Your Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up a 'Waiting on Client' Workflow Rule That Actually Works!
Having worked as a ConnectWise Manage consultant, I have observed many partners try out a workflow rule that automatically closes a ticket after waiting for a client's response, only to find that it doesn't work as they intended. With a plethora of triggers available for workflow rules, it's crucial to comprehend their functionalities and mechanisms. In this instance of a workflow rule, I have provided a practical guide on how to generate a rule that sends an email to a contact after two days, followed by another email after five days, and ultimately closes the ticket after seven days.
Cassie Kerr
3/13/20233 min read
Penelope, a support agent, receives a request from an end-user that lacks crucial details needed to take action. She then sends an email to the contact requesting the additional information. What happens if the customer doesn't respond?
This is where a 'Pending Customer Response' workflow rule comes in handy. The rule sends automated reminder emails to the customer associated with a ticket, reminding them to provide the required information. In case the contact doesn't respond for more than seven days, the rule is configured to close the ticket and update its status to "Closed - No Response".
However, it's important to note that the trigger in this workflow uses SLA hours, meaning that one full business day may not equal 24 hours, but instead 9 hours, depending on the SLA hours. If you have multiple SLAs, the rule needs to be duplicated to cover each SLA.
It's common for partners to use the "Ticket was Last Updated X hours/days ago" trigger for their 'Pending Customer Response' workflow rule. However, this trigger can register numerous actions as updates to the ticket. For instance, if you leave a note or schedule the ticket, it tracks as an update and restarts the timer for the last update. This can result in an inaccurate measurement of the time that has elapsed since the last response.
It's crucial to ensure that the 'Pending Customer Response' workflow rule doesn't trigger if the customer has already updated the ticket. To achieve this, we recommend pairing it with another workflow rule that updates the ticket status to "Customer Updated," thereby taking it out of the 'Pending Customer Response' status.
It can be frustrating for customers to receive automated reminder emails that suggest they haven't responded to the ticket when they've already done so. By implementing this step, you can avoid such instances and ensure that your customers have a positive experience with your support process.
Moreover, many partners trigger the reminder emails only once per ticket. If the ticket goes back into the 'Pending Customer Response' status multiple times, the workflow rule won't run again, and the ticket will remain stuck in that status.
To avoid these issues, we've designed a 'Pending Customer Response' workflow rule that runs continuously. It can go through the loops of asking the customer for information and waiting for their response. By following our guide, you'll create an effective workflow rule that ensures timely reminders and ultimately helps streamline your ticket management process.
This event seeks tickets that have been in the Pending Customer Response status for over two business days, and have not been updated by the customer. The rule is set up to run continuously, checking every day, in case the ticket is updated by the customer but needs to go back into the Pending Customer Response status. The action is to send an email to the contact on the ticket.
This event seeks tickets that have been in the Pending Customer Response status for over five business days, and have not been updated by the customer. The rule is set up to run continuously, checking every day, in case the ticket is updated by the customer but needs to go back into the Pending Customer Response status. The action is to send an email to the contact on the ticket.
This event seeks tickets that have been in the Pending Customer Response status for over seven business days, and have not been updated by the customer. The rule is set up to run continuously, checking every day, in case the ticket is updated by the customer but needs to go back into the Pending Customer Response status. The action is to send an email to the contact on the ticket and change the status to Closed - No Response.
