Service desk escalation, automation, and triggers

HelpMaster features a powerful automation engine that can be easily configured to perform a range of business functions.  Using an intuitive interface and "code less configuration", the automation engine can be configured for a wide range of business process and rules.

Think of the HelpMaster automation tools as a logic processing engine that operates under a "If this....then that" style engine.

rule based escalation engine

 

Automation can be configured for the following:

  • Escalations
  • Service Level Agreements (SLA)
  • Operational Level Agreements (OLA)
  • Process automation
  • Modify existing tickets, incidents and problems
  • Send alerts, notifications and "hurry up!" style messages
  • Run scripts
  • Update databases
  • Email a manager when a business operation fails
  • Send a message to an account manager when one of their clients logs a ticket
  • Update a file on a network share when a workflow stage is reached
  • Publish a report
  • Set a flag for an important event
  • Set a reminder

Service Level Agreements

The goal of  Service Level Management is to improve business aligned IT service quality, through a constant cycle of agreeing, monitoring, reporting and reviewing IT service achievements and through instigating actions to eradicate unacceptable levels of service.  Service Level Management qualifies and quantifies customer expectations and the ability and preparedness of IT to deliver on those expectations. The result of negotiations is a Service Level Agreement (SLA), the performance of which can then be tracked and reviewed. 

Service level agreements (SLA) and Operational Level Agreements (OLA) are an important part of a business.  At a basic level, an SLA is a contract that is made between parties (typically the service delivery vendor and the client) to achieve both a timely response and resolution to a given issue.  An OLA is a similar concept, except it applies internally to your business and between the various sections/departments that each have a share in delivering a service. 

HelpMaster uses intelligent business rules to apply the commitments of SLAs and OLAs to Job activity.  Job resolutions time frames as well as customer notifications and call backs are all managed within HelpMaster. Jobs threatening to breach SLA generate warning notifications to officers and key stakeholders allowing them time to reallocate resources and increase priorities, ensuring the minimization of such events.

Pre-breach warnings to relevant parties maximises SLA success

Flexible rule design allows SLAs to be configured for a range of requirements, whether the agreement is by priority, customer, organisation, location, asset of any combination of these.  Configure both pre-breach and post-breach notifications, and take further action if required to re-assign the job, escalate it to another person or team, or any other workflow process that you have determined.

Complex agreement requirements need a flexible business rule builder

Performance reporting on SLAs provides demonstrable metrics to customers on the capabilities and successes of IT. The HelpMaster reporting suite can deliver SLA reports to customers without requiring additional licensing and in formats accessible to the user.

HelpMaster allows you to define and automate business processes and workflow based on..

  1. Geographical indicators
  2. Site or office preferences
  3. Client or personnel preferences
  4. The type of service ticket, issue, or description of the help desk call
  5. The priority of the job
  6. or a combination of any of the above.

The HelpMaster automation tools can be used to create "set and forget" SLAs, escalations or other office rules.  Once you make them, HelpMaster will continually monitor your database and operating environment and alert both you and your staff whenever a business rule trigger has been executed.

How does it work?

At the heart of the HelpMaster automation engine are are “Priority Manager profiles".  Think of these profiles as the “business rules” that are defined by your help-desk.  These profiles are “run” at regular intervals as specified by you and will look for the conditions you've specified, and then act according to the "actions" you've configured.

Think of each profile like it's running a "IF this, then that" processing logic.

 

rule based escalation engine

 

Profiles are created via a wizard that will guide you through each stage of the process.  Once they are operational, the Priority Manager will keep a close eye on your HelpMaster database and enforcing the rules that you have specified.

 

Calculate SLAs in Business Time

Unlike many other helpdesk solutions on the market today, HelpMaster keeps track of the actual "business hours" that have elapsed since a job was logged.  System administrators can configure each day of the week to specify the start and end time of each day, as well as any holidays or non-work days that affect your business.  Once this has been done, HelpMaster can use this information to work with jobs in "Office time".

This gives you great control and insight into your service level agreements.

 

Stop the clock per ticket status

Each job status code has a "Stop the clock" indicator.  By checking this, the clock will stop ticking for the duration that the ticket is in this job status.  This makes it very easy to create and calculate service level agreements that rely on an "us" and "them" approach.  Perfect for managing expectations, SLAs, escalations and internal business operations.

 

Service level agreement stop the clock timer