Understanding Customer Self-Service Setup

Several aspects of a self-service site are controlled by characteristics of the user ID that provides site access. When users first access a site, they are logged on to the site with a guest ID. This guest ID is specified in the site's configuration properties file or defined on the query string of the uniform resource locator that one uses to access the site. By setting up multiple guest IDs with different characteristics, you can create multiple self-service sites.

For example, you may want to create an English site and a Spanish site. Or you may want to create a European site that uses a European business unit, and a U.S. site that uses a U.S. business unit. You might even want to create multiple European sites that use different languages but that all point to the same European business unit. To accomplish all of this, create multiple guest IDs with the appropriate characteristics.

If you set up multiple guest IDs, the self-service sign in page enables users to switch between guest IDs. For example, if you set up guest IDs for different languages and use language names as IDs descriptions, then visitors can select from a list of languages. The system stores the label for the field that visitors use to select a guest ID in the message catalog to make it easy for you to change the label to suit your business needs.

A self-service user registers in one of these three ways, each of which is secured differently:

1. Existing customer.

   Customers who already exist in the system can add a self service user login for their account. To do so, they must enter information that you define to identify them as a current customer. After the system verifies their status, they must enter only a password to establish a self-service user ID. The system obtains other information from their existing customer record.

2. New customer.

   This is for new self service users who can be consumers or businesses. You must set up a guest account to handle each type of user that might register for self service because new user logins take their defaults from the guest account.

   Security is controlled by the privileges that you establish and assign to guest user IDs. A user first signs on using a guest ID that you provide. When the user registers, the system clones the currently active guest ID and all its access privileges to create the new user ID, and then creates the necessary customer or consumer record in the CRM database.

3. Contact of an existing customer company.

   A contact of an existing company can register as a business user who represents a customer company by entering a key that you define and provide to them.

To register, users are required to read and accept terms of service and a privacy policy that you set up.

Registered users (but not guest users) use the Contact Us page to send messages to you. When customers send messages, they select from a list of subjects and topics (subcategories of subjects) that you define to identify the message subject. When the customer submits the message, the system:

• Captures the message as an interaction that is visible through the 360-Degree View and other interaction lists.

• Notifies designated people that the message is submitted.

The system determines whom to notify based on the workflow action that you associate with the subject and topic of the message. The workflow action also determines whether notifications are sent to worklists or to email addresses.

Worklist notifications automatically include a link to the Interaction page; email notifications include a link only if the email template is so configured. The PeopleSoft-delivered CONTACT US FORM email template includes this link.

To take maximum advantage of interaction functionality, use the 360-Degree View to manage all follow-up communications. Using the 360-Degree View ensures that the system captures all follow-up communications as interactions. A direct email response bypasses the system and is not captured as an interaction.

Self-service users can register products online through PeopleSoft Customer Self-Service and 360-Degree View. When a customer signs in and selects to register a product, the system populates the Product Registration page with two lists:

• Existing products

  The Existing Products section of the Product Registration page lists installed products that are already registered and their registration dates. Users click a registered product link to update the registration information or select an unregistered product to register.

• New products

  Contains product catalogs, a product list, or both. The customer uses these to locate the product to register.In addition to registering products that already have installed products that are created for them, users can also use product catalogs to register new products. Product catalogs group products in a hierarchical fashion, which provides simple navigation for users to locate new products. As an administrator, you select product catalogs from the system to appear in the New Product section of the Product Registration page. Users can then drill down on any listed catalog to look for the products they want to register without having to remember and enter product names. You can also set up new catalogs that are specific for product registration. When users submit the registration, the system creates new installed products with the Installed status for products that users select from the new product list. For registered products, users select from the existing product list. The system updates the associated installed products with the information (date of registration, serial ID, and so on) that it collects from the product registration. You can specify what installed product fields are available for display or editing on the Product Registration - Product Registration Details page. You can also configure the system to display only installed products of certain statuses. This enables you to limit the registration process to installed products for which product registration makes sense; for example, if you don't want users to register an installed product that is canceled or uninstalled. Only registered users can register products through PeopleSoft Customer Self-Service.