Your Complete Guide to Service Request Management

What is service request management?

Service request management is the process of handling and fulfilling service requests from customers or end-users. This process typically involves capturing, tracking and resolving requests for services or assistance.

In organizations, service requests can come from various channels such as email, phone calls, or online portals. The service request management system is responsible for receiving these requests, categorizing them, assigning them to the relevant teams or individuals, tracking their progress, and ensuring they are resolved within the agreed timeframe.

There are different types of service requests that users can engage with including:

• Technical support
• Repairs  
• Installation or configuration of new services
• Upgrades or updates to existing services
• Requests for information or documentation

Technical support requests typically relate to resolving issues or troubleshooting, while repair requests may involve fixing or replacing faulty equipment. Requests for new services typically involve installing or configuring new systems or equipment, while upgrades or updates may involve enhancing or modifying existing services. Requests for information or documentation may involve providing advice or guidance, or supplying written materials.

The goal of service request management is to ensure that service requests from customers or end-users are handled efficiently, effectively and in a customer-centric manner. This involves capturing, tracking, and resolving service requests within the agreed timeframe, and providing a consistent and high-quality service experience to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Service request management is initiated by customers or end-users who require assistance or services typically from dedicated service teams or help desks within the organization.

What is service request management software?

Service request management software is a tool that enables businesses to manage and track service requests from customers or end-users. The software typically follows a process flow that includes several stages:

1. Request submission: The customer or end-user submits a service request through a designated channel, such as an online portal, email, or phone call.

2. Request assessment: The software automatically categorizes the request and assigns it to the relevant service team or individual. The service team assesses the request and determines the level of priority and the required actions.

3. Request fulfilment: The service team works to fulfill the request, which may involve manual or automated processes, depending on the type of request and the resources available.

• Automated/Manual: The software may automate certain tasks, such as updating the status of the request or sending notifications to the customer, while other tasks may require manual intervention, such as troubleshooting technical issues.

4. Request close: Once the service request has been fulfilled, the software updates the status of the request and closes it. The customer is typically notified that their request has been resolved and given the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience.

The actors in this process flow include the customer or end-user who submits the request, the service team or help desk who assesses and fulfills the request, and the software itself, which automates certain tasks and tracks the status of the request. The ultimate goal of service request management software is to provide a streamlined and efficient service experience that meets the needs and expectations of the customer. Below is an illustration of how this process looks like:

How does service request management look in different sectors & departments?

Service request management can look different in different sectors and departments depending on the specific needs and requirements of each organization. For example, for an IT department, service requests may relate to software or hardware issues while HR departments may relate to people and processes. However, the overall goal of service request management remains the same, which is to provide efficient and effective support to end-users. Here are some examples of what service request management looks like throughout different departments and sectors:

IT Department: IT Service Request Management

IT Service requests may include assistance with hardware or software issues, network connectivity and system upgrades. The service team may include help desk technicians, network engineers and system administrators.

• Technical support
• Maintenance & upgrades

Human Resource Department: HR Service Request Management

Human Resource Service requests may include employee onboarding, benefits administration, payroll and HR policy questions. The service team may include HR specialists, benefits administrators and payroll administrators.

• Employment agreement generation
• Employee performance evaluation

Legal Department: Legal Service Request Management

Legal Service requests may include legal research, contract review and assistance with regulatory compliance that are part of the larger ecosystem of legal service request management. The service team may include attorneys, paralegals and legal assistants.

• Contract generation
• Legal Intake & triage

Sales Department: Sales Service Request Management

Sales Service requests may include assistance with sales proposals, account management and customer inquiries. The service team may include sales representatives, account managers and customer support specialists.

• Sales proposals
• Customer support

Marketing Department: Marketing Service Request Management

Marketing Service requests may include assistance with marketing campaigns, collateral development and event planning. The service team may include marketing specialists, graphic designers, and event planners.

• Marketing collateral  
• Event planning
• Email marketing

Procurement Department: Procurement Service Request Management

Procurement Service requests may include assistance with purchasing, vendor management and procurement policy questions. The service team may include procurement specialists, purchasing agents and vendor managers.

• Vendor selection
• Equipment purchase
• Supplier evaluation

Finance Department: Finance/Accounting Service Request Management

Finance/Accounting Service requests may include assistance with budgeting, financial reporting and accounts payable/receivable. The service team may include financial analysts, accountants and accounts payable/receivable specialists.

• Tax preparation
• Payroll services
• Auditing services

What are the benefits of service request management?

Effective service request management can help businesses provide better service, improve customer satisfaction, and increase operational efficiency. There are several other benefits of service request management, including:

• Improved customer satisfaction: Businesses can quickly respond to customer requests and provide efficient service, leading to increased customer satisfaction.
• Better service quality: By tracking service requests and monitoring service levels, businesses can identify areas for improvement and implement changes to improve service quality.
• Increased productivity: Service request management software can automate certain tasks and workflows, allowing service teams to work more efficiently and effectively.
• Enhanced collaboration: Service request management software can enable service teams to collaborate and share information, leading to faster issue resolution and better service outcomes.
• Increased transparency: Service request management software can provide visibility into the status of service requests and the performance of service teams, allowing businesses to make data-driven decisions and improve service levels.
• Cost savings: By streamlining service workflows and automating certain tasks, businesses can reduce operational costs and improve resource utilization.

What are the different ways service request are handled?

There are several different ways that service requests can be handled, depending on the nature of the request and the organization's service request management processes. Here are a few examples:

Self-Service Portals

Self-service portals: Many organizations provide self-service portals that allow customers to submit service requests and track their status. Customers can often access these portals through a web interface or mobile app.

Phone or email  

Customers can also submit service requests by phone or email, depending on the organization's preferred communication channels. Service teams may use ticketing systems to track and manage these requests.

In-Person Request

Some service requests may require in-person assistance, such as repairs or installations. In these cases, customers may need to visit a physical location or schedule a service appointment.

Automated workflows

Organizations can use automation tools to handle routine service requests automatically. For example, a customer may receive an automated email response when they submit a request, or a chatbot may be able to provide assistance for common issues.

Overall, the way that service requests are handled will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of request, the organization's preferred communication channels and its service request management processes.

How can Checkbox help with service request management?

Checkbox provides a versatile service request management platform that can integrate with a variety of communication channels and automation tools to process service requests efficiently. Here's how Checkbox can use a combination of methods to process service requests:

What types of service request management solutions are available?

There are various types of service request management solutions available that cater to specific needs and processes of different departments and industries. By utilizing these solutions, organizations can streamline their service request management processes, improve efficiency, enhance customer satisfaction, and gain better insights into their operations. Here are the different types of service request management solutions that are available:

1. Helpdesk software: Manages and track customer support requests or IT service requests and includes features such as ticket tracking, escalation procedures and reporting tools.

2. IT Service management software (ITSM): Manages and automates IT service delivery and support.

3. Field management software: Optimizes field service operations. It typically includes features such as scheduling and dispatching, inventory management, and work order management.

4. Facilities management software: Manages and optimizes facilities operations in asset tracking, maintenance management and space management.  

5. Customer service management (CSM) software: Uses ticket tracking and other reporting tools to improve and optimize the customer service experience.  

6. Human resources (HR) service management software: Automates and manages HR delivery services through employee self-service and case management.  

7. Asset management software: Tracks and manages organizational assets like a company's inventory or stock.  

8. Enterprise Service management (ESM) software: Used to manage and automate service delivery across an organization. It typically includes features such as service catalog management, request management and reporting tools.

9. Helpdesk software: Used to provide customer support and issue resolution.

10. IT service management (ITSM) software: Designed to manage IT services and infrastructure.

11. Field service management software: Used to manage and optimize field service operations.

12. Facilities management software: Designed to manage buildings and facilities.

13. Request for Proposal (RFP) software: Used to manage the procurement process for goods and services.

14. Legal service request management (LSRM) software: Designed specifically for legal departments to manage legal service requests.

15. HR case management software: Used to manage employee cases and requests related to HR.

16. Intake & triage software: Used to automate the intake and triage process of service requests.

How Checkbox helps

Checkbox is a no-code platform that provides a range of tools to help automate and streamline service request management processes. Its customizable workflows, automated routing and escalation, and self-service portals help to manage and track service requests, reduce response times, and improve customer satisfaction. Checkbox's flexible platform can be used to create customized solutions for a range of service request management needs, including HR case management, legal service request management and IT service management.

Curious to learn more about how our platform can transform your contracting capabilities? Book a call with one of our technology consultants to learn more.

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