Overview
Dispatch is our "call center" module, meant for internal call centers. It can be used for globally searching contacts within the brand as well as scheduling appointments and more. There is also a Dispatch Queue for following up on proposals and other tasks. For instance, new leads from your website can be auto-added to the queue for operators to nurture.
Several brands on serviceminder have their own internal call centers, which use Dispatch for booking appointments, creating proposals and more. External/3rd party call centers will most likely use our API to integrate.
We do not handle the processes or procedures of call centers within serviceminder; it is up to the brand to set up the partnership and work flow based on their requirements.
If the Dispatch icon and grid are not visible to the User, then that User does not have the proper permissions to view/access Dispatch. Consult User Permissions to troubleshoot.
Settings and Navigation
The first step is to configure the Dispatch Module. Go to Dashboard>Tools>Dispatch.
Click on Settings at the top right.
Here is where the Brand manages the various facets of Dispatch:
- General Setting - What is the desired sorting? Warehouse location (of the organizations) or Closest Postal Code?
- Phone System Integrations- If your brand wants your phone system to work better with Dispatch (Five9 is for illustrative purposes only)
- Dispositions - Here, a Brand Admin may choose the dispositions for various Dispatch Queue items. Click "Add" to add a new one, "Edit" or "Delete" to edit or delete
- Statuses - Again, a Brand may choose different statuses for Dispatch Queue items. This grid works just as the Dispositions grid.
- SAVE - Save your settings.
Once the dispatch settings are done, Dispatch Users may be created.
Dispatch Users
A Dispatch user has special limited permissions, which means that user may operate ONLY in the Dispatch module. Set up Dispatch Users in Control Panel>Users. Dispatch users will not be booked for appointments, so no service agent needs to be created for a Dispatch User.
Of course, a Brand Admin may give Dispatch users permission overrides for other parts of the system. It's a best practice to review the standard permissions for this role before launching a Dispatch program.
Dispatch Campaigns
Dispatch Campaigns are built in the "back end" by the ServiceMinder team. Much like Drip campaigns, a Dispatch Campaign can have any number of steps which allows a specified time delay with a corresponding action, to move items in the queue to a higher prominence, or create tasks. With Dispatch Campaigns, the API can be used to add contacts to the callback queue (the most common campaign action)
Callback Campaigns are typically designed for capturing leads brought in via API, but manually entered leads can be added to the campaign using drips.
How to Use Dispatch
Dispatch is located in the left navigation panel (to users with permission). A new Dispatch user, logging in for the first time, will see a Search screen. When a call comes in, the Dispatch user can enter the caller's postal code and/or name to get results, i.e. a list of Organizations (or just one Organization) associated with that contact or postal code.
Dispatch distance is based on how far from the org's warehouse address to the Contact's postal code, OR the closest owned postal code to that Contact. (See settings above)
When a Dispatch user enters a ZIP/Postal Code, the organization(s) that owns the postal code will be displayed. Or, if no one owns that ZIP/postal code, Dispatch displays the closest organization to the entered postal code.
Highlighted Organizations from the postal query (see below) are organizations that OWN that particular postal code. The other results are organizations in the area. The point here is that a Dispatch instance can search multiple brands on serviceminder (brands on which the Dispatch user is a member.)
As mentioned above, the Dispatch User may search a contact name, or a particular organization name, as well. Depending on permissions, Dispatch users may be booking appointments, creating proposals, internally accepting proposals and more.
Depending on Brand settings, a Dispatch Queue will be at the top of the Dispatch screen, once campaigns are set up and Leads are coming in via the API and/or from the organizations. The Dispatch Queue may also be used for one Dispatch User to assign a Task to another Dispatch User.
Leads that come in via any API integration can also be dropped into the callback queue, tied to a Callback Campaign.
Call vs. Close
Clicking "Call" is just that - the Dispatch agent will place a call to the contact.
"Close" takes the Contact off the Dispatch Queue. The agent may add a note, which will be saved on the contact record.
More Dispatch Functions
From the Queue, Click "Call" , then "View Contact"
Here, the agent is taken to the additional functionality. They may create a proposal, schedule an appointment, send a message, etc.
This is also where notes can be entered regarding the call, or where a "result," "disposition" or "status" can be updated.
Recap
What Can Dispatch Do?
Search for organizations and contacts by postal code or name.
Select a contact to view details and scheduling options. Schedule an Appointment. Create a Proposal.
What Can Dispatch Not Do?
While Dispatch is a useful feature in a number of ways, there are certain functionalities not available. Many of these enhancements are on the development roadmap. These include:
- The Dispatch tool doesn’t currently support bundling. The Dispatch Agent will have to have access within that org and do it within that specific location (rather than using the Dispatch view).
- The Dispatch tool doesn't currently allow for mapping or measuring of an area the way a User can adding or editing a Contact.
- The Dispatch Queue doesn't have the same filter capabilities as the Contacts Grid.
- Dispatch cannot text individual Contacts.
- There are no Dispatch-specific notifications.
Other Dispatch-Related Shortcodes
Other actions include adding to Five9 lists, doing HTTP GET operations and doing HTTP POST operations, both of which support any contact shortcodes in the Url or the Payload (for HTTP POST). A summary of the configuration of campaign callback step settings are shown below:
| Ordinal | Action | Settings JSON |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Queue |
|
| 1 | Five9 | { ListName: "xxx" } |
| 2 | HTTP GET | { UrlTemplate: "xxx" } |
| 3 | HTTP POST | { UrlTemplate: "xxx", PayloadTemplate: "" } |
FAQs
Is there any way to set a reminder for the call center? So we can have a list of leads we need to follow up on?
Yes, in Dispatch they can create tasks and they can be assigned to a dispatch user (instead of a franchisee location user) that will set reminders for them and those show up in the dispatch queue if date/time is set on them.
Can Dispatch Agents pull reports?
By default, Dispatch does not have access to reporting. To view reports they have to be a User , with proper permissions, in the organization.
How do I set up a queue for Dispatch?
This is entirely built by the SM team. You need to tell us:
- The name of the campaign
- What you want the status / dispositions to be.
- What you want the steps to be. For instance, call every 3 days or once a day until the 3rd day then every-other day for 7 days, etc.).
How do I forward my office number to the call center?
We do not handle that part of the process. Depending on which call center you use, you will need to ask them how to set that up. We can set up the API integration and create the Dispatch callback queue for you.
Where does the "send message" in Dispatch go?
If someone in Dispatch sends a message, it goes to the main organization's inbox. This is the email address found in Control Panel > General for a location.
Troubleshooting
The call center is scheduling for times that no one is available.
There could be a number of issues with the way the schedule is set up. This usually means that you have teams or agents set up showing availability that isn't really there. You may need to edit one or more Service Agents' availability.
If the appointments are in the Queue and not on the calendar, then the call center may be told to that by your brand. Being in the queue does not mean a double-booking, it is a process the call center may use to allow you to review, approve, or edit an appointment time before making it official. You may have to call a customer back to reschedule if the promised time is not available.
The call center says that they can't see availability for my Service Agent, but I checked and I have hours set for my availability.
Check your User. You may have the Slot Searching turned on. If that box is checked, Dispatch (call center) cannot see you.
I want the call center to schedule in Team mode but they keep scheduling in Agent mode instead.
Through Dispatch, the Dispatch Agent only sees the parts, services, schedule, or calendar view of the owner that they are scheduling on behalf of. If you have your calendar set on Agent mode, they see it in Agent mode. If you switch back and forth between Agent Mode and Team Mode (we do NOT recommend this), they will see whatever you happen to have it as in that moment.
Switching from Agent Mode to Teams Mode causes all kinds of scheduling issues. We recommend finding what will works best and sticking to it.
