Web Self Service

Web self-service is a new approach to customer relationship management CRM and employee relationship management ERM, a version of electronic support that allows customers and employees to access information and perform routine tasks over the Internet, without requiring any interaction with a representative of an enterprise.

When it is specific to Web-enabled employee interactions, the practice is known as employee self-service ESS. When it is specific to Web-enabled customers, it is called customer self-service (CSS). For employees and customers, self-service offers 24 hour-a-day support, and immediate access to information without having to wait for an email response or a returned telephone call. Ultimately, the success of Web self-service depends upon the quality and quantity of information available and the ease with which it can be accessed.

Deploying Web self-service applications benefits a company in a variety of ways. The most prominent motivation is the lower cost, as compared with telephone or email service by a company representative. According to Forrester Research, the cost of the average Web self-service session is $1, compared to $10 for an email response and $33 for a telephone call. Another, more controversial, enterprise benefit of self-service is the ability it affords the company to gather personal information about the people who use it. Users may be asked to enter identifying information, or their information can be collected in other ways, for example through examining click stream data. Tracking and analysis software may be used to create a pseudonymous profile of the user for research and targeted marketing purposes.

Technical Stuff
SOAP is a protocol for exchanging XML-based messages over computer networks, normally using HTTP/HTTPS. SOAP forms the foundation layer of the web services protocol stack providing a basic messaging framework upon which abstract layers can be built.

As a layman's example of how SOAP procedures can be used, a correctly formatted call could be sent to a Web Service enabled web site - for example, a house price database - with the data ranges needed for a search. The site could then return a formatted XML document with all the required results and associated data (prices, location, features, etc). These could then be integrated directly into a third-party site.

There are several different types of messaging patterns in SOAP, but by far the most common is the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) pattern, in which one network node (the client) sends a request message to another node (the server) and the server immediately sends a response message to the client. SOAP is the successor of XML-RPC, though it borrows its transport and interaction neutrality and the envelope/header/body from elsewhere, probably from WDDX.

Sage CRM Web Self Service

In stand alone configuration WSS compliments Sage CRM by allowing both named and anonymous users to safely access your CRM system via web forms or secure access to log cases, inquiries and access the knowledge base. When fully integrated with Sage Advantage, CRM Web Self-Service provides customers with 24/7 access to account information and sales support over the Web. Customers can receive information based on their preferences, requests and histories - this provides them with a single point of contact for information about your company and products.

Web Self-Service allows your stakeholders including clients to access shared workflow, lead-tracking, inquiries, invoices and customer information.
Sage Web Self Service (WSS) allows you to display or edit CRM data for named or anonymous Internet users. Combined with clever web design this allows us to create advanced functionality for WSS users. This can include any select set of information that is - available - to CRM.In it’s simplest form Web to Lead is included in the native 5.7 release at no additional cost. For an additional one off license fee, you can purchase a WSS license allowing for unlimited named and anonymous users. For this configuration and customisations are required to fit your specification.
In the case of CRM Works Support Page on our web site, we have exposed several of the standard tables to our WSS users, such as Leads - anonymous WSS users can create leads in the system, via Request Information.

Solutions FAQ - anonymous WSS users can view solutions marked as FAQ.
Solutions Search - Named Users can search the solutions knowledge base.
Cases - Name Users can create Cases (incidents) and also view Cases in there domain. See Report a Problem & Browse Cases.
Opportunities - Named Users can create opportunities in CRM see Request Information.
The CRM Works support page demonstrates the WSS technology and our programmers can expose any selected records, from any tables to a named or anonymous users in list mode, read only or editable.

A company could use WSS to expose their custom Subscriptions and Events systems to there external web sites, to be accessed by named or anonymous users. They could update their subscription status and make reservations.

Web Self Service and CRM Works PSG can give you access to any set of information that is available to Sage CRM according to what ever criteria you require.

	CRM Software Development		Report Writing
	Knowledge Process Outsourcing		Web Self Service
	ERP & Accounting Integration		Website Development
	Data Migration		SEO and Keyword Management

Email us for more information.