How the Self Service Portal works


The Self Service Portal is a web based extension of PlanManager on which the customer can make their own bookings for estimate, vehicle repairs and track the repair process of their vehicle.

The portal makes it possible for the customer to schedule an appointment via the Self Service Portal website and ensures that a new job is automatically created in PlanManager. Checking the status of the repair is also possible via this new platform, based on number plate and job number.

After activation a personal URL is provided. This is a specific Self Service Portal, linked to the PlanManager environment.

In the centre of the screen there are 3 buttons: make estimate appointment, make appointment for vehicle repair and repair tracking. It is possible to choose only one or multiple of these 3 options to be displayed. For example the portal could be advertised to certain customers as only a vehicle repair tracker. When activating the portal it should also be specified which modules are required to be enabled.

Additional tags have been created, which can be used in the communication templates. These tags will only work after the portal has been activated for the environment.

The following tags can be used within the communication templates to direct the customer to the portal.

[URLBookAssessment] - To make an appointment for estimate

[URLBookRepair] - To make an appointment for repairs

[URLStatusRepair] - To track the vehicle repairs.

Templates are available by default once the portal is enabled and these can be adjusted in Maintenance > Organisation > Location. Further information regarding communication templates can be found in the FAQ How do I use variable fields in my communication templates?

Estimate Appointments

An estimate booking can be completed in two ways; the customer can follow the URL to the Self Service Portal and create a new job in PlanManager with the estimate appointment booked, or a communication can be sent from within PlanManager containing the link to choose an estimate slot linked to a PlanManager job (For this to work, the communication to the customer must come from the PlanManager job can contain the tag [URLBookAssessment]).

If the customer is following the link to the Self Service Portal itself, they must make their appointment by selecting Make appointment for estimate; if the estimate booking request is sent from a job already created in the system, they will be directed to a page further in the booking process within the Self Service Portal.

The customer must enter in all mandatory information (highlighted by the * symbol).

 

After entering the general contact details, the registration number, make and model of the vehicle must be entered. There is also the option to add any images of the vehicle. If the link is followed from a mobile device, images can be taken using the devices camera.

After adding the photos, a location must for estimate must be selected. If only one site is enabled for the Self Service Portal, the location will already be selected.

Once a location for estimate is chosen, the customer is required to choose a date for estimate and the choice to choose a time slot (if the customer follows the link from a communication sent from within a job in PlanManager, this is the first page in the portal that they will land on). These timeslots are created based on the assessment times set against the location in PlanManager. These can be adjusted by going to Maintenance > Organisation > Location, selecting the location and amending the times at the bottom of the page.

Once all of the details have been entered and time slot chosen, the details entered can be review, and as soon as the booking is confirmed, a confirmation email will be sent to the customer's email address (If the estimate booking is booked off the back of a communication from a job within PlanManager, confirming the booking via the email link is not required). Until the email link sent to the customer is confirmed, the new job will not appear in PlanManager – This link is only valid for 15 minutes.

When the customer follows the link, the customer will be redirected to another screen that validated the booking confirmation. The this point, a new job is created within PlanManager.

Appointments for repair

If the customer is sent a link to the self service portal they can book an appointment for repair by selecting Make appointment for repair (alternatively, if the link is provided from within a communication in PlanManager, similar to the estimate, booking, they will be directed to a screen further in the process).

The customer will then be required to enter in a job number and registration number (if the link is followed from a communication sent within PlanManager, this information will be pre populated).

As soon as these details have been entered, the customer can then choose a date for repairs. The timeslots that the customer can choose from are determined by the timeslots entered for the damage flow types. You can adjust this in by going to System < Lists < Repair types.

If no numbers have been entered, the customer will receive the following display:

The system will always base these time slots on what is entered in against Standard within the repair types.

Then choose damage details. You can indicate here what type of damage is involved.

After choosing a time slot, the customer will be directed to a screen to confirm the registration, job number and time slot. As soon as the customer confirms, they will receive an email to validate the confirmation (if the customer was directed to the portal from a communication within PlanManager, this additional validation is not required). The job in PlanManager will be updated with the info of the appointment.

Vehicle repair tracking

By sending a link to the Self Service Portal, customers can track the status of repairs to their vehicle. When on the landing screen of the portal, they can select View repair status.

The customer will then be required to enter their job number and vehicle registration number. If the customer follow the link sent from a communication within the PlanManager job (containing the tag [URLStatusRepair]), the customer will not be required to enter this information and we be directed straight to the repair status page – in order to see this information, a Vehicle in datemust be present within the job.

 

As soon as an adjustment is made in the job, the portal will receive an update.

Appointment will be filled in based on the appointment date. When entering the vehicle, the entry will be completed on the basis of the date. Work started can be entered on the basis of "ready for start" or on the basis of the first activity that is started in the job (configuration setting). You can determine which date is entered here by setting the following configuration:

 

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as an adjustment is made in the job, the portal will receive an update.

 

Appointment will be filled in based on the appointment date. When entering the vehicle, the entry will be completed on the basis of the date. Work started can be entered on the basis of "ready for start" or on the basis of the first activity that is started in the job (configuration setting). You can determine which date is entered here by setting the following configuration:

 

 

Vehicle finished will be completed based on the planned end date. Collection of the vehicle will be completed when you enter "date collection" in the PlanManager job.

 

Last update:
2020-07-17 16:02
Author:
Glenn De Landtsheer
Revision:
1.0
Average rating:0 (0 Votes)
 

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