Product Support for Technology type

The Product Support for Technology type enables technology companies to provide support for digital products and services.

A case types represents the processes and the data that are needed to resolve a specific type of customer issue. The Technology Product Support case type includes the table, roles, SLAs, email notifications, and other items needed to resolve technology issues.

The Product Support for Technology application (sn_tech_product_support) includes the Product Support for Technology type. To view a list of available case types, navigate to Customer Service > Case Types > Manage Case Types.

The Product Support for Technology type includes the following items.

Table 1. Product Support for Technology type items

Item	Description
Tables	The Product Support for Technology application includes the Tech Product Support Case [sn_tech_product_support_case] table. This table extends the Case table and can be extended. For a detailed description of the Product Support for Technology table, including field descriptions, see Tech Product Support Case table.
Roles	Roles control access to features and capabilities in the Product Support for Technology application, menu, and modules.
Case states	Product Support for Technology cases follow a specific life cycle and move through a series of states from creation to closure.
State flows	State flows are customized transitions from one state to another, such as when an agent moves a Product Support for Technology case from Work in Progress to Awaiting Info.
List views	The Product Support for Technology application includes list views for CSM/FSM Configurable Workspace and for Core UI that appear in the application navigator.
Special handling notes	Special handling notes bring important information to an agent's attention.
Service definitions	Service definitions enable customers to quickly discover and request the services they need and agents to create cases of the right type to support those requests.
Email notifications and email templates	Email notifications are sent to the contact and, in some cases, to users on the case watch list for specific actions. The system uses email templates to create these notifications.
Provider notifications	Provider notifications for agents are sent following updates to Product Support for Technology cases.
Service level agreement (SLA) definitions	An SLA definition includes the timing, conditions, workflows, and other information required to create and progress task SLAs.
Record producer	A record producer is a specific type of catalog item that allows end users to create task-based records from a service catalog. The Product Support for Technology application includes the following record producer: Create a Technology Product Case.
Case action status	The case action status feature enables agents to easily identify cases that need attention.
Field indicators and highlights	The Product Support for Technology type uses field indicators and field highlights to indicate information about cases.
Auto close cases	Cases in the Resolved state can be closed automatically if customers do not take any action.

Roles

User roles available with the Product Support for Technology application address the diverse skill sets needed to resolve complex technical issues. These roles enable users to research technical issues, collaborate with development teams, and implement advanced troubleshooting techniques.

Table 2. Product Support for Technology application roles and descriptions

Role	Description	Contains roles
Customer [sn_tech_support.customer]	Users with this role: Can view product support for technology cases in the Customer Service Portal. Have write access to the Steps to reproduce field.	sn_customerservice.customer sn_tech_support.creator sn_tech_support.writer
Customer admin [sn_tech_support.customer_admin]	Users with this role: Can view product support for technology cases in the Customer Service Portal. Have write access to the Steps to reproduce field.	sn_customerservice.customer_admin sn_tech_support.creator sn_tech_support.writer
Partner [sn_tech_support.partner]	Users with this role: Can view product support for technology cases in the Customer Service Portal. Have write access to the Steps to reproduce field.	sn_customerservice.partner sn_tech_support.creator sn_tech_support.writer
Partner admin [sn_tech_support.partner_admin]	Users with this role: Can view product support for technology cases in the Customer Service Portal. Have write access to the Steps to reproduce field.	sn_customerservice.partner_admin sn_tech_support.creator sn_tech_support.writer
Agent [sn_tech_support.agent]	An agent role for the Product Support for Technology application.	sn_customerservice_agent sn_incident_write sn_problem_write sn_request_write sn_change_write sn_tech_support.writer sn_tech_support.creator sn_tech_support.navigation_menu
Creator [sn_tech_support.creator]	Users with this role can create product support for technology cases.
Developer [sn_tech_support.developer]	A developer role for the Product Support for Technology application.	sn_customerservice.case_task_agent sn_incident_write sn_problem_write sn_request_write sn_change_write sn_tech_support.viewer sn_tech_support.navigation_menu
Report viewer [sn_tech_support.report_viewer]	Provides report viewer access to product support for technology cases.
Viewer [sn_tech_support.viewer]	Provides read-only access to product support for technology cases.
Writer [sn_tech_support.writer]	Provides write access to product support for technology cases.	sn_tech_support.viewer
Major case manager [sn_tech_support.major_case_manager]	Users with the major case manager role can: Create major cases Approve or reject major case candidates Add or remove child cases from major cases Add or remove impacted accounts or consumers For more information, see Major issue management overview.	sn_majorissue_mgt.major_issue_manager sn_incident_write sn_problem_write sn_request_write sn_change_write sn_tech_support.writer sn_tech_support.creator sn_tech_support.navigation_menu
Resource manager [sn_tech_support.resource_manager]	Users with this role can assign product support for technology cases to agents.	sn_customerservice_agent sn_incident_write sn_problem_write sn_request_write sn_change_write sn_tech_support.writer sn_tech_support.creator sn_tech_support.navigation_menu
Navigation menu [sn_tech_support.navigation_menu]	Provides access to the Product Support for Technology menu and modules in the application navigator.

Case states

A Product Support for Technology can be in any of the following case states.

Table 3. Product Support for Technology states

State	Description
Draft	A case that is being created but is not yet submitted.
New	A case moves from Draft to New when it is submitted or when the case intake is completed.
Work in Progress	An agent accepts an assigned case or selects the Assign to me action and sets the state to Work in Progress. If a customer rejects a proposed solution, the case returns to the Work in Progress state.
Awaiting Info	The agent requests additional information from the customer.
Solution Proposed	The agent proposes a solution to the customer.
Closed	The customer accepts the proposed solution or the agent selects the Close case action. The case can also be auto closed if there is no response from the customer within a specified about of time. The case record is read-only when the state is Closed.
Cancelled	A case that has been cancelled by a user.

State flows

State flows are customized transitions from one state to another. State flows include triggers and can be configured to perform different actions during transitions to specific states.

From state	To state	Trigger
Draft	New	Agent actions: Submit Case Finish case intake
New	Work in Progress	Agent actions: Assign to me: assigns the case to the logged in user. Accept: AWA - assigns the case to the user who accepts.
New / Work in Progress	Awaiting Info	Selecting the Request Information action changes the state from New or Work in Progress to Awaiting Info.
Awaiting Info	Work in Progress	The agent selects Information Received or the customer updates the case comments.
Work in Progress	Solution Proposed	The agent selects Propose Solution.
Solution Proposed	Work in Progress	The agent or customer selects Reject solution.
Solution Proposed	Closed	The agent or customer selects Accept Solution or the case is auto closed.

List views

The Product Support for Technology application includes list views for CSM/FSM Configurable Workspace and for Core UI. These views are displayed in the application navigator.

Table 4. Product Support for Technology list views

User interface	Description
CSM/FSM Configurable Workspace	Technology Product Support Cases Assigned to me Work in Progress Solution Proposed Closed Unassigned Escalated All
Core UI	Technology Product Support Cases Draft Work in Progress Solution Proposed Unassigned Escalated All

Special handling notes

Special handling notes bring important information to an agent's attention. You can configure special handling notes to appear based on one or more conditions, such as a specific account, contact, or product.

The Product Support for Technology application includes a configuration for special handling notes. Navigate to Special Handling Notes > Configuration to view the configuration for the Tech Product Support Case table [sn_tech_product_support_case]. This configuration includes the following related fields:

• Account
• Contact
• Product
• Install Base
• Assigned to

Users can create special handling notes by navigating to Special Handling Notes > Special Handling Notes and selecting New. For more information, see the following topics:

• Special handling notes
• Configure special handling notes
• Create a special handling note

Service definitions

The Product Support for Technology application includes the following service definitions. These definitions belong to the Product Support for Technology category and are associated with the Create a Product Support for Technology catalog item.

• Question
• Service Request
• Something is Broken
• Performance Issue

For more information, see Service definitions and Service definition categories.

Email notifications and email templates

Email notifications are sent to the contact and, in some cases, to users on the case watch list for the following actions. The system uses email templates to create these notifications.

Table 5. Email notifications and templates

Notification	Action	Email template
Tech Case opened for customer	An agent opens a case for a contact. The notification is sent to the contact and to users in the watch list.	case.opened.for.customer
Tech Case commented for customer	An agent adds a customer-visible comment to a case. The notification is sent to the contact and to users in the watch list.	case.commented.for.customer
Tech Case awaiting info for Customer	An agent requests more information for a case from the contact. The notification is sent to the contact and to users in the watch list.	tech.case.awaiting.info
Tech Case closed for customer	An agent closes a case. The notification is sent to the contact and to users in the watch list.	case.closed.for.customer
Tech Case cancelled for customer	An agent cancels a case. The notification is sent to the contact and to users in the watch list.	tech.case.cancelled
Tech Case solution accepted for customer	An agent accepts a solution on behalf of the customer. The notification is sent to the contact.	tech.case.solution.accepted.for.customer
Tech Case solution rejected for customer	An agent rejects a solution on behalf of the customer. The notification is sent to the contact.	tech.case.solution.rejected.for.customer
Tech Case resolved for customer	An agent resolves a case for a customer. The notification is sent to the contact.	case.resolved.for.customer
Tech Case resolved - customer_watchlist	An agent resolves a case for a customer. The notification is sent to the users in the watch list.	case.resolved.for.customer.watchlist

To access a list of email notifications, navigate to System Notification > Email > Notifications.

To access a list of email templates, navigate to System Notification > Email > Templates.

Provider notifications

Provider notifications for agents are sent on the following updates to product support for technology cases. Notifications appear in the bell icon in the CSM Configurable Workspace header. To access a list of provider notifications, navigate to System Notification > Provider > Notifications.

Table 6. Provider notifications

Case update	Notification
A case is assigned to an agent	Tech Case assigned to notification
Case comments or work notes are updated	Tech Case comments/notes added
The proposed solution is accepted or rejected	Tech Case solution accepted/rejected
The case is cancelled	Tech Case cancelled notification

SLA definitions

The Product Support for Technology application includes the following SLA definitions.

Table 7. Product Support for Technology SLAs

SLA type	Description
First Response Time - P2 (8 Hours) First Response Time - P3-P4 (2 Days)	The first response time is the time between the customer submitting a case and receiving a response. The first response time is defined by case priority. P2 cases: response time is 8 business hours. P3 and P4 cases: response time is 2 business days. This SLA is fulfilled when the customer receives a response in one of the following ways: The agent updates the First response field. The agent posts a comment in the activity stream. The agent uses the Compose Email action to send an email. For the playbook experience, this SLA is fulfilled when the initial response is posted in the activity stream.
Ongoing Response Time - P2 (8 Hours) Ongoing Response Time - P3-P4 (2 Days)	The ongoing response time begins after the first response time SLA is fulfilled and continues until the agent sends the next update to the customer. The ongoing response time SLA is defined by case priority: P2: response time is 8 business hours. P3 and P4: response time is 2 business days. ThIs SLA is fulfilled when the agent updates the additional comments in the activity stream. Once completed, the ongoing response SLA is reset and the default ongoing response is applied again. This SLA is paused when the case is in the Awaiting Info state and is restarted when the customer responds to the request for information. This SLA is stopped when the agent proposes a solution for a case. If the customer rejects the solution and the case moves back to work in progress, a new ORT SLA instance is started.
Case Resolution - P2 (14 days) Case Resolution - P3-P4 (28 days)	The resolution time is the maximum amount of time in which a customer can expect a solution to be provided. This is the time between the customer submitting a case and accepting a solution (or a case being automatically closed). The case resolution SLA is defined by case priority: P2: resolution time 14 days. P3 and P4: resolution time is 28 days. This SLA is paused when the case is in the Awaiting Info state and is restarted when the customer responds to the request for information. This SLA is stopped when the agent proposes a solution for a case. If the customer rejects the solution and the case moves back to work in progress, this SLA resumes.

Record producer

The Technology Product Support Case application includes a record producer that customers can use to create cases from the Customer Service Portal. The Create a Technology Product Case record producer is available for users with the following roles:

• sn_tech_support.customer
• sn_tech_support.customer_admin

To create a case from the Customer Service Portal using this record producer:

1. Select Requests > Request Something.
2. Select the Support category.
3. Select the Create a Technology Product Case catalog item.
4. Fill in the fields on the record producer. For field definitions, see the Create a Technology Product Case record producer fields table below.
5. Select Submit.

The Create a Technology Product Case record producer includes the following fields.

Table 8. Create a Technology Product Case record producer fields

Field	Description
Issue Type	Select the type of issue for the case: Something is broken Performance issue Service request Question
Account	Auto filled with the account of the logged-in user.
Contact	Auto filled with the name of the logged-in user.
Affected Instances	Add the affected instances to this list.
Sold Product	Select a product from the list of available products. This list includes the sold products for the logged-in user.
Product Component	Select a product component from the list of available product components.
Short Description	Provide a brief description of the issue.
Description of the issue	Provide a more detailed description of the issue.
Describe the Business Impact	Describe the impact that this issue is having on your business.
Steps to reproduce	Add the steps to reproduce the issue.
Contact Timezone	Displays the timezone of the user in the Contact field.
Add attachments	Add any attachments to the case.

Case action status

The case action status feature enables agents to easily identify cases that need attention. Visual indicators in the Action status column on case lists highlight case status.

• A blue indicator highlights cases that need attention, such as cases that have been updated by customers or internal users and are waiting for input or review.
• A red indicator highlights cases that are blocked, such as cases that have open related task records or are waiting for customer feedback.

In addition to the colored indicators, the Action status column also displays a brief status message, such as Needs Attention.

When a case is in the Awaiting Info state and the customer, or a customer contact who has access to the case, responds to the request for information:

• The Action status field is updated to Customer Responded.
• The Needs attention field is enabled.

For more information, see the following topics:

• Administering case action status
• Case action status (CSM Configurable Workspace)

Field indicators and highlights

The Product Support for Technology case type uses field indicators and field highlights to indicate information about cases. These indicators and highlights appear on columns that are displayed in the list view.

Table 9. Field indicators and highlights for product support for technology cases

Column	Description
Priority	The Priority field uses the following colors to highlight the case priority: Red: 1 - Critical Orange: 2 - High Purple: 3 - Moderate Green: 4 - Low
Action status	The Action status field uses the following colors to highlight the following actions: Red: Blocked internally: Blue: Needs attention
State	The State field uses the following colors to highlight the case state: Draft: Yellow New: Green Work in progress: Purple Closed: Light green Solution proposed: Gray
Escalated cases and accounts	Field indicators and field highlights appear on the Short description field for escalated cases and on the Name field for escalated accounts. Red: High severity Orange: Medium severity For more information, see Administering case and account escalation.

Automatically close technology product support cases

The Auto Close Resolved Cases feature is available with the product support for technology case type. Cases in the Resolved state can be closed automatically if customers do not take any action.

Note:

This feature is active by default.

A case can remain in the Resolved state for 10 days before it is automatically closed. System administrators can change this default value in the Auto Close Resolved Cases Flow Designer flow.

Customers receive the following notifications before a case is automatically closed:

• First notification: sent after 3 days
• Second notification: sent after 5 days
• Third notification: sent after 8 days

For more information, see Automatically close customer service cases.