Deliver Order from Chaos

I like it when customers log notes to their cases by the web using Dovetail SelfService.

I *really* like it when customers close their own cases by the web.

How do I know when this happens? By a business rule, of course.

Object Type: Case
Rule Name/Description: Notify the case owner when case is modified via the web.
Start Events: Log Note, Close Task
Cancel Events: None
Conditions: [Logger] = websupport
Action Title: Notify Case Owner
Who to Notify: [Current Owner]
Start Action: 0 minutes
From: Event Creation
Using: Elapsed Time
Repeat : Never
Message:

RE: About [Object Type] [Object ID] :: [Object Type] [Object ID]  was modified via [Logger]
[Object Type] [Object ID] was modified via [Logger].

Site: [Site Name]
Contact: [Contact First Name] [Contact Last Name]
Contact Email:  [Contact Email]

Case Title: [Title]

Additional Info:
[Addl Actlog Info]

Click the link below to view this [Object Type]:
[URL to Dovetail Agent]/console/console.asp?command=casebyid&param1=[Object ID]

For your convenience, the Case History:

[Case History]

What makes this rule cool?

1. The subject contains "About Case XXXX"

"About Case XXXX" is the expression that our EmailAgent is configured to use to identify that this email is for an existing case. So by doing a Forward on this mail, I can send to our EmailAgent address, and easily add notes back to the case without having to change the subject.

2. It contains the customer's email address

Thus I can easily copy & paste the customer's email address into the To list when doing a forward, thus easily sending a reply back to the customer from within my email client, without having to open up the Dovetail or Clarify application.

3. It includes the Case History

This is awesome. We recently added the [Case History] as a property to our system. Now, when a customer adds a note via the web, I get notified, and I have the full case history right there, without having to open up the Dovetail or Clarify application. This saves me a few minutes every time it happens.

4. It includes a link which will open the case in Dovetail Agent, in case I do need to access the application.

5. How it makes me feel

How do I feel when I've replied to a customer's support inquiry, and they close their own case with something like this:

*** CASE CLOSE 1/7/2008 10:30:13 AM websupport
Perfect. Thank you.

As Kathy Sierra would put it: Like I rule!

(Image courtesy of Kathy Sierra)

Or, in Hugh McLeod's medium:

What's your favorite business rule?