Support System Implementation - Project Details / Task List
Tag: support-system
Total Hours: 50h
Structure: Single Milestone (<=50h)
Milestone: Support System Implementation
Description: A technical implementation project that deploys a centralized support platform to manage customer communications across multiple channels, with integrated ticketing workflows, self-service capabilities, and CRM connectivity.
Task List: (Support System) 1. Assessment & Platform Setup
Contains: Parts 1-2
| Task | Est | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Audit Current Support Operations | 2.5h | Evaluate existing support processes, tools, and pain points to establish baseline metrics and identify gaps. End state: Gap analysis document showing current state vs. desired capabilities. • Pull support volume data from current inbox/system (last 90 days of tickets/emails) • Document current channels used (email, chat, phone, social) and response time averages • Interview 2-3 support reps on daily workflow pain points and workarounds • Interview 1-2 customer success managers on handoff issues and visibility gaps • Map current escalation paths (who handles what, how bugs get to engineering) • Quantify gaps (e.g., "No SLA tracking, 40% of tickets lack customer context") |
| 2. Define Support Requirements & Success Criteria | 2h | Establish clear requirements for the support system based on business needs and stakeholder input. End state: Requirements document with prioritized features and KPI targets. • Define support channels to implement (email, live chat, help center, social, voice) • Determine internal users and permission levels (Support, CS, Product, Sales access) • Establish target SLAs by priority level (e.g., P1: 1hr response, 4hr resolution) • Set success KPIs with baseline and target (CSAT, first response time, resolution time) • Document integration requirements (CRM, product tools, Slack, Jira) • Get stakeholder sign-off on requirements and budget range |
| 3. Evaluate and Select Platform | 3h | Compare support platform options against requirements and select the best fit. End state: Platform selected with procurement initiated. • Create evaluation scorecard based on requirements (channels, integrations, AI, pricing) • Evaluate top options: Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, HelpScout, Front • Request demos and trial accounts for top 2-3 candidates • Compare on: CRM integration depth, self-service capabilities, pricing model transparency • Document pros/cons for each with recommendation rationale • Present recommendation to stakeholders and get budget approval |
| 4. Set Up Platform Account and Brand Customization | 2.5h | Create the support platform account and configure company branding and basic settings. End state: Platform account live with branded appearance and business hours configured. • Create admin account and invite initial admin users • Configure company profile (name, logo, brand colors) • Set up business hours and holiday schedules • Configure timezone settings for global teams (if applicable) • Customize chat widget appearance to match brand guidelines • Set up subdomain for help center (e.g., help.company.com) |
| 5. Configure User Roles and Permissions | 2h | Establish user hierarchy and access controls for different team roles. End state: Role structure defined with appropriate permissions for each team. • Define role hierarchy: Admin, Supervisor, Agent, Light Agent, Read-only • Create custom roles for cross-functional access (CS viewing tickets, Product viewing feedback) • Set permissions by role (ticket assignment, deletion, reporting access) • Configure group structure (Support Tier 1, Tier 2, Billing, Technical) • Enable SSO/SAML integration if required by client security policy • Document role matrix for client admin reference |
| 6. Set Up Support Channels | 3h | Configure all customer communication channels to flow into the unified support inbox. End state: All channels connected and routing tickets to the platform. • Configure email forwarding ([email protected] → platform) • Set up email signatures and auto-acknowledgment messages • Install and configure live chat widget on website/app • Configure chat availability hours and offline message handling • Set up optional channels: social messaging (Facebook, Twitter), WhatsApp, SMS • Test each channel end-to-end with sample submissions |
Task List: (Support System) 2. Workflows & Integrations
Contains: Parts 3-4
| Task | Est | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 7. Design Ticket Classification System | 2.5h | Create the taxonomy for categorizing and prioritizing tickets. End state: Ticket fields, categories, and priority levels configured. • Define ticket categories/types (Bug Report, Feature Request, Billing, How-To, Account Issue) • Create custom ticket fields for client-specific tracking (Product Area, Customer Tier) • Set up priority levels with definitions (P1: System Down, P2: Major Impact, P3: Minor, P4: Question) • Create tags for common issues and trends (churn-risk, upsell-opportunity, bug-confirmed) • Configure dropdown fields vs. free text based on reporting needs • Document field definitions for agent training guide |
| 8. Configure Assignment & Routing Rules | 3h | Set up automated ticket assignment based on type, priority, and agent skills. End state: Tickets automatically routed to correct team/agent. • Define assignment logic: round-robin, load-balanced, or skill-based • Create triggers for auto-assignment based on ticket type/channel • Set up escalation rules (auto-escalate after X hours without response) • Configure VIP/high-value customer routing to senior agents • Build routing for specific keywords (billing → finance team, bug → technical team) • Test routing with sample tickets across all scenarios |
| 9. Implement SLA Policies | 2.5h | Configure SLA timers and breach notifications to enforce response/resolution targets. End state: SLAs active with automatic tracking and breach alerts. • Create SLA policies by priority level (P1: 1hr response/4hr resolution) • Set up SLA breach warning notifications (at 75% of time elapsed) • Configure breach notifications to supervisors and Slack channels • Define business hours vs. 24/7 SLA application rules • Create SLA-based views for agents (tickets approaching breach) • Document SLA definitions for customer-facing communications |
| 10. Build Automation Rules & Macros | 3h | Create automations for common workflows and macros for frequent responses. End state: Automations reducing manual work, macros available for agents. • Build auto-close rules for inactive tickets (no response after 7 days) • Create auto-tagging based on keywords in ticket content • Set up satisfaction survey triggers (on ticket resolution) • Build 10-15 macros for common responses (password reset, feature request logged, etc.) • Create internal escalation macros (escalate to Tier 2, escalate to Engineering) • Test all automations with sample ticket flows |
| 11. Integrate with CRM System | 3.5h | Connect support platform to Salesforce/HubSpot to surface customer context on tickets. End state: Customer data flowing into support platform, tickets visible in CRM. • Install native integration (Zendesk for Salesforce, Intercom-HubSpot sync) • Configure field mapping: Account Name, ARR, CSM, Customer Tier, Renewal Date • Set up bidirectional sync (tickets create activities in CRM) • Enable agent sidebar showing customer 360 view • Test with sample accounts to verify data accuracy • Document sync frequency and troubleshooting steps |
| 12. Configure Slack & Internal Communication Integration | 2h | Set up Slack integration for ticket notifications and cross-team collaboration. End state: Key tickets posting to Slack, agents can respond from Slack. • Install Slack integration and authenticate • Create channels for ticket notifications (#support-alerts, #critical-issues) • Configure notification rules (P1 tickets → #critical-issues, bug tags → #engineering-bugs) • Enable ticket-to-thread functionality for collaboration • Set up on-call notifications for after-hours P1 tickets • Test notification flow end-to-end |
| 13. Set Up Product & Engineering Integrations | 2.5h | Connect support platform to Jira/Linear for bug escalation and product feedback. End state: Bugs escalate to engineering queue, feedback tagged for product. • Install Jira/Linear integration and configure project mapping • Create ticket-to-issue workflow (agent clicks "Escalate to Engineering") • Map ticket fields to issue fields (priority, description, customer impact) • Set up bidirectional sync (engineering status updates reflect in ticket) • Create product feedback tagging workflow for feature requests • Test bug escalation with sample tickets |
Task List: (Support System) 3. Self-Service & Rollout
Contains: Parts 5-6
| Task | Est | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 14. Design Help Center Structure | 2h | Create the information architecture and design for the self-service knowledge base. End state: Help center structure defined with category hierarchy. • Define top-level categories (Getting Started, Account & Billing, Features, Troubleshooting) • Create subcategories based on common ticket themes from audit • Design help center homepage layout and navigation • Configure search settings and suggested articles • Set up branding (logo, colors, fonts) matching company style • Plan initial article list (20-30 articles targeting top ticket drivers) |
| 15. Create Initial Knowledge Base Content | 4h | Write and publish the first batch of help articles targeting highest-volume topics. End state: 20-30 articles published covering top support issues. • Analyze top 10 ticket categories from audit for article prioritization • Write 15-20 how-to articles for common tasks and features • Write 5-10 troubleshooting articles for common issues • Create 3-5 getting started/onboarding guides • Add screenshots and videos where helpful • Set up article feedback mechanism (Was this helpful? Yes/No) |
| 16. Configure AI Answer Bot (Optional) | 2h | Enable AI-powered article suggestions to deflect tickets before they're created. End state: AI bot active suggesting articles before ticket submission. • Enable Answer Bot / Fin AI in platform settings • Configure bot triggers (on chat initiation, before ticket submission) • Train bot on knowledge base content • Set up human handoff rules (when bot should escalate to agent) • Configure bot tone and personality to match brand • Test bot responses and refine suggested articles |
| 17. Conduct Support Team Training | 2h | Train support agents and supervisors on the new platform and workflows. End state: Team trained and confident using the system. • Schedule 60-90 minute training session for all support staff • Cover: ticket handling workflow, macros, escalation paths, SLA expectations • Walk through customer lookup and CRM context features • Practice sessions with test tickets in sandbox • Create quick-reference guide (PDF or internal wiki page) • Record training session for new hire onboarding |
| 18. Execute Soft Launch | 2.5h | Launch the system with a limited scope to validate configuration before full rollout. End state: System tested in production with real tickets. • Enable support system for internal users only (dogfooding) • Expand to subset of customers (10-20% or specific segment) • Monitor ticket flow, routing accuracy, and SLA tracking • Gather agent feedback on workflow friction points • Adjust automations, macros, and routing based on real usage • Document issues and fixes for go-live checklist |
| 19. Execute Full Rollout | 2h | Launch the support system to all customers with communication and cutover plan. End state: All customers using new support system. • Create customer communication announcing new support channels • Update website/app with new chat widget and help center links • Redirect old support email to new platform • Monitor ticket volume and response times closely for first 48 hours • Have escalation plan ready for launch issues • Confirm all channels operating correctly post-launch |
| 20. Hand Off to Client Operations | 3h | Transfer system ownership and documentation to client team. End state: Client self-sufficient with admin access and runbooks. • Transfer admin credentials and document account ownership • Deliver configuration documentation (settings, automations, integrations) • Create runbook for common admin tasks (add user, update SLA, create macro) • Provide troubleshooting guide for common issues • Schedule 30-day check-in for optimization review • Close out project and transition to ongoing support if applicable |
Summary
- Total Task Lists: 3 (consolidated from 6 Parts)
- Total Tasks: 20 (one per Step)
- Total Hours: 50h
- Generated from: playbook_support-system-implementation.md
- Generated on: 2025-12-31