Archive for April, 2007
What is an Issue Tracking System?
An issue tracking system (ITS) is a software application that allows an enterprise to record and follow the progress of every problem or “issue” that a computer system user identifies until the problem is resolved. With an ITS, an “issue”, which can be anything from a simple customer question to a detailed technical report of an error or bug, can be tracked by priority status, owner, or some other customized criteria.
An Issue Tracking System generally provides the user with the following:
- A way to report an issue
- Track progression towards its resolution
- Know who is responsible for resolving the issue
It also allows the manager of the system to customize the tracking procedure so that unnecessary documentation on the part of the problem solvers does not become a waste of time. Many kinds of enterprises use ITS applications, including software developers, manufacturers, IT help desks, and other service providers.
Examples of Various Issue Tracking Systems:
Various companies in the world have developed their in-house systems or have purchased external systems to track issues. Examples of the issues can include:
1. Client request: The issue tracking system meant for client requests forms the key feature of a CRM.
2. Purchase requests: The issue tracking system to track and take appropriate actions on the purchase indents can be called as a enterprise-wide purchase system.
3. Project Milestones: The complexity is mega projected is managed by dividing the project into ‘SMART’ (Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic and Time bound) tasks which can then be assigned to people and continuously monitored to ensure that all is in order.
4. Knowledge Management: The issues that are raised by the employees / clients for the help desk when resolved can be put into a searchable repository where what was learn can be reapplied and the time is saved in rediscovering the wheel.
5. Document Management: With the outsourcing boom and growth of contract employment companies, opportunity has arisen in the arena of management of documents especially like resumes, where one has to search and respond fast.
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Escalation…there is someone above you!!!
In all the issue tracking systems, the main objective is bringing in accountability and transparency into the system and organization. It follows that if a system isn’t able to efficiently report the inefficiencies, the purpose is lost. This is called escalation of an issue.
Let us take a scenario. John (name changed to avoid embarrassment!) has been assigned three issues, two of which are critical and must be completed in the next 12 hours. Somehow John forgets these issues and the time’s up!!! In an ordinary scenario, he can possibly escape the hangman as he knows that his boss won’t be immediately notified. Not any more!… in an issue tracking system (like tBits) the issue will be immediately notified to his immediate boss, and now John is in big trouble! He has nowhere to hide and no excuses to give. And if his boss fails to rectify this unfortunate situation, HIS immediate boss will be notified and then John AND his boss are doomed!!
Well, this is escalation of an issue, and this is how issue tracking systems like tBits help organizations stay on the path to success and excellence. But then again, in organizations with discpline and excellence in their culture and a good issue tracking system at the helm, escalation is as rare as a dodo!!!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )tBits in Real Estate!!!
Real Estate is one of the most booming sectors in India where tBits finds wonderful applications. Be it internal workflow management in the organization or customer relationship management in order to generate satisfied and loyal customers.tBits helps organize the various activities and enhances teams’ efficiency in day to day activities.The employees in an organization can collaborate with each other through generation of various requests which may be in the form of a problem encountered or a query.Thus the various updates on a particular request help us know as to what extent has the task been completed.A manager can also have a fair idea of of the team’s achievements and work standards.All the more all this can be done by just being online!!!
Also today the market is ruled by the consumers.So dare not leave them behind.Customers can also interact with the Real estate organizations through tBits making their grievances known to the concerned authorities as well as giving valuable suggestions from time to time.This will not only help satisfy the customers but will also help organizations give better services in the long run.
So here is tBits in action in real estate…… I hear someone calling…………… 
For more details checkout www.transbittech.com
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )tBits as a Knowledge Management System!
Knowledge Management is one the applications in demand in various sectors these days. It is related to managing a knowledge pool which will not only help in gaining information regarding a particular issue but also sharing information on various fields with each other. It might be in the form of an opinion poll or a discussion forum.
tBits can very well be used as a Knowledge Management System. Here we create a domain called a Discussion Forum in which the users can give some knowledge inputs in the form of different requests. The other users can respond to that request and update them as and when they have any additional information on a particular topic mentioned as a request. Also other users can gain useful insights on a topic through this discussion forum and apply them elsewhere. Thus there is a tru n fro flow of information and a rich knowledge pool is generated in the organization for the benefit of all.
Thus tbits comes in handy for wonderful application like this in any organization.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )tBits as a Library Management System!
No wonder there are many Library Management Softwares available in the market but guess how tBits can be used as one of them!!! Due to its unique flexibility and customizable features, tBits finds applications even in this domain. Let’s see how!
The first thought that comes to our mind when we think of a library is issuing a book or returning a book back through a librarian. Now this is what we call a request generation in the language of tBits. A librarian when logs into tBits can view all the requests of books to be issued to different users. Thus through the updated information about books a librarian can issue a book to the user or come to know about the due date of return of any book. Thus a circulation domain can be well maintained through tBits.
Apart from this we can also create an acquisition domain wherein various requests can be generated and worked upon regarding acquisition of new books in the library.
In service oriented companies where the employees need to refer to various national and international standards, tBits can be used to prepare a catalogue of such standards for the users. This can be updated from time to time as well.
Thus we see how useful can tBits be as a Library Management Tool as well. Hats off to this brilliant product!!!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Do Companies require Issue Tracking?
Every organization comes across issues that are raised by internal & external clients including employees. These issues vary from client product feature requests, support requests, non-compliance reports, audit action items, software bugs, meeting action items, Project tasks etc.
In various organizations, these issues have been tracked either by excel sheets or “reply all” email messages. So Excel sheet can be used as a crude issue tracking system. Emails are means and devices of raising, responding and closing issues. No doubt, the crude methods work many a times but have several disadvantages including the following:
1. Information asymmetry occurs and people take decisions on the basis of limited information as they don’t know the current status of tasks, issues etc as a result the organization as a whole suffers.
2. No central repository is maintained about what can be learnt from these issues.
3. Re-usability of knowledge is not there and wheel is many times re-invented.
4. No specific measurable and achievable daily work plan is available to employees about tasks to be completed today.
5. Some issues may get delay leading to customer dissatisfaction, delayed project completion, or simply forgotten in everyday work maze.
6. As workload pressure increases the interaction turns into a chaos.
All these things would lead to things like loss in productivity, no accountability, no transparency, issues not being tracked and no one acting on them. All these things are just the beginning of an impending doom for the organization. This is primarily because routing the communication through the proper channel and keeping a track of each and every issue is one of the most important criteria of any successful organization.So its beyond doubt that any organization must have an issue tracking system.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 4 so far )tBits now compatible with main free email systems
Since tBits sends the beautiful mail and also accepts the replies, it becomes mandatory that tBits should be compatible with most of the free mail servers like:
- Gmail
- Yahoo
- MSN Hotmail
- Rediff
And with the email viewers:
- Microsoft Outlook 2002/2003
- Outlook Express
- Mozilla Thunderbird
- Squirrelmail
Now, users can view the beautifully formatted notifications mail in such all such viewers and systems. They can also reply using such systems.
The only problem is some email systems modify the actual content while composing the reply message such as:
“xyz wrote:”
“——Original Message—-”
In such cases, tBits just adds this line at the end of new reply.
Some even put an ‘>’ infront of the original message in reply. Thats the problem.
In such cases, although tBits appends the reply to appropriate request but also put the full content prefix by ‘>’.
Seems like sometimes creativity leads to the randomness:)
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )tBits On Demand
Quite often the small firms cannot really afford the basic infrastructure reuired for implementation of any new system. Like in case implementation of any application you usually require a server, paying for latest upgrades, security applications etc. So it is quite difficult for smaller firms to invest in such an application. Because the cost implications are quite high. So even if the application is good hey might be reluctant to invest money in such a set up.
A solution to all this could be on demand access. Here the organization has to pay only for its usage. i.e. if it wants to use it for aa month they only pay for the access for that period. Here the advantages are as follows:
- it does not have to invest in its IT infrastructure
- it doesnt have to pay for updrades and security applications
- it can easily access the latest versions
Because all the upgradations, latest versions, security applications can easily be hosted online. However customers might be concerned about its security applications. But it would be worth while knowing that whenever any application is hosted online they have extrmeley stringent security checks. This is beacuse any good web hosting server is primarily known for its robustness and security that it offers. So probably if it is hosted online it would be more secure than hosting it online.
This obviously helps a lot for the small firms. It indeed would be benificial for users who require the application for a limited time frame both in terms of cost as well as infrastrucure!!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )tBits online a win win for all!!
Now wherever we have implemented tBits online, it has been of tremendous use to all the people accessing the same. They can access it from any place. It so often used to happen that the concerned people were absolutely clueless about what is happening about any particular issue. As tBits was installed in their internal servers. People insisted on hosting tBits in their internal server because they were concerned about the security issues. But that is just a myth. Whenever you host your server online it is very safe ie your data is absolutley secure. But its some kind of a mental block that people have of hosting it online. It is only when they realise its advantages that they think of going online. Same has happened with most of our customers. When they realised the benifits of hostin it online, only then have they decided to host their server online. So now we make it a point that whenever we pitch in any organisation we stress on hosting it online. And one more advantage is that the support can be provided online. So we dont have to go to the customer place. So its like a win win situation for both, our customer as well as the tBits team!!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )Uh! Mail relay limitation
We are running tBits instances for our customers on our servers which are dedicated hosting from one of the biggest hosting provider.
This hosting servers had limitations on email Id’s. Some 50 relay per day. Urgh! thats crazy.
So I installed my own mail server (james – an amazing server written in java. I am really thankful to these guys. Will definitely donate once I start making profit.). It still has to go through their server but they told me that there is no relay limitation this way and I didnt believe them so I sent around 600 mails. It worked. I was happy.
But today I discovered that there is a limitation of 1000 relays. One tBits instance can’t send more then 1000 mails in a day!! Strange!
I need to figure out a solution. If you have any idea, kindly post a comment. It will be really a great help.
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