Case management overview

By planning, tracking, and analyzing cases, you can develop efficient resolutions that can be used for similar issues. For example, when customer service representatives or Human Resources generalists create cases, they can find information in knowledge articles to help them work more efficiently. The following examples show how cases can be used for different situations in an organization.

Example: How Fabrikam uses cases for customers in the private sector

Lisa, a customer service representative at Fabrikam, receives a telephone call from Lionel, a Fabrikam customer. Lionel is having trouble setting the correct volume level on the new sound system that Fabrikam installed in Lionel's music store. Lisa creates a case for Lionel and assigns the Volume category to the case. Lisa then elevates the priority and assigns a one-day service level agreement (SLA) to the case.

Lisa also enters the case details in the case log. Lisa notices that several knowledge articles are associated with the Volume category, and that three of them are marked as helpful for resolving cases. Lisa opens each article and discusses the resolution steps with Lionel, but none of the solutions solve the issue that Lionel is having with the new sound system. Lisa tells Lionel that an audio technician will call within 24 hours and work to solve the issue.

Lisa activates the case, and a set of activities is created. Lisa assigns the activities to Terrence, a member of the audio engineering team. Terrence sees that new activities are assigned, opens the case and reads the case log to learn more about the case. Terrence encountered the same issue the day before, and developed a solution. Terrence contacts Lionel and offers this solution for the issue. Terrence also enters it in the case details.

Because the solution is successful, Terrence decides to document it, so that other people can use it if they encounter the same issue. Terrence adds the document to the Knowledge article page, assigns the document to the Volume category, and manually elevates the ranking, so that other Fabrikam employees will know that it's a successful solution. Terrence then elevates the case to the next level. By elevating the case, Terrence creates a new activity for Marie, who is a quality assurance representative in the customer service department.

Marie sees that a new activity is assigned, and opens the case that is associated with the activity. Marie reviews the case and the case details to make sure that the correct process was followed for the case. Marie verifies that the actual case time did not exceed the time frame that was estimated in the SLA. Marie notes that Terrence contacted the customer, and that the issue was resolved. Marie is satisfied with the treatment that the customer received and the results of the case. Marie resolves the case as closed. On closing the case, the open activity that is assigned to Marie is also closed.

Example: How City Power & Light uses cases for customers in the public sector

Annie, a customer service representative with City Power & Light, receives a telephone call from a resident of the city that City Power & Light serves. Annie records the call as an activity and takes notes of the conversation. The resident tells Annie that their house has no power. Annie informs the resident that City Power & Light will investigate, find, and resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Annie then creates a case, associates the telephone call with the case, and creates a service order. Annie knows that other residents are likely to call to report a power outage. Therefore, to avoid overwhelming the customer service center, and to save time, Annie sends a group instant message (IM) to inform the other representatives about the issue, and to tell them that a case and service order have been created. Annie includes the case number and service order number in the IM. Then, if City Power & Light receives more telephone calls about the power outage, the customer service representatives can create an activity for each telephone call and assign it to the existing case.

Example: How Fabrikam uses cases for employees

The following scenarios show how Fabrikam Human Resources generalists in different locations can use case management when they address issues for employees.

In Great Britain

Christine, the Human Resources generalist for the Great Britain division of Fabrikam, receives a telephone call from Peter, a Fabrikam employee. Christine is informed that nine weeks ago, immediately after the birth of Peter's son, Peter changed the number of dependents on the tax withholdings. Peter wants to know why the changes haven't become effective. Christine creates a case for Peter and reviews Peter's tax information. Christine learns that, although Peter entered new dependent information, a start date for the new tax withholdings wasn't selected. Christine informs Peter to select a start date and resubmit the changes. Peter replies to Christine's message informing that Peter has now selected a start date and resubmitted the changes. Christine attaches the email message from Peter to the case record, verifies that the correct changes were made and submitted, and closes the case.

In the United States

Luke, the Human Resources generalist for the United States division of Fabrikam, receives an email message from Shannon, a Fabrikam employee. Shannon is a machine operator who was injured on the job six months ago, and has been working with Humongous Insurance to have the medical expenses paid. Because Shannon contacted Luke about this issue four weeks ago, a case has already been created. Shannon's new email message explains that Humongous Insurance is still not returning the telephone calls. Luke opens the existing case, adds Shannon's email message as a document, and reviews the case log. When creating this case, Luke assigned the Insurance category to it but now sees that there is a new knowledge article that is associated with the Insurance category. Luke reads the knowledge article and learns that all phones at Humongous Insurance are down while the company's telephone system is being updated. The article states that the insurance company sent an email message to all its customers, but that several customers did not receive the message because of a problem with the company's email system. All customers who have active insurance claims are asked to send their inquiries to Humongous Insurance by email or paper mail. Luke sends Shannon an email message that explains what Shannon must do to have the insurance claim settled. Luke also ranks the knowledge article as a helpful source of information. Luke creates another activity to follow up with both Shannon and Humongous Insurance in four weeks and make sure that the claim has been resolved. After four weeks, Luke contacts Shannon and learns that Humongous Insurance has paid the claims, and that Shannon is happy with the resolution. Luke changes the status of the case to Closed.