In todays evolving information technology environment, the demands on the internal Help Desk are increasing exponentially. Help Desk managers are struggling to keep up with the support demands of an ever-growing variety of systems. The advent of client/server systems, GUIs, desktop productivity tools and integrated networks has dramatically expanded both the complexity and the volume of calls.
The Help Desk that dealt with a small cadre of system-knowledgeable users accessing a limited set of applications had relatively simple requirements. Systems designed to support these environments were frequently little more than databases of end-user assets with little or no ability to build or retrieve a problem/solution database. These systems are not equipped to meet todays needs for remote access by end-users, multi-vendor support, integrated network trouble ticketing and access to both internal and external knowledge bases. For the most part, these systems are also very limited in terms of their flexibility to adapt to changing systems and business requirements.
To meet the needs of an expanding user base and an increasingly complex systems infrastructure, businesses must implement knowledge-based Help Desk management systems. The Scopus product family includes a group of application modules designed specifically to meet the needs of large-scale internal Help Desk environments. Scopus provides a proven solution to improve the responsiveness of your Help Desk staff and the quality of the support they deliver.
The combination of SupportTEAM (for call tracking and case management), NetTEAM (for network management integration and trouble ticketing), TeleTEAM (for telephony integration), and AssetTEAM (for end-user product configuration information management) delivers all of the functionality and flexibility needed in todays world of multi-vendor, heterogeneous support.
As with all other Scopus modules, these applications leverage a core set of capabilities that include remote access via email, problem resolution, data replication at remote sites and GUI-based tools for customization and workflow management.
Workflow Management
Asset Management
Problem Resolution Management
End User and Remote Access
Heterogeneous Connectivity
Analysis and Reporting
When calls come in to the Help Desk you need a system that will help log all of the information needed to quickly determine the best resource to assign and resolve a problem. But even with the best tools, some requests may require input from several resources. The TeleTEAM module helps you manage complex calls and service requests through a process that may involve people in multiple departments and locations.
TeleTEAM supports the synchronization of incoming calls with a screen of information about the caller. This 'screen popping' capability eliminates the need to search database records for caller information. These screen pops can easily be transferred to or shared with other approporiate system users to aid in responding to a request.
Using InformTEAM, the automated workflow manager within Scopus, users can share information, gather responses, and generate notifications based on specific requirements. Methods for information exchange include e-mail, fax, pager and other technologies. With InformTEAM you can easily set thresholds for escalation on high priority requests so that no problem ever slips through the cracks. In addition, projects like adding a new employee can be divided into sub-tasks such as adding a new extension or desktop machine and tracked as part of an overall project plan.
Information about each user's installed product environment is stored in the Scopus system. This asset management system is a key component of the Help Desk solution. Scopus lets you track important information about the products installed including details such as supplier model, serial and part number, as well as warranty and service contract information. As a result, your staff has a complete set of up-to-date information at their fingertips to help them solve problems quickly. Plans to integrate with asset/LAN management tools such as Systems Management Server (SMS) from Microsoft will also facilitate collection of configuration information and delivery of software upgrades and other services to the appropriate desktops.
One of the hottest trends in software development has been the concept of "re-use". The theory is that through the reuse of previously defined and tested objects a company can both reduce development times and improve the quality of the product delivered. The same approach can be successfully applied to information technology support. If a solution to a problem has been previously identified, documented and successfully implemented it has significant value. If that same solution can be easily retrieved and reapplied each time the same or similar problem is identified, the leverage is even more significant.
"We could never have handled the huge calling volume increase without Scopus. ProTEAM's problem resolution system and workflow management capability helps us answer questions quickly and manage calls much more efficiently."
'Rick Llewelyn, Director of Computer Systems, and Shel Waggener, Manager of the Response Center Help Desk at Sybase, Inc.'
Scopus provides a knowledge-based system that helps users build their solution "assets" by facilitating reuse. The Scopus problem resolution engine applies a combination of technologies including key word search, relevance ranking and Boolean logic to determine the best possible solutions to a problem. Through seamless links to case-based reasoning offerings such as CBR Express, Scopus also provides access to model-based search methodologies and a variety of off-the-shelf knowledge bases from companies such as KnowledgeBroker and ServiceWare.
Scopus's RemoteTEAM module can provide users throughout your global operation with a means of both logging inquiries and determining their status on a 24 hour-a-day, seven day-a-week basis, without the need for a human intervention. RemoteTEAM users have seamless access to the information they need via their e-mail system. Field sites in different time zones no longer need wait until the Help Desk is "open for business". Using the GUI screen designed specifically for your Help Desk requirements, users define their needs and e-mail their requests to the central Help Desk. Frequently they can resolve minor problems on their own. This approach frees Help Desk time for resolving complex problems rather than documenting requests. Users get faster responses and can determine the status of a problem without interrupting the process.
Network Management Integration
Scopus also helps you integrate network management information into your Help Desk environment through the NetTEAM module. Using local agents as an interface between network management software and the Scopus database, NetTEAM accepts and filters network events information from products such as HP OpenView, IBM NetView for AIX and Sun NetManager. NetTEAM automatically generates trouble tickets based on network events, filters out duplicates and low priority traps and routes new trouble tickets to the appropriate personnel or queue. With NetTEAM you can automate the transfer and escalation of network alerts, traps and events to consolidate network management and support.
Host and 3rd Party Package Access
Scopus's open and published API makes it possible for you to easily interface with legacy mainframe and network environments. You can access information from systems such as Info Man to open and close call records, establish audit trails, escalate problems and send notifications to appropriate parties. Applications like Lotus Notes can be easily integrated into the Scopus environment to facilitate data sharing between enterprise applications.
Adaptability and Scalability
Scopus understands the demands of a constantly changing business climate. Where today's Help Desk may support only desktop applications tomorrow it may need to support networking and telephony systems or large scale applications. As a result, Scopus is designed to be both easily customizable and scalable to handle significant call volumes.
Recognizing that every Help Desk environment is unique, Scopus designed ProTEAM to be highly configurable. Everything from the user interface to the notification and escalation rules can be easily modified. Scopus's data driven approach delivers the benefits of a customized Help Desk system without the disadvantage of having to develop and maintain unique source code.
As desktop applications proliferate and the responsibilities of the Help Desk are expanded, call volumes can increase rapidly. Scopus's client/server architecture, which leverages commercial RDBMS technology, ensures the scalability of your Help Desk to meet these demands for rapid expansion. Through computer telephony integration Scopus also leverages the full capabilities of your ACD or other telephony systems. Scopus data replication capabilities also ensure that data consistency is maintained even as additional Help Desk sites are added.
Scopus provides the tools that managers need to monitor, reevaluate and improve their Help Desk effectiveness. Whether you measure performance based on the number of problems resolved, call response times, first call closures, open-to-closure time or other factors, Scopus automatically gathers the needed information. Scopus also allows you to track information regarding frequency of product/vendor problems. With Scopus you can determine patterns of successful and difficult implementations by tracking user requests. As a result, Help Desk managers can examine call trends and identify areas that require follow-up either internally or with suppliers.
Founded in 1991, Scopus Technology, Inc. is the leading provider of customer information management systems. Scopus' customizable products enable companies to record, access and manage all available customer and product information across the enterprise.
The Scopus product family provides users tightly integrated, client/server-based applications for help desk and customer service, defect tracking and quality management, as well as sales and marketing lead management. These applications are built upon an engine that supports integrated search and retrieval, remote access, automatic worldwide data replication for multi-site organizations, application customization and integration with third party tools. Scopus supports industry standard relational databases, graphical user interfaces, and networks.
The company's diverse customer base includes organizations in financial services, telecommunications,computer aided design, process industries, hardware systems and companies supporting both shrink-wrap and customizable software products. Scopus sells its products through a direct sales force in North America and the U.K., and through distributors in Europe and Asia.
Configuration
All Scopus modules have been designed to operate in heterogeneous environments:
Database server: Sybase, Oracle, Informix, MS SQL Server
Hardware platforms: Sun, HP, IBM workstations, PCs, Mac's, and X terminals
Operating systems (server): UNIX, Windows NT
Operating systems (client): Windows, Windows NT, UNIX, Macintosh
Windowing environments: Windows, Motif, Macintosh