Order versus Start / Stop
There are two different ways to start service for a customer:
- As described under definitions, you can use the order transaction to start service.
- Alternatively, you can use start / stop.
| Issue | Order | Start / Stop |
|---|---|---|
| New customer setup | Information about the new customer can be entered on the order page. A person / account will be setup when the order is completed. | A new person and account must be setup prior to using start / stop. |
| Updates to existing person information | Changes to a customer's existing account and/or person info may be entered on the order page. The related person and/or account will be updated when the order is completed. | Start / stop cannot be used to update person or account information. Rather, you must transfer to the person or account page and make the necessary changes. |
| Incomplete orders | The order transaction allows you to record person information and hold it without starting service. The customer can call back in the future and you can continue where you left off. | You cannot leave a start half-finished - you either have to complete the start or cancel it. |
| Stop current service, start new service | The order transaction does not currently provide a mechanism for stopping service (it can only be used to start service). | Start / stop can be used to stop a customer's current service and start new service. |
| Changes after completion | An order cannot be modified after it is completed. Any changes (cancellations prior to starting service, changes of the start date, etc.) must be performed using the start / stop transaction. | The start / stop transaction allows you to cancel and make changes to pending start contracts. |
| Address changes | Address changes entered on the order transaction are applied when an order is completed (i.e., when a package is selected). They are not held awaiting contract activation. | When you enter an address change on the start / stop transaction, this address changed is saved until the first pending start or stop is activated. This means that the address change is effectively held until the start / stop is activated. |
Based on the above, we'd recommend the following:
- We'd recommend using the order transaction to start service. If customers typically stop and start service in tandem, we'd recommend the following steps:
-
- Stop the customers existing service using start / stop.
- When you select the appropriate campaign, you'll be transferred to the order transaction where you can start the desired package for the customer.