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Constellation deployed Numara™ FootPrints® to centralize incoming requests to the help desk and development teams via the web, deliver online self-service to employees to reduce call volume and speed response times, and automate the complex, multi-department process of adding and updating client accounts.
Business Need Constellation's IT department was recently charged with the task of improving communication and workflow for a range of activities throughout the company. Constellation's help desk agents had no way to track and manage the technical issues and problems submitted by the company's employees via phone and email. At the same time, the development team needed to centralize enhancement requests and bug reports, which were also sent via phone and email. Both groups would record the requests by jotting down notes or using individual emails. But with no formal process in place for data to be centrally stored, shared, or routed, things often fell through the cracks. Constellation also needed to improve workflow and tracking for the complex processes the company used to set up new clients and funds. Though multiple departments were involved, there was no clear understanding of workflow and communication from one department to the next. The Numara FootPrints Solution @ Constellation Financial Constellation installed Numara FootPrints on Microsoft® Windows 2000 using a Microsoft SQL Server™ database. Initial installation took only a few hours. Constellation set up three main projects in Numara FootPrints: one for the internal help desk, another for development and bug tracking, and a third to automate workflow for the process of adding and changing clients and funds. Internal Help Desk/Online Self Service: More than three quarters of Constellation's employees log onto Numara FootPrints from their browsers to submit support requests on their own online. With Numara FootPrints' flexible customization capabilities, Constellation tailored the tickets and email messages for employees accessing the help desk via the web. Custom drop-down menus in the ticket fields were created to quickly indicate problem type. Issues are automatically routed to one of the company's 15 help desk agents, who are instantly notified of new issues via email - with custom messages set up to include escalation links, attachments, and more. Constellation also tailored Numara FootPrints' email message to automatically include the project name in the subject line, making it easier for technicians to identify, track, and manage incoming requests. Constellation set up a comprehensive online knowledge base in Numara FootPrints, which agents search to find previously documented solutions to common problems, speeding the resolution process. As a ticket is updated or changed, employees receive automatic email notifications with the latest status in their Outlook inboxes. Development/Bug Tracking: Numara FootPrints' online self-service feature is also used by employees to communicate with Constellation's development team. As with the help desk, employees submit feature and enhancement requests and report bugs directly online. A separate set of drop-down fields was customized by the development group to identify the type of request being submitted. With Numara FootPrints' auto-routing, an email alert is automatically sent to notify the appropriate member of the development team. The development team also uses Numara FootPrints to centrally track and organize open tasks as they work on them. Workflow Automation: According to Lewis, setting up Numara FootPrints to support Constellation's complex client processes proved to be a valuable learning experience for the entire organization. The company sat down and mapped out the process from start to finish - from sales, to pricing, to database entry, to trading, to legal. This really helped the entire team learn a lot about the company's internal processes, and made it easy to customize Numara FootPrints to support exact needs. Now, as members of each department completes its assigned tasks, Numara FootPrints automatically sends an escalation email to the next group in the process. Everything is automated, and communication between all the departments involved in the process has been significantly improved. For the full PDF version of this case study, click here.
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