
- How effectively are dispatchers balancing workloads?
- What percentage of SLA breaches are prevented through proactive management?
- Which types of requests require most escalation?
- How does assignment optimization impact completion times?
Customer Executive Tracking
Metric | Event | Properties | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
In-Person Service Quality | face_to_face_request_created | service_duration, customer_satisfaction, receipt_provided | Measure service center effectiveness |
Historical Data Usage | service_history_accessed | customer_id, request_count_viewed, resolution_provided | Track value of comprehensive customer views |
Receipt Delivery | physical_receipt_printed | request_id, print_time, customer_confirmed | Monitor documentation compliance |
Key Questions Answered:
- How does in-person service quality compare to phone service?
- Does access to service history improve resolution rates?
- What percentage of customers receive proper documentation?
Field Technician Tracking
Metric | Event | Properties | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
Mobile App Usage | mobile_request_accessed | technician_id, location, access_method, connectivity_status | Monitor field technology adoption |
Completion Documentation | service_completed | request_id, completion_time, photo_count, customer_signature | Track service quality and documentation |
Customer Interaction | completion_receipt_generated | request_id, customer_satisfaction, follow_up_required | Measure customer experience in field |
Key Questions Answered:
- Are technicians effectively using mobile capabilities?
- What percentage of services achieve first-time resolution?
- How does digital documentation compare to previous paper processes?
- What factors correlate with high customer satisfaction scores?