Types of Users
There are two primary types of people that will use your SmarterTrack installation:
- Customers (end users) will use the portal to search for information in the Knowledge
Base, start tickets, or initiate live chats with company representatives. Because
one of the goals of SmarterTrack is to enable users to use self-service resources
to find solutions to issues before using a more expensive form of support, end users
can create an account for portal access by default.
- Employees (agents) will use SmarterTrack's management interface to interact with
customers and set up all aspects of the system. Any employees that will communicate
with customers via email, tickets, or live chats should be added as agents in SmarterTrack.
Unlike end users, agents must be created by an administrator and be given the role
of "agent" so they can access the management interface.
End Users
Each individual that visits your portal or sends an email to your company is considered
an end user. Because all users are assigned roles, which define permissions and
dictate which features the user has access to, companies can restrict a user's access
or ability to perform certain actions. Depending on the user's role, companies can:
- Allow only certain types of users access to parts of the Knowledge Base.
- Allow only registered users to submit tickets or start live chats.
- Configure custom icons (custom links) on the homepage of the portal to only show
for certain types (roles) of users.
Generally, companies will require users to login to the portal before they can
perform such functions. However, administrators can configure SmarterTrack
to hide the concept of logging in from customers.
Agents
Each employee that accesses SmarterTrack's management interface is considered an
agent. Because SmarterTrack tracks, documents, and reports on all customer communications
and agent actions, it is important that every agent has his/her own account and
login. This will ensure proper reporting and auditing and avoid confusion.
Some of your agents, such as your support/sales staff, may be full-time SmarterTrack
users. These agents will spend the majority of their time actively working in the
management interface, watching tickets, and responding to live chats.
Other agents, such as your development staff or managers, may be part-time SmarterTrack
users. Generally, these agents will login to SmarterTrack once or twice a day,
or when needed. To ensure these users receive immediate notification when new Tickets
or other events occur, SmarterTools recommends that they use SmarterNotify.
Agents needing supervisory access to the SmarterTrack system should be assigned
the "manager" role. This will allow them to manage and view other agents' tickets
and live chats.