What is a ticketing system?
A ticketing system is a software application used to track and manage tasks, issues, requests, and other items that require resolution. It allows users to submit tickets detailing a problem, question, request, etc. and assign those tickets to individuals or teams responsible for addressing them. Ticketing systems are commonly used in customer service, IT service management, and other operations that handle high volumes of requests.
Some key features and functions of a ticketing system include:
- Ticket submission – Users can submit new tickets detailing their issue, request, etc.
- Ticket assignment – Tickets can be assigned to specific agents or teams who will handle them.
- Ticket tracking – Tickets have statuses like open, pending, resolved, closed, etc. to track progress.
- Ticket prioritization – Tickets can be marked with priority levels like high, medium, low to denote urgency.
- Ticket categorization – Tickets can have categories like “software bug,” “equipment request,” etc. to organize issues.
- Ticket reporting – Managers can run reports on numbers of tickets, resolution times, agents’ workloads, and more.
- Knowledge base – A searchable knowledge base can connect tickets to solutions for common problems.
- Automated workflows – Workflows can be set up to automatically route tickets based on attributes like category, priority, etc.
Using a ticketing system brings several benefits for organizations including enhanced customer/user support, improved assignment and tracking of work items, and optimized team collaboration.
Key steps in organizing a ticketing system
Successfully setting up and managing a ticketing system involves careful planning and execution across a few key areas:
Selecting ticketing software
There are many ticketing system software options on the market including:
- Zendesk
- Freshdesk
- Zoho Desk
- HappyFox
- HubSpot
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- LiveAgent
- Help Scout
- Kayako
- Jira Service Desk
When selecting a ticketing system, key criteria to consider include:
- Integration capabilities – Can it connect to your existing CRM, email, chat, etc.
- Features needed – Does it have all the ticket management capabilities you require?
- Ease of use – Is the interface intuitive for agents and users/customers?
- Reporting functionality – Does it offer robust reporting on ticket metrics?
- Customization options – Can you tailor fields, views, workflows to match processes?
- Support availability – Is training and technical support readily available?
- Budget – Does the cost fit within your budget constraints?
It’s important to involve ticketing system administrators, agents, and other stakeholders in the software selection process.
Structuring ticket information
Once you’ve selected a ticketing system, you need to configure the information captured on tickets. Important ticket fields typically include:
- Requester – Name and contact info of person submitting the ticket.
- Subject – Brief summary of the ticket topic or question.
- Description – Full details on the issue or request.
- Priority – Priority label like “High,” “Medium,” “Low.”
- Status – Current status like “Open,” “In Progress,” Closed,” etc.
- Assigned to – Agent handling the ticket.
- Category – Category like “Software,” “Equipment,” “Billing,” etc.
- Due date – Date a ticket resolution is due.
- Attachments – Files attached with additional info.
You can customize fields to capture all needed ticket details. Allow agents to add notes documenting work over the ticket’s lifetime.
Setting up ticket workflows
Ticket workflows control what happens from the time a ticket is opened to when it’s resolved. Steps in a basic workflow may include:
- Ticket submitted → Open status
- Agent assigned → In Progress status
- Agent resolves issue → Resolved status
- Requester verifies resolution → Closed status
Configure your ticketing system’s rules to automatically update status when certain actions occur. Set notifications to inform requesters and agents of status changes.
Workflows can get more complex with branches, multiple assignment steps, approval steps, etc. Map out workflows for different ticket types in alignment with your support processes.
Organizing ticket assignment
Determine how new tickets will be assigned to agents. Common approaches include:
- Category-based routing – Tickets automatically assigned based on category like IT, sales, etc.
- Priority-based routing – Higher priority tickets routed to skilled senior agents.
- Load-balanced routing – Tickets assigned based on current agent workloads.
- Manual assignment – Agent managers manually assign each ticket.
Configure your ticketing system’s auto-assignment and SLAs (service level agreements) to meet target response times. Make assignments based on agent availability, skills, and capacity.
Setting up ticket reporting
Ticketing system reports provide vital insights intoRequester performance and ticket trends. Essential reports include:
- New tickets by date – Volume of daily/weekly/monthly incoming tickets.
- Tickets by status – Volume in status like open, closed, overdue, etc.
- Tickets by assignee – Volume assigned to each agent.
- First response time – Time from ticket creation to first agent response.
- Resolution time – Time from ticket creation to resolution.
- Customer satisfaction – CSAT scores on ticket resolution.
Create dashboard views to showcase key ticket performance indicators. Schedule automated report delivery to stakeholders.
Providing ticket visibility
Stakeholders across your organization may need visibility into tickets based on their role. For example:
- Agents – Need full access to assigned tickets and tools like keyword search to locate tickets.
- Managers – May have elevated permissions to view all agent tickets and reporting.
- Customers – Can have a customer portal to view only their own tickets.
- Other teams – Can have read-only access limited to certain ticket queues.
Set permissions, views, and access rules to provide appropriate ticket visibility. Avoid exposing more information than necessary.
Best practices for ticket management
Follow these best practices for smooth day-to-day management of your ticketing system:
Provide ticketing guidance to users
Offer users clear guidance on your ticketing processes including:
- How to submit tickets.
- Typical response times or SLAs.
- Status notifications to expect.
- Escalation steps if an issue isn’t resolved.
This guidance could be provided through FAQs, your website, and confirmation emails after ticket submission.
Train agents on ticketing processes
Conduct thorough training to get agents up to speed on how your ticketing system works and your policies surrounding tickets. Include:
- How to navigate the ticketing system interface.
- Proper steps in your ticket workflows.
- Handling different ticket types and priorities.
- Working ticket assignments and communication.
- Tracking time against tickets.
- Escalating tickets when needed.
Ensure every agent understands expectations before they begin responding to tickets.
Monitor key ticket metrics
Keep close tabs on your ticketing reports to identify areas for improvement. Look for trends like:
- Increasing resolution times
- Spikes in new tickets
- Tickets frequently reopened
- Decreasing user satisfaction scores
Take action when metrics skew negative. For example, adjust staffing, refine processes, or improve agent training.
Review tickets for policy adherence
Audit a sampling of closed tickets to ensure agents are following your organization’s defined ticketing policies and processes. For instance:
- Is the initial response within the SLA timeframe?
- Are resolution steps documented properly?
- Was the ticket category set correctly?
- Was the right resolution provided for the issue?
Identify any policy gaps for follow-up coaching and training.
Solicit user feedback on tickets
Actively gather feedback from users on their satisfaction with ticket handling and resolution. Methods can include:
- CSAT surveys after ticket closure.
- Roundtable discussions for common issue areas.
- Monitoring social media for complaints.
Identify recurring issues driving dissatisfaction. Continuously refine processes based on user feedback.
Conclusion
An organized, well-managed ticketing system is critical for tracking issues and requests. Following best practices for software selection, configuration, assignment rules, reporting, training, and feedback fosters efficiency. Adopting a ticketing system can transform an organization’s support operations and customer satisfaction. With sound organization and management, it will improve service quality and operational performance.
