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Visual|QSM links service delivery and business objectives
Visual|QSM (early versions were called Quetzal) is a name that is synonymous
with the IT helpdesk industry. Datawatch continues to develop and distribute the
evolving solution, which began as a delivery bridge for sharing the information
required for IT support delivery. Renowned as a scalable solution offering
intuitive, problem management workflow, it has gained recognition for its ease-of-use
characteristics from leading analysts, including Ovum.
From IT to HR and Payroll, from Shared Services to Customer Service and
Support, Visual|QSM is a truly net-enabled service management solution,
providing 24/7 absolute accessibility, with anywhere, anytime support across any
environment. Visual|QSM is the solution that links every service area in an
organisation to keep the business on track. It operates in a hierarchical call
structure. This promotes improved call diagnosis and improves back-end reporting,
enabling the user to understand the root cause of problems and assisting in
maintaining a proactive service desk.
The Visual|QSM Product Suite
- Visual|QSM Server provides solid administration of all system and
operational inputs to ensure the right user and infrastructure information
is available to deliver structured IT service management.
- Visual|QSM Portal is a highly customisable service management tool that
extends the possibilities of service to its limits.
- Visual|QSM Workflow is a process management engine that allows you to
design, implement and manage all your processes such as changes to your
infrastructure in a controlled environment.
Speedy call logging to deliver an efficient service
The Visual|QSM call logging interface, allows users to log calls whilst on
the telephone. This interface utilises aids such as inventory popping, call
linking, automatic allocation, automatic SLA allocation, related calls and links
to a knowledge base. Each call created in Visual|QSM can have Call Subjects,
Multiple Service Level Targets, and Priority assigned to them.
Automatic Group Allocation is provided so that once calls are logged within
the system, they can be automatically allocated to support groups. This
automation eliminates manual intervention by the Service Desk; ultimately saving
time and resource. Furthermore, it enforces ownership of a call, leading to
speedier resolution and improved service.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
SLA discipline imposed by Visual|QSM, means problems are resolved efficiently.
Automated escalation procedures ensure that Service Level Targets (SLTs) are met
and SLAs act as performance measures for continuous service improvement. The
management of third party contractors is automatically handled by Visual|QSM's
inbuilt secondary service level target. This charts the efficiency of
contractors and enables the user to have pertinent information during future
contract negotiations.
Unlimited call escalation procedures
A service level can be assigned an alarm period - when this alarm period is
reached it can trigger several alerts in Visual|QSM. These can include email,
text messaging and Visual|QSM Icon+ to notify the user the call is assigned to,
their manager(s) and others. The same triggers can be set to notify managers of
high profile calls.
Multi level fix codes/information
Visual|QSM incorporates a drop down of pre-defined resolution codes that relate
to the call classification. This will ensure that the user gains an
understanding of root causes, enabling effective reporting on calls and the
highlighting of problems proactively. This information can then be made
available as a query within the Knowledge Base.
Bulletin board
Visual|QSM has a real-time statistical and alerting bulletin board for the IT
Service Centre Manager. This allows monitoring of key indicators such as call
volumes, adherence to SLTs, workloads, call types and other performance metrics,
so enabling proactive management of workloads and ultimately improving the
efficiency of the service.
By providing access to historical and active information Visual|QSM allows an
organisation to build pictures of customers, business departments, support group
performances, and Service Level achievements. This then empowers management to
make informed decisions about how to improve the service.
Good reporting means great business decisions
Management needs to access information easily in order to make business
decisions regarding the service. Visual|QSM's reporting is based around 42
standard reports written using Crystal Reports, whilst empowering the user to
build further reports using the Query by Example functionality.
The automation of business processes and change management is critical to the
effective delivery of the service. Change is the greatest threat to business
continuity, but if an organisation has the ability to design workflow processes
and manage change, any disruption to the business will be minimised. The
implementation of Visual|QSM Workflow will allow the user to automate their
business processes and will improve the efficiency of service delivery. It also
allows the user to identify how far a process has progressed, who has completed
which tasks, and what the timeline is for completion of the project. Aligned to
this is the ability to manage internal expectations and costs and to assess
project impact, minimising potential risks.
ITIL Compliant for best practices
ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) is the most widely accepted approach to IT
Service Management in the world. ITIL provides a cohesive framework of best
practice processes, drawn from the public and private sectors internationally
and Datawatch utilises this methodology in the delivery of service management
solutions. PRINCE (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a structured method
for effective project management. It is a de facto standard used extensively by
the UK Government and is widely recognised and used in the private sector, both
in the UK and internationally.
In delivering projects, Datawatch utilises PRINCE2 to manage the resourcing
and staging of activities. Additionally, elements of ITIL are used for
individual service modules.
Visual|QSM will help to strengthen support effectiveness, increase employee
productivity, meet business objectives and ultimately deliver better quality
services and products to your end-user.
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