You’ve heard the old saying: “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” This sentiment still rings true for many tasks, but with the rapidly expanding scope of modern technology, it’s just as likely there’s software out there that can do the same thing as well as (or better than) a human can.
Automation can be a contentious topic, but it’s a concept worth embracing. Teams can work faster, more accurately, and more productively by incorporating automated elements into their workflows. Automation streamlines processes and eliminates the need to focus in on small tasks, allowing individuals to conserve mental resources for resolving problems, thinking critically, and making progress.
Issuetrak makes it simple to automate issue assignment, notifications, and more. Its Automation features (formerly called Business Rules) allow for three methods of automation: Auto Assignments, Workflows (formerly called Escalation Rules), and Substatus Rules. Here’s a more detailed look at what these options can do:
Auto Assignment
Auto Assignments allow you to assign issues to certain users or groups upon submission. You can designate the destination of the issue based on a number of different field values, including Issue Type or Subtype, the priority of the issue, the date or time that the issue was submitted and more.
The criteria for issue assignment can be simple (assign all issues submitted between 5pm and 7pm to User A) or more complex (assign all issues submitted on Monday from users belonging to a certain organization with a particular Issue Type to User B). The user then receives an automated notification alerting them that an issue has been assigned to them.
Workflows
Workflows prevent issues from sitting open or idle for too long by automatically escalating them based on certain conditions. Once the conditions have been met, the software can kick off a number of different possible actions -- from sending out email notifications to adding a pre-defined note to the issue. This automation feature serves as a useful failsafe to ensure that forgotten or missed issues never slip permanently through the cracks.
Substatus Rules
Substatus Rules allow you to automatically update issues to a different Substatus when certain events occur. For example, if an issue’s Substatus is “User Response Needed,” its Substatus could be updated to “Under Review” as soon as the submitter adds that response (via a note).
Benefits of Automation
Improved Productivity
Repetitive, time-consuming tasks like sending emails or assigning issues are inevitable at most organizations, but they can be a huge drain on resources. For some employees, menial tasks can take up to 50 percent of working time each day -- time that could otherwise be spent interfacing with customers, resolving issues, or completing other important work.
Automating these tasks with the right software saves time and propels processes forward at a faster rate, allowing agents to complete projects more efficiently. For example, using Issuetrak’s Auto Assignment relieves the need to manually assign issues out to agents, providing employees more time to focus on the issues themselves. With smaller tasks tended to by software, teams can quickly boost productivity and get more done.
Better Communication
Communication is incredibly important for all teams, but the process of notifying teammates and responding to correspondence can take time. With the ability to automate alert and notification emails, communication becomes easier and faster than ever before. Agents can keep stakeholders, coworkers, and customers informed about projects with as much frequency as needed without having to open an email client or type out a message. Alerts also notify teammates when their input is needed on a particular task to keep things running smoothly.
Fewer Mistakes
Human error happens to the best of us. It’s reasonable to make mistakes now and then, but when work quality begins to suffer, it may be time to re-evaluate processes and look for ways to minimize problems. The average employee makes 118 mistakes per year -- that’s 118 potential mistakes per employee across an entire department. While many of these mistakes will be minor, it’s better to have a preventative system in place.
Automation acts as a safeguard against certain oversights -- such as forgetting to assign out issues, waiting too long to respond to a request, or accidentally deleting something from an inbox. With a measure like Issuetrak’s Workflows in place, employees don’t have to worry that they’ve accidentally missed something important; automatic notifications will alert them if they’ve forgotten to respond to something for too long. And placating frustrated customers whose inquiries have been misplaced becomes a thing of the past.
Interested to see what Issuetrak’s automation capabilities can do for your team’s efficiency, quality of service, and productivity? Reach out to one of our product experts today and see for yourself the power of an automated workflow.
Topics from this blog: Process Management
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