Smart360 Service Request Management - FAQ's
Getting Started & Dashboard Overview
Q: How do I access the Service Request Management module in Smart360? A: To access Service Request Management:
Q: What information is displayed on the Service Request Dashboard? A: The dashboard shows key metrics including:
- Pending Approval: Service requests with pending status awaiting review
- Approved Today: Service requests with in-progress status approved on current date
- Rejected Today: Requests with rejected status from current date
- Completed Requests: Requests with completed status
- Search Bar: Find requests by request ID, name, service type, category, subcategory, customer name, or account number
- Filters: Filter by status and service type for refined viewing
Creating New Service Requests
Q: How do I create a new service request in the system? A: To create a new service request:
- Click "Create Service Request" from the dashboard
- Follow the 5-step process:
- Step 1: Customer Information (account lookup or manual entry)
- Step 2: Service Selection (choose from available services)
- Step 3: Service Details (preferred date, time, special instructions)
- Step 4: Payment & Review (payment options and final review)
- Step 5: Service Request Completion (confirmation and receipt)
Service Selection & Categories
Q: How are services organized in Step 2?
A: Services are organized by utility categories:
Q: What information is shown for each available service? A: Each service displays:
- Service Name: Official service title
- Description: Detailed explanation of what the service includes
- Price: Base service charge (fixed amount as displayed)
- Service Category: Utility type classification
- Select Button: Click to choose the service for your request
Q: Can I select multiple services in one request? A: No, only one service can be selected per request:
- The system enforces single service selection per request
- If multiple services are needed, create separate service requests
- This ensures proper tracking, pricing, and resource allocation
- Each service request receives its own unique reference number
Service Details & Scheduling
Q: What details can I specify in Step 3? A: Service details include:
- Selected Service Information: Read-only display of chosen service (name, description, utility type, charges)
- Preferred Date: Optional field in MM/DD/YYYY format (system schedules earliest available if blank)
- Preferred Time Slot: Optional dropdown with predefined time slots based on service type
- Additional Instructions: Optional free text field for special requirements or access information
Q: What are the rules for preferred date selection? A: Preferred date rules:
- Optional Field: If left blank, system automatically schedules earliest available date
- Format: Must follow MM/DD/YYYY format
- Date Validation: Cannot select dates in the past
- Availability: System checks technician and resource availability
- Service Type Dependency: Some services may have specific scheduling requirements
Q: How do time slots work for service scheduling? A: Time slot functionality:
- Optional Selection: If not specified, system assigns optimal time based on availability
- Dropdown Options: Predefined time slots from system configuration
- Service Dependency: Available options determined by service type and selected date
- Resource Allocation: Time slots reflect technician and equipment availability
Payment & Review Process
Q: What payment timing options are available? A: Four payment timing options:
- Pay Now: Immediate payment (highlighted as default/recommended option)
- Pay Later (7 days): Payment due within one week of service completion
- Add to First Bill: Include service charges with next utility bill
- Send Invoice: Receive separate invoice for payment processing You must select one payment timing option to proceed.
Q: What payment methods does the system accept? A: Three payment methods are available:
- Cash: Requires amount, cash received, and date fields
- Online: Requires amount, date, and reference number
- Cheque: Requires cheque number, bank name, account holder name, routing number, bank account number, cheque date, and cheque amount All payment details must be completed before final submission.
Q: What information is required for different payment methods? A: Payment method requirements: Cash Payment:
- Amount field (required)
- Cash Received field (required)
- Date field (required, date picker format)
Online Payment:
- Amount field (required)
- Date field (required, date picker format)
- Reference Number field (required)
Cheque Payment:
- Cheque Number, Bank Name, Account Holder's Name
- Routing Number, Bank Account Number
- Cheque Date, Cheque Amount All fields are mandatory for each respective payment method.
Service Request Completion & Receipts
Q: What happens when I complete a service request? A: Upon completion:
- Unique Reference Number: System generates SR-###### format (SR- followed by 6 digits)
- Request Confirmation: All customer and service information displayed as read-only
- Timestamp Recording: System records exact submission time
- Receipt Generation: Automatic creation of service request receipt
- Next Steps Information: Timeline and contact details provided
Q: What information is included in the service request receipt? A: Service request receipts include:
- Reference Number: Unique tracking identifier (SR-######)
- Customer Information: All entered customer details from Step 1
- Service Details: Selected service, pricing, and scheduling information
- Payment Information: Payment status and selected payment method
- Contact Information: Customer service and emergency contact details
- Timeline Expectations: Service completion timeframes and next steps
Q: How do I generate and provide receipts to customers? A: Receipt generation process:
- Automatic Creation: System generates receipt within 30 seconds of request creation
- Digital Delivery: Email receipt to customer within 30 seconds
- Physical Printing: Print capability for in-person service requests
- Download Option: PDF receipts available for download
- Reference Number: Provide customer with tracking number for future inquiries
Service Request Status Management
Q: What are the different service request statuses? A: Service request status lifecycle:
- Pending: Newly created request awaiting acknowledgment
- In Progress: Request has been acknowledged and is being worked on
- On Hold: Request temporarily paused (can be resumed)
- Completed: Request has been successfully completed
- Rejected: Request has been rejected with documented reason
Q: How do I acknowledge a service request and change its status? A: To manage request status:
- Open the service request detail view
- Click "Acknowledgement" button to change status to In Progress
- Button changes to "Put on Hold" once acknowledged
- Use "Put on Hold" to pause request (status becomes On Hold)
- Use "Resume" button to return request to In Progress status
- Use "Resolve Request" to mark as completed
Q: What is SLA tracking and how does it work? A: SLA (Service Level Agreement) tracking includes:
- SLA Status: Shows "On Track" if metrics fall within SLA rules, "Breached" if exceeded
- SLA Due Date: Calculated from creation date plus defined resolution time
- Time Remaining: Current time minus target resolution time
- Color Coding: Green (on track), Yellow (at risk), Red (breached)
- Automated Alerts: Notifications at 75% and 90% SLA thresholds
Service Orders & Field Coordination
Q: How do I create a service order from a service request? A: To create service orders:
Q: What information is displayed for existing service orders? A: Existing service orders show:
- SO Number: Unique service order identifier
- SO Name: Service order description/title
- SO Status: Current status of the service order
- Schedule Date: Planned completion date
- Created On: Service order creation date
- Created By: User who created the service order
- Assigned To/Assigned On: Technician assignment details
- Remarks: Special instructions or notes
- Actions: View details and download report options
Communication & Documentation
Q: What Quick Actions are available from the service request detail view? A: Quick Actions include:
- Send Response to Consumer: Redirects to individual messaging in communication module
- Create Service Order: Redirects to service order tab for field coordination
- Add Internal Note: Redirects to communication tab for team notes
- Resolve Request: Mark the service request as completed
- Reject Request: Open dialog box to enter rejection reason and reject request
Q: How does the Communication tab work? A: Communication functionality includes:
- All Communications: Display of communications sent to consumer or internal notes
- Add Notes: User can add notes by selecting internal or consumer visibility
- Communication Types: Email, SMS, phone calls, and in-person interactions
- Timestamps: All communications logged with date, time, and user attribution
- Visibility Control: Separate internal and customer-visible communications
Q: What is tracked in the Timeline tab? A: Timeline tracking includes:
- Activity Logging: All service request related activities are tracked and logged
- Status Changes: Record of status transitions with timestamps
- User Actions: Documentation of who performed each action
- System Events: Automated activities and notifications
- Communication History: Record of all customer and internal communications
- Audit Trail: Complete history for compliance and reference purposes
Search, Filters & Advanced Features
Q: How do I search for specific service requests? A: Search functionality includes:
- Search Bar: Search by request ID, customer name, service type, category, subcategory, customer name, or account number
- Multiple Criteria: Search across different data fields simultaneously
- Real-time Results: Search results update as you type
- Minimum Characters: System typically requires 2-3 characters to initiate search
Q: What filtering options are available? A: Available filters include:
- Status: Filter by request status (Pending, In Progress, Completed, etc.)
- Service Type: Filter by utility type (Water, Wastewater, Metering, etc.)
- Date Range: Filter by creation date or completion date
- Priority Level: Filter by request priority if applicable
- Assigned Technician: Filter by field technician assignment
Q: Can I perform bulk operations on multiple service requests? A: Yes, bulk operations include:
- Multiple Selection: Use checkboxes to select multiple requests
- Bulk Status Updates: Change status for multiple requests simultaneously
- Bulk Assignment: Assign multiple requests to technicians
- Bulk Communication: Send notifications to multiple customers
- Export Operations: Export selected requests for reporting
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
Q: Why can't I proceed to the next step in service request creation?
A: Common blocking issues:
- Required Fields: Ensure all mandatory fields marked with asterisk (*) are completed
- Account Validation: Verify account number exists and lookup is successful
- Date Validation: Check that preferred date is not in the past
- Payment Selection: Ensure payment timing and method are selected
- Service Selection: Confirm a service has been selected in Step 2
Q: What should I do if account lookup fails?
A: Account lookup troubleshooting:
- Verify account number is entered correctly
- Check for extra spaces or special characters
- Confirm account is active in the system
- Try alternative search methods if available
- Use manual entry option for non-account holders
- Contact IT support if persistent lookup failures occur
Q: How do I handle customers who want to modify their service request?
A: Service request modifications:
- Before Acknowledgment: Use edit functionality if available
- After Acknowledgment: Create new request or contact dispatch
- Status Considerations: Modifications depend on current request status
- Documentation: Log all modification requests and reasons
- Customer Communication: Explain modification process and any impacts
Q: What happens if a service request is rejected?
A: Rejection process:
- Rejection Dialog: System opens dialog box for rejection reason
- Mandatory Reason: Rejection reason must be documented
- Status Update: Request status changes to "Rejected"
- Customer Notification: Automatic notification sent to customer
- Historical Record: Rejected requests appear in Request History tab
- Appeal Process: Customer can contact service center for appeal
Receipt & Customer Communication
Q: How quickly are service request receipts generated? A: Receipt generation timeline:
- Automatic Creation: Receipts generated within 30 seconds of request submission
- Digital Delivery: Email receipts sent within 30 seconds
- SMS Notifications: Text alerts with reference number sent immediately
- Print Options: Physical receipts available for immediate printing
- Tracking Information: QR codes or links for online status tracking
Q: What should I tell customers about service timelines? A: Standard service timelines:
- Email Confirmation: Within 24 hours of request submission
- Service Representative Contact: 2-3 business days for scheduling
- Service Completion: 3-5 business days for standard requests (varies by service type)
- Emergency Services: Expedited timeline for urgent issues
- Status Updates: Proactive notifications at key milestones
Q: How do customers track their service request status? A: Customer tracking options:
- Reference Number: Use SR-###### number for phone inquiries
- Online Portal: Customer portal access with real-time status
- Email Updates: Automatic notifications at status changes
- SMS Alerts: Text message updates for key milestones
- QR Code: Scan code from receipt for instant status check
- Phone Support: Call customer service with reference number