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Product Spotlight

More highlights from Customer Master 15.2

By Lori Bayne, Customer Master Product Owner

As we head into the final stretch of 2015, I want to share a few more of our favorite enhancements included in Customer Master 15.2. Most of the Customer Master upgrades will be complete by the end of the year, so I want to draw your attention to additional enhancements that can streamline your office processes.

Messaging Improvements
For many years, Customer Master had the ability to generate e-mail notifications based on specific trigger points, and we expanded upon them in version 15.2. Within Service Order Inbox Notifications, we enhanced the module so messages can be customized with usable information of the user’s choosing. Previously, notification messages were hardcoded with only a few data elements available.

Welcome e-mails were given the ability to be generated from multiple templates. Plus, the account name and number can now be included within the useable information. Trouble ticket notification was also expanded with service area being added to the usable information, as well as e-mail notification options for when a trouble ticket is picked up or cancelled. Lastly, the ability to send out ACH and recurring credit card payment notification was added. The e-mail notification icon was added to the batch report. It will allow users to generate the e-mail notification from the list of customers on the report.

Report Auto Generation
Updates were made to the report auto generation functionality to include daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, and quarterly generation of reports. We should have all date options covered! Users will also be able to have the report e-mailed to them as a CSV or PDF file. Password protection is available on the PDF option. The Pic List, Daily Deposits, Expiring Prospects, Current Tier Services, Service Order Reminder and Scheduled Appointments were added to the list of available reports that can be auto generated without a report options prompt. All other Customer Master reports will be available through the auto generation tool, but will require prompting for report options. This tool can now act as a reminder to run the reports on specific dates as needed.

Installment Payment Arrangements
A new tool was added to Payment Arrangements that will assist users in creating payment arrangements with multiple installments on an account. Within the payment arrangements screen on an account, a new icon is available on the tool bar. This is the icon for the new Installment Payment Arrangement tool. The Installment Payment Arrangement tool will create multiple payment arrangements for a certain number of days and amounts.

Previously, users had to create multiple payments arrangement manually. With Customer Master 15.2, users can utilize this tool and create recurring payment arrangements by indicating the amount to be paid, the number of days and how many payment arrangements are being generated. The payment arrangement processing tool can also indicate if the payment arrangement was completed or broken.

Priority Trouble Restoration
A new field was added to the service order and service order quick start for users to indicate which accounts should have priority on restoration of services during outages. This field will be auto-filled when trouble tickets are generated and displayed in the trouble ticket search and mass outage grids, as well as on trouble tickets. Trouble reports were enhanced to include the priority as a sorting option.

Print Notify and Larger E-mail Address Fields
We put control in our customers’ hands! Previously, when a company wanted to review the bills before printing and insertion, this request required a call and MACC would place a print notify hold on processes until the bills were approved. In Customer Master 15.2, the print notify indicator is now within the billing e-mail notification maintenance table (Maintenance/Billing/E-mail Notify). When any user has print notify flagged, billing will be on hold and will not be printed or inserted until we have customer approval. We also added an end date field to indicate how long companies wish to be on print notify. E-mail address fields in the e-mail notification maintenance table, request estimated subscriber bill, account address mail scrub, and sample bill message screens were expanded to 61 characters.

CRM added to Quotes and Prospects
In the past two releases, we enhanced the functionality within the Quotes and Prospects module. In Customer Master 15.2, we added the ability to insert Client Relationship Management (CRM) notes to the quote or prospect rows for better tracking of potential customers. The handshake icon was added to the quote/prospect search screen as well as to the miscellaneous screen of the quote prospect wizard. The Quote/Prospect CRM rows will also automatically move with the account when the data is exported to a service order. Stages on Quotes and Prospects were added to the inbox. Users can now see quotes and prospect stages assigned to “my inbox,” the department inbox or all quote and prospect stages. E-mail notifications through the messenger were also completed. The Account Contacts report was updated to include the Quote and Prospect CRM information.

One last teaser…we enhanced numerous reports based on customer requests and added the .CSV file option to them as well. There are still many more fantastic enhancements included in Customer Master 15.2, so be sure to check out the web training class and read through the update letter. We sincerely hope this ends your year on a high note and you find numerous enhancements that increase efficiency and productivity in your office.