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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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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

image.png

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 (Step 1)

Account Number

  • Account number field is required
  • "Look Up" button must be enabled when account number is entered
  • System must validate account number exists in the system
  • Upon successful lookup, customer details auto-populate

Customer SearchName:

  • Field Minimumis 3required
  • Must accept alphanumeric characters and common punctuation
  • Maximum character length must be enforced

Service Address

  • Field is required
  • Must be a valid address format
  • Address must be associated with the account number

Contact Phone

  • Field is required
  • Must follow valid phone number format (###) ###-####
  • Must contain only numeric characters and formatting

Contact Email

  • Field is optional (marked as "Optional")
  • When provided, must follow valid email format
  • Must contain @ symbol and valid domain structure

Service Selection (Step 2)

Service Categories

  • Services are organized by utility type: Water, Wastewater, Metering, Connection, Maintenance
  • Each service displays: Name, Description, Price, Service Category
  • Only one service can be selected at a time
  • "Select" button must be clicked to searchchoose existinga customersservice

SearchAvailable FieldsServices: Can search by account number, name, phone, or address

  • Manual Entry Required Fields:

    • CustomerAll Nameservices (mandatory)
    • Customerdisplay Typebase (mandatoryservice - dropdown selection)
    • Phone Number (mandatory)
    • Email (mandatory)charge
    • Service Addresscharges are fixed amounts as displayed
    • Service descriptions are read-only
    • Services are categorized and color-coded by type

    Service Details (mandatory)

    • Step 3)

    Selected Service Information

    • Service name, description, utility service type, and charges are read-only
    • Navigation:Information Cannotcarries proceedforward tofrom Step 2 without completing required customer informationselection

    Step

    Preferred 2: Complaint Details

    Date

    • Field is optional
    • Must accept MM/DD/YYYY format
    • If left blank, system schedules earliest available date
    • Date cannot be in the past

    RequiredPreferred FieldsTime Slot:

    • CategoryField (mandatoryis dropdown)optional
    • SubcategoryDropdown (mandatoryselection dropdownfrom -predefined dependenttime on category selection)slots
    • Incident Date (mandatory date picker)
    • Priority (mandatory dropdown with Medium as default)
    • Description (mandatory text area)
    • Expected Resolution (mandatory text area)
  • Field Dependencies: SubcategoryAvailable options populatedetermined basedby onservice selectedtype Category
  • Navigation:and Cannot proceed to Step 3 without completing all required fieldsdate

    • Step 3: Evidence & Attachments

    • File Upload:
      • Maximum file size: 10MB per file
      • Supported formats: PDF, JPG, PNG
      • Drag & drop or browse functionality

    • Additional NotesInstructions: Optional text area for evidence-related notes

      • Navigation: This stepField is optional
      • Free text field for special requirements
      • Character limit must be enforced
      • Field accepts alphanumeric characters and common punctuation

      Payment & Review (Step 4)


      Payment Options Rules:

      • Four payment timing options: Pay Now, Pay Later (7 days), Add to First Bill, Send Invoice
      • User must select one payment timing option
      • Pay Now must be highlighted as default/recommended option

      Payment Method Rules:

      • Three payment methods: Cash, Online, Cheque
      • User must select one payment method to proceed
      • "Select Payment Method" button must remain disabled until method is chosen

      Payment Method Specific Rules - canCash:

      • Amount proceedfield tois Steprequired
      • Cash 4Received withoutfield uploadsis required
      • Date field is required (date picker format)
      • All payment details must be completed message must be displayed

      Payment Method Specific Rules - Online:

      • Amount field is required
      • Date field is required (date picker format)
      • Reference Number field is required
      • All payment details must be completed message must be displayed

      Payment Method Specific Rules - Cheque:

      • Cheque Number field is required
      • Bank Name field is required
      • Account Holder's Name field is required
      • Routing Number field is required
      • Bank Account Number field is required
      • Cheque Date field is required
      • Cheque Amount field is required
      • All payment details must be completed message must be displayed

      Service Request Completion (Step 4:5)

      Request Review & SubmitConfirmation

      • Unique service request number (SR-######) generated
      • Request number format: SR- followed by 6 digits
      • All customer and service information displayed as read-only
      • Timestamp recorded for request submission

      ReviewService Request Receipt: Display

      • Contains all entered information infrom read-onlyprevious format organized by sectionssteps
      • AcknowledgmentPayment Option:status Checkboxdisplayed to(e.g., "Send acknowledgment to customer" (checked by default)Pending")
      • ActionsService Available:
        • Previoustotal (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 datecalculated and timedisplayed
      • ReceiptFinal Generation:price Createsdisclaimer printable receipt with all complaint detailsincluded

      Next Steps DisplayInformation:

      • Reference Showsnumber expectedprovided for tracking
      • Email confirmation timeline andspecified (within 24 hours)
      • Service representative contact informationtimeline specified (2-3 business days)
      • Service completion timeline provided (3-5 business days for standard requests)

      ActionsContact AvailableInformation:

      • PrintCustomer Receiptservice and emergency contact details provided
      • ReturnPhone tonumbers Dashboardand email addresses must be valid
      • AddService Newhours Complaint
      specified

    General Navigation Rules

    • Linear"Back" Flow:button Mustavailable completeon all steps inexcept sequenceStep 1
    • "Continue" button advances to next step when current step is valid
    • "Save Draft" functionality available throughout process
    • Step indicators show current progress (1→2→3→1-4)
    • SaveUsers Draft:can Availablenavigate at each step to save progress
    • Previous Button: Available on steps 2-4 to returnback to previous stepcompleted steps
    • ProgressForm Indicator:data Showspersists when navigating between steps

    Service request detail view

    Main page

    • Complaint ID must be system generated
    • complaint category, sub category and created date should be displayed
    • Acknowledgement button - when it is clicked then the status of the compliant should be change to in-progress. the button becomes "put on hold", if its click then the status of the comaplint is "on hold" and the button becomes "resume", on clicking on resume the status of the comaplint is again "In- progress".
    • consumer name should be displayed with a vip bage if vip.
    • consumer account no should be displayed below name
    • coamplint priority and status should be displayed below account no.
    • Sla status - its "on track" if all sla metrices fall in the sla rules and "breached' if not.
    • SLA due date - calculate from the date of creation adding the resolution time define.
    • time remaining - calculated from the current steptime - resolution time

    Complaints details card

    • Request ID - auto generated
    • Created on
    • creted by
    • last updated on
    • last updated by

    Consumer information

    • phone
    • email
    • cosnsumer category
    • consuer sub category
    • service address
    • billing address

    Quick actions

    • send response to consumer - redirect to indidual messaging in communication module
    • Create service order - redirct in the below service order tab.
    • Add internal note - redirect in the below communication tab
    • resolve request - mark the complaint resolve
    • Reject complaint - dialoge box is open and rejection reason is asked and then complaint is rejected

    Details tab - below data is auto poulated from the complaint add form

    •  Service code
    • catgory
    • sub category
    • service fee
    • response time
    • resolution time
    • prefered date
    • prefered time slot
    • Utility service
    • fieldwork required
    • service type
    • status
    • priority
    • created date (date created)
    • Service discription
    • access information
    • closure requiremnets - need to be checked if mandatory from setting
      • customer notification
      • service completion statusveriication
      • quality check pending
      • documentation upload

    Service order tab

    • service order type - display only the templates which are associated with checkmarksconsumer
    • Scheduled date - date picker
    • remarks - txt box
    • add service order button - create the service order
    • Existing service order
      • SO no
      • so name
      • SO status
      • Schedule date
      • Created on
      • Created by
      • assigned to, assigned on
      • remark
      • view details - redirect to so detail view
      • download report - download if the service order is comepleted

    communication tab

    • All the communication send to consumer or internal notes are displayed here
    • user can add a note by selecting internal or consumer
    • Timeline tab
    • All the compalint related activities are tracked and log

    Service request management landing page

    KPI cards

    • Pending approval - service request with the pending status
    • Approve today - service requets with the in progress status
    • rejected today - request with rejected status
    • completed request - request with completed status

    search bar - requst id, name . service type, category, subcategory, customer name, account no

    Filters - status, service type

    Tabs

    • Current request - all request except rejected and completed status
    • request history - request with jected and completed status

    listview

    • request ID
    • service type
    • consumer name, account number
    • Category, sub category
    • status
    • created on
    • action - view

    status lifecycle

    • Pending - when it is created
    • Inprogress - when it is acknowledge
    • on hold - when put on hold
    • completed - when mark as resolved

    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:

    1. Created - May 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM by Sarah Johnson Notes: Initial request from customer call
    2. 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 records

    9. Acceptance Criteria

    1. The system must generate a unique service request reference number within 2 seconds of request creation
    2. The system must produce downloadable PDF receipts for all service requests with complete request details
    3. The system must send digital receipts via email within 30 seconds of generation
    4. The system must display real-time SLA countdown timers with color-coded status (green, yellow, red)
    5. The system must trigger automatic alerts when SLA reaches 75% and 90% thresholds
    6. The system must provide detailed service request views showing complete interaction history
    7. The system must support one-click quick actions for status updates, assignments, and escalations
    8. The system must enable bulk operations for managing multiple service requests simultaneously
    9. The system must provide mobile-responsive design that works on tablets and smartphones
    10. The system must support offline mode for field technicians with automatic sync when connected
    11. The system must integrate with existing customer database to auto-populate customer information
    12. The system must log all status changes with timestamp, user ID, and reason codes
    13. The system must provide role-based access controls preventing unauthorized modifications
    14. The system must generate completion receipts requiring customer signature or digital confirmation
    15. The system must send automatic status notifications to customers via their preferred method
    16. The system must maintain audit trails for all service request modifications for compliance
    17. The system must provide performance dashboards showing SLA compliance by team and service type
    18. The system must support customizable service categories and priority levels
    19. The system must handle concurrent users without data corruption or performance degradation
    20. 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?

    Field13. Technician TrackingWireframe

    Metrichttps://preview--utility-compass-flow-13.lovable.app/services/new?category=wastewater

    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?
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