Configuring Service Level Management settings

Service Level Management (SLM) functionality enables NexJ CRM users to manage interactions with clients based on defined service levels.

When you set up Service Level Management (SLM) settings in NexJ Admin Console, you configure settings in the following order:

1. Create touch types.
2. Define the intervals which are available to all touch types. Intervals define time periods between touches. Intervals can be monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.
3. Specify activity templates, reporting periods, and intervals for specific touch types.
4. Create service levels and assign touch types to each service level.
5. Map contact tiers to service levels. A tier is a property assigned to contacts to determine what kind of service plan they will receive.

After you have set up SLM, users can use SLM in NexJ CRM to:

• Apply different service models to different clients. A service model is collection of touch types and intervals assigned to a contact.
• Schedule and track key activities, for example, quarterly and annual account reviews.
• Use analytics to view the status of key client touches and overdue activities.

If you need to adjust your system or server time to test SLM use cases, it is strongly recommended that you do not change settings to a time that has already occurred. Changing to a time that has already occurred may cause issues with the database and SLM batch jobs.

Use the Service Level Management page to configure service levels, tier service level defaults, touch types, and intervals.

The Service Level Management page is divided into the following tabs:

Service Levels

A service level is set of touches that occur with a contact at a predefined interval or frequency. Service levels group one or more touch types for users based on the servicing level of a contact. The Service Levels tab is divided into the following areas:

• The Service Levels list on the left, which displays a list of all service levels.
• The Detail area at the top right, which displays the name and description of the selected service level.
• The Service Model area at the bottom right, which displays touch types for the selected service level, including their intervals and  first touch offset details.

Tier Service Level Defaults

Tier service level defaults provide a mapping between contact tiers and service levels. The Tier Service Level Defaults tab displays a list of tiers and the service level that is mapped to each tier.

Touch Types

A touch type is a form of communication or interaction with a contact that can be scheduled to build a relationship with the contact. The Touch Types tab is divided into the following areas:

• The Touch Types list on the left, which displays a list of all touch types.
• The Detail tab at the top right, which displays the properties of the selected touch type.
• The Activity Templates tab on the top right, which defines the types of activities that can be associated with the selected touch type.
• The Valid Intervals area at the bottom right, which displays the intervals that are available for the selected touch type to users in NexJ CRM.

Intervals

Intervals define the frequency at which a touch type occurs. The Intervals tab is divided into the following areas:

• The Intervals list on the left, which displays a list of all intervals.
• The Detail area at the top right, which displays the properties of the selected interval.

Creating touch types

A touch type is a form of communication or interaction with a contact that can be scheduled to build a relationship with the contact. You must specify activity templates, reporting periods, and a set of intervals for each touch type.

Activity templates define the types of activities that users can create to count as a touch in NexJ CRM. You can specify document, email, schedule item, and task activities. The reporting period defines the type of period that displays on user's Service Level Management dashboard. For example, a Review touch type with a quarterly reporting period shows touches for the current quarter on the graph on a user's SLM dashboard. The set of intervals indicates which intervals a user can select when configuring a contact's service model on the Contacts workspace.

To add a touch type:

1. Navigate to the Service Level Management page.
2. Click the Touch Types tab.
3. Above the touch types list, click the Add button 

   

   . The Add Touch Type dialog opens.
4. In the Detail tab, define touch type properties:
   1. In the Name field, enter the display name for the service level in NexJ CRM. In the Description field, enter a description for other administrators in NexJ Admin Console.
   2. In the Reporting Period field, select the type of period that displays on the service level management dashboard in NexJ CRM.
5. In the Activity Templates tab, define the activity templates that will be available to users in NexJ CRM for the touch type. For each activity template you want to configure for the touch type, do the following:
   1. Click the Add button 

      

      . The Add Touch Type Configuration dialog opens.
   2. In the Activity Template field, click the Select button 

      

       to open the Select Activity Template dialog. Select the activity template to include in this touch type and click OK.
   3. In the Default value field, select the initial value for the Touches checkbox in activities created from this template in NexJ CRM. Select one of the following values:
      • On, not editable
        The Touches checkbox will be selected and read-only. This means that this activity will always update the tracking system for this type.
      • Off, editable
        The Touches checkbox will be cleared, but editable.
      • On, editable
        The Touches checkbox will be selected, but editable.
        

   4. In the Show checkbox field, choose whether to show or hide the Touches checkbox in the activities created from this template.
      

      

      This setting does not affect whether the touch tracking is actually updated.

   5. Click OK. The Add Touch Type Configuration dialog closes.
6. In the Detail tab and in the Valid Intervals area, define the intervals that you want to make available to users in NexJ CRM:
   1. Click the Select button 

      

      . The Valid Intervals dialog opens.
   2. Use Add to move the intervals that you want to make available to users from the left column to the right column.
   3. Click OK. The Valid Intervals dialog closes.

The touch type is created.

If you want to complete touches using NexJ Add-In, you must enable the ShowSLMTouchTypes registry key, and you must add the email activity template to the touch type using NexJ Admin Console.

Configuring intervals

Intervals define the frequency at which a touch type occurs. When you add an interval, you specify the interval's frequency and the interval's boundary frequency.

The interval frequency defines the period type which is used as the unit of time for setting the next target date. The interval frequency multiplier defines how often the touch type should occur using the specified unit of time.

For example, if a touch type contains an interval that specifies a Monthly period type with a multiplier of 3, the touch types occurs every three months.

A boundary sets a limit on when the next touch date can occur. Use a boundary to prevent the next touch date from being scheduled too far into the next interval. The boundary frequency defines the period type used to limit the next target date for a touch type. The boundary frequency multiplier defines the frequency at which the boundary period type occurs.

For example, performance reviews are conducted in the first quarter of every year. The interval frequency is Annually and the frequency multiplier is 1. The boundary frequency is Quarterly with a frequency multiplier of 1. If the performance review is conducted late in the second quarter, the boundary ensures that the next touch occurs within the first quarter of the following year, rather than in the second quarter.

To add an interval:

1. Navigate to the Service Level Management page.
2. Click the Intervals tab. Click Add. The Add Interval dialog opens.
3. In the Name field, provide an interval name, such as Monthly.
4. In the Interval Frequency field, select the period type to set the next target date for a touch type. Select from Monthly, Quarterly, Annually, or Semi-annually.
5. In the Interval Frequency Multiplier field, enter a value to specify the frequency at which the period type will occur.
6. In the Boundary Frequency field, indicate the period type to set the boundary of the next target date.
7. In the Boundary Frequency Multiplier field, enter a value to specify the frequency at which the boundary period type will occur.
8. Click OK. The Add Interval dialog closes.

The interval is added to the system and is available to touch types.

Adding service levels

Service levels group one or more touch types for users based on the servicing level of a contact.

For example, a Gold service level specifies quarterly reviews and monthly proactive touches. When a user applies the Gold service level to a contact, the contact's service model includes the quarterly review and monthly proactive touches.

When creating a service level, you need to specify the the default offset for an initial touch target date. The first touch offset defines the date that the first touch is due for a client. You can set the default offset of the initial touch target date for any touch type. By default, the first touch offset is based on the interval that you define for a touch type. For example, if you create a touch type with a Monthly interval, then the first touch offset is 1 month. In NexJ CRM, offsets are calculated from the day that a user applies a service level to a contact.

To add a service level and configure its default offset:

1. Navigate to the Service Level Management page.
2. Click the Service Levels tab.
3. Above the service levels list, click the Add button 

   

   . The Add Service Level dialog opens.
4. In the Detail tab, define a display name for the service level in NexJ CRM.
5. In the Service Model area, define the touch types that you want to add to the service level.
   1. Click the Select button 

      

      . The Service Model dialog opens.
   2. Use Add to move a touch type from the left column to the right column.
   3. In the Interval column, double-click and select an interval from the list.
   4. In the First Touch Offset column and select the desired offset. You can specify that the touch type will have no offset by selecting Immediately.
   5. Add additional touch types as necessary.
   6. Click OK. The Service Model dialog closes.
6. Click OK. The Add Service Level dialog closes.

You have added a service level.

Mapping tiers to service levels

Tier service level defaults define a mapping between contact tiers and service levels. For example, mapping tier A with the Gold service level automatically adds the Gold service level to tier A contacts.

To map a tier to a service level:

1. Navigate to the Service Level Management page.
2. Click the Tier Service Level Defaults tab.
3. In the Tier list, click the Edit button 

   

   . The Edit Tier Service Level Defaults dialog opens.
4. In the Tier field, select a tier.
5. In the Service Level field, select the service level that you want to map to the tier.
6. Click OK. The Edit Tier Service Level Defaults dialog closes.

The tier is mapped to the service level.