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Microsoft CRM 2013 Spring ’14 Update – Customer Service Features

Microsoft CRM 2013 Spring ’14 Update – Customer Service Features

The Spring ’14 release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 will be made available to online customers as an automatic service update with the option to install the new features.  Customers running Dynamics CRM 2013 on-premises customers can download the update as an installable service pack (SP1).

This update provides a few updates to the Customer Service components in Dynamics CRM:

 

Unified Service Desk

  • The Unified Service desk in CRM 2013 was created to display a quick overview of key metrics such as Average Handling Time, First Call Resolutions and Customer Satisfaction
  • Voicemail, chat and email can be handled through one interface that also assists with automating repetitive tasks (launching applications, performing searches, data entry).
  • Multiple customer sessions can be handled at the same time. Dynamics CRM customers can easily configure agent desktop applications to fit their business processes.

 

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Enterprise Case Management

  • Case automation and routing rules.
  • Create failure and warnings when SLA’s are not met
  • Describe and manage service entitlements and SLAs.
  • Create custom enterprise KPIs and then link processes and rules to them – to ensure these key metrics are met.

 

Note: The following Enterprise Case Management features are Opt-In. To Opt-In: go to Settings > Administration and then click Install Product Updates. Installing optional product updates is a one-way process. Once enabled, the features can’t be disabled.

 

Case Form

  • With the updated case form in CRM 2013, you can now view merged cases, view or add child cases, review entitlements, and even add a Timer to ensure you meet your SLA’s.
  • The timer control can be configured to show a countdown timer to when SLA KPIs need to be met.

 

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Entitlements

  • Create entitlements to let your service rep know how much support to provide to each customer.
  • Keep your service team on track for appropriate level and quantity of support for customers.

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Service Level Agreements

  • Provide high-quality service for your customers by establishing a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to track the level of service delivered through CRM 2013.
  • An SLA can track times for initial response, overall time spent and alerts if a case is still open after the set time has elapsed.
  • For service reps, an SLA is a guide for time to spend on each stage of a support case, from initial contact to closure.

Merge Cases

  • When a case is merged, all of the open case activities, notes, and attachments of the constituent cases will be re-parented to the primary case.
  • This eliminates the redundancy and possible cross-contact on the same support topic.

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Parent/Child Cases

  • When there is a CRM 2013 case where work needs to be done by multiple teams or when one issue effects multiple customers.
  • Now a customer service rep can open a primary case, called the parent case, and then create a secondary case, called the child case.
  • Each of the child cases can be worked separately, and then rolled up into the parent case when completed.

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Define Status Reasons

  • Status reason transitions are an optional additional level of filtering that defines the next logical options for Case status reasons.
  • Defining a limited the options can make it easier for service reps to choose the correct next status reason for a record.
  • This helps to minimize the possible confusion when users are faced with a large number of combinations for valid status reason values.

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Automatic Case Creation

  • When a customer sends an email to your support email address, the automatic case create rule converts the email into a support case.
  • The same happens if someone posts a comment about your product or service on social media, the issue is captured into CRM 2013 and converted into a support case.

Social Care

  • Find out what your customers and others are saying about your product or service on Facebook and Twitter, and address emerging issues before they escalate.
  • Download, optimize and quickly start using the new Social Care Sample application to extend your customer service through social channels.
  • The Social Care Application can be customized and extended to create cases, contacts and social profiles from the social posts your company is monitoring.

Service Management

Easily manage the configuration of your Customer Service capabilities in CRM 2013 with the new Service Management interface.

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CRM Tablet App – Case Management

  • Continue to deliver highest quality customer service experiences even when you are away from the office.
  • The CRM 2013  for tablets app has been extended to include Customer Service capabilities optimized for people who are always on the move.
  • Great for users who want to keep an eye on high priority Cases, monitor Queues or route items to ensure the best experience in customer satisfaction.

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Multi-Channel Care

  • Organizations are looking for business solutions that create strong communication with customers on their own terms, using whichever device and channel they prefer.
  • Parature offers one of the best cloud-based solutions for customer self-service. Your customers will be more connected and better informed than ever before.

Parature Portal

  • This web-based 24/7 customer support center help center gives your customers easy and convenient access to an intuitive, searchable knowledge base.
  • Delivers quick answers to customers' most-commonly asked service and support questions.
  • If your customers still require personal support after using the knowledge base, they can submit a help ticket and track its progress through to resolution.

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Mobile Self-Service

  • The responsive design of the Parature Portal enables you to increase your knowledge management efforts and provide consistent and personalized experiences across all devices.
  • Allow your customers to access answers to frequently asked questions using whichever device they prefer.

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Facebook Portal

 

  • Your organization can provide your customers with a 24/7 multi-service channel for customer support on Facebook.
  • Customers and consumers can browse FAQs and updates, or submit help desk tickets.
  • In addition, you can integrate Parature Live Chat seamlessly to deflect customer complaints and quickly respond to issue posts on your brand’s Facebook page.

 

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Real-Time Chat

 

  • Parature Chat provide your customers with instant and personalized online support.
  • At critical points during support interactions, your organization can provide a seamless transition from a self-service to assisted channel.
  • Comprehensive rules for escalation, deflection and prioritization ensure that Service Level Agreements (SLAs) will be met.

 

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Parature Knowledgebase

  • An intuitive customer self-service solution that provides quick answers to common questions and support issues, plus essential downloads including forms, how-to videos, product manuals, knowledge base information updates and more.
  • Organizations can easily manage support information and customize its location and order, to put the most-viewed information within easy reach of customers.

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theProfessor

theProfessor

Rob is the CTO of Beringer Technology Group, and focuses his efforts on software development, cloud engineering, team mentoring and strategic technical direction. Rob has worked with Beringer since 2005, and has influenced every department from Development, Security, Implementation, Support and Sales. Rob graduated with his MBA from Rowan University in 2012, earned his Bachelors of Computer Science in 1997, and is current with several Microsoft technical certifications. Rob is very active, and loves to mountain bike, weight train, cook and hike with his dog pack.