The contact types code option is available from the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Miscellaneous options menu is where you can create, amend and delete contact type codes. The contact type code is used to identify which type of contact has been made with a customer or prospect. How ever this is not it's sole purpose as contact type codes can be set up in such a way that on going contact with the customer can be planned and time scales determined from the time the first contact is made with the customer. A contact type code may be better described as an activity code. How a contact code is set up is entirely dependent on what you are trying to achieve and what you want to be able to do, as well as the reason the contact code is being created. Standard codes are provided with the system.
One of the benefits of having different codes for different types of contacts is to analyse contacts by type and compare the number of such contacts by sales executive over a given period of time, and the relationship between the different types of contact, for example enquiries to demonstrations, to quotations, to orders. You will only have access to this option if you are a priority five user or above.
The contact type form has two tabs. The first tab Detail, allows you to create, amend, delete or view contact type codes. The second tab Detail 2, allows further control of the way that the contact code is followed up.
Contact Type: This is an up to 3 character identifier for the contact code. This can include characters other than the regular alpha/numeric ones. You can click on the ellipsis to search for an existing contact code or enter a code to see if it has already been created. If you make a selection from an ellipsis search all of the fields will be unavailable until you elect to either amend or create using the copy facility.
Group: The group code is used to group together contact types. It also allows for further analysis on the contacts being made The code entered should be a valid entry from the contact code groups file and can be selected using the ellipsis search on this field.
Note:for a more detailed explanation of contact groups please use the link in the related topics section.
DescriptionThis is a description of what the contact code is. You can use up to thirty characters. It helps to describe the type of contact made with the customer and also helps you to select the correct code
Type: This field advises you of the form of contact. You can select the type from the drop down menu to the side of this field. The types you can select these types are:
- N this stands for Normal and is used for general contact types.
- C this is for complaint contact codes.
- S This is for CSI (customer satisfaction) contact types.
Note: the type you choose to put against the contact code will effect the way the contacts created using that code will be viewed in the customer contacts screen.
Follow up grid The information entered into this grid will determine the number of days and hours before the contact is due to be followed up. The follow up time and date created against the contact will depend on the strength of the contact when created. The follow up days and hours can be the same for all contact strengths. It is not necessary for both the follow up days and hours fields to be populated as follow-ups can be created on a basis of just hours or days. If no follow up is required for any strength then all of these parameters should be left as zero. You are able to choose to not follow up particular strengths of contact. For example you may decide that if a contact was weak not to follow that line of contact up, in this case all you need to do is leave that contact strength as zero for the days and hours and this will automatically close the contact chain.
Contact Sheet inclusion this is referring to the contact sheets, the field prompt is asking whether this contact type should cause a contact sheet to be printed out on the day that this is due to be followed up. If it should then this parameter should be set to a tick which can be done by either pressing 'Y' on the key board or clicking on the field. If the parameter is not set (No) then not only will a contact sheet not be produced, but also the code will not be displayed when using the search facility when recording contact history. It will however be shown as a possible follow-up type. An example of a non-contact sheet type code would be something like a standard mass mail letter such as a service or MOT reminder where the letter is driven by a report generator and not sent interactively or recorded manually. This parameter will exclude the mass created contacts from the performance Statistics.
Followup Code This can be selected using the ellipsis search next to the field. If the next stage, or follow-up to this contact type, on a chain reaction basis, is invariably going to be the same, then that type of follow-up contact should be entered here. When the contact recording system is used this will present the default follow-up type. The operator will be able to over-ride the default suggestion where it is not valid. If however the follow-up is truly variable then this field is best left blank.
Tip: It is a good idea to plan your contact chain before you start and create any followup codes that you might need first so linking the contact codes together is then easier.
Vehicle contact This parameter, like the Contact Sheet inclusion is a 'Y' for Yes or leave blank for the No option. It will determine when recording a contact against a customer, whether or not the contact record should also be linked to a vehicle. If this parameter is set to 'Y', then when recording this type of contact, a vehicle record number will be mandatory before the contact can be saved. If the parameter is unset then the Vehicle link field on the contact record will be disabled.
Department This field contains the Department for which the contact code is valid, if the contact code is specific to one Department. If it is valid form more than one Department then this should be left blank. The Department can be selected using the ellipsis search next to the field.
Create courtesy call when using this code to follow-up
Note: This field is only available if you have the call centre software on your system
If you have the call centre software installed on your system you will have several options of how you can set this field. The field can be set to Y, R or N
If 'Y' Yes is selected on the contact type it is not possible to stop a specific contact record generating a courtesy call. (e.g. all DEM - test drives get a call-back to ascertain that it was carried out satisfactorily).
If 'R' is selected (Choose at runtime) the user will be given the option to choose if a courtesy call will be generated or not. An additional field will appear on the contact form, user can select Yes or No to create a courtesy call.
If 'N' (Never) is selected, the field will be hidden on the contact form, and functionality will remain as it was previously.
The contact chain display shows you the associated with the contact type code that you are creating. This will only be populated when the Followup code has been entered. Once the followup code has been entered then the complete contact chain will be display in the form. Not only will it show the contact type code being created and its immediate follow-up but the rest of the chain beyond that. You cannot edit this form.
Force Follow-up code: Click on 
to select one of three options.
1. Default the follow-up code (it can be changed). If this option is taken, when a contact is created, the follow-up code is set in the details tab by default. However the user will be able to change this to an alternative follow-up code as needed.
2. Follow up code must be used. If this option is taken when a contact is created, the follow-up code is enforced, the follow-up executive and follow-up time will be editable.
3. Follow-up code is for chain linking only. If this option is taken when a contact is created you will be able to specify a follow-up code that is not used by default. You can create a contact chain based on the contact code but when contacts are being created the system will not show any actual predicted contact chains until the follow-up code is entered at this point the actual/predicted contact chain will be populated with the following chain.
Contact method: The contact method allows you to determine the method of contact with the customer. This is only a guide and will still allow you to save the contact even if the contact method had not been carried out. The additional flexibility of these options allows for those customers who do not have the possibility of the contact method or where there is TPS protection etc. There is a field on the contact form called action which is populated by the option selected and in some cases the format to be used. Click on to select one of seven options. (not all options will be visible it will depend on your system set up)
0. No Action Specified. Select this option to allow you to use the contact code with out being advised on how the contact with the customer should be made. On the contact form there will be additional tabs or icons at the point where the contact can be saved
1. Compose RTF Letter: Select this option and another field will be opened prompting you for the file name of the letter to be used. If you do not enter a file name here you will be able to select the letter at the time of creating the contact. When a contact is created with this contact method the contact form will have a letter icon button
2.Open Showroom Enquiry: This method will launch a Showroom enquiry when clicking on the followup icon, allowing the user to continue to the next stage of the enquiry. Example, Creating a Showroom enquiry and printing a (Quote) will produce a QOT contact that has a follow-up contact of ORD (Order) with a contact method of "2" , when following up the contact this will show the Showroom enquiry and allow the user to produce a Showroom order.
3. Send an email: Select this option that will allow you to send an e-mail message at the time of creating a contact using the contact code. When in the contact form you will have a mail button appear and an extra tab appear on the form titled Send an email by clicking on the button or the tab you are able to create the email message. The email address will default in from the customer record.
4. Send an SMS: Select this option that will allow you to send an SMS message at the time of creating a contact using the contact code. When in the contact form you will have a SMS button appear and an extra tab appear on the form titled Send an SMS by clicking on the button or tab you are able to create the SMS message. The mobile phone number will default in from the customer record.
5. Open WIP: Select this option that will be available from the contact method drop down if the contact type code has been created using this contact type of W (EST) for example. So when you follow up the contact this will launch into the created WIP closing the contact.
Tip: The contact can not be followed up from POS you must be in CRM.
6. Launch CSI questionnaire: Select this option that will be available from the contact method drop down if the contact type code has been created using the contact type of S (CSI). An action button will display a quick CSI form for completion.
7. Launch a call script:Select this option that will only be available if the customer contact management module is installed. When in the contact form you will be able to launch a script during the process.
8. Open Demo booking: Select this option that will not actually allow you to create a demo booking. If you have created a booking with the using the contact type you will be able to open the booking form by clicking into the contact and starting the demonstration through the contact. It recommended that this option is only used for the Demo booked contact e.g., the contact code DEM and when a booking has been created through the demo booking process and the contact is recorded against the customer when accessing the contact DEM and clicking on follow-up you will be taken straight to the booking allowing you to complete the booking. This option bypasses the starting of the booking.
Exit: Pressing this button takes you back to the CRM Miscellaneous options menu.
Create: This enables you to create a new contact code. When the create button has been selected it is then disabled. When you are have finished creating the new contact code then press the second create button that is now enabled. When creating a new contact type code you have two different options:
- Blank This allows you to create a new contact code from a blank form.
- CopyThis allows you to create a new contact by copying an existing contact type code and amending it as necessary before saving it back to the contact type file.
Note: The other options here only become available if you select an exiting contact code. As soon as you have done this the other action buttons become enabled.
Amend: by taking this option you will be able to amend any of the details on the contact type code that you currently have loaded. When the Amend button is selected it becomes disabled while the Save and Cancel buttons become enabled. The Save function allows you to save the changes you have made and the Cancel option allows you cancel your actions.
Delete:by taking this option you will be able to delete the contact type code that you currently have loaded. Once you have pressed the Delete button you will be asked to confirm your input by pressing the second Delete button that has now become enabled. If you do not want to delete the contact type code then take the Cancel option.
Confirm: this option is disabled until you take the option to create, amend or delete. The description on this button will changed according to the initial option you have taken.
Initial option taken
Confirm button changes to
Create
Create
Amend
Save
Delete Delete Ad-hocTaking this option launches an adhoc enquiries screen and allows you to run a report down the contact types file.
The messages that appear in this box are advising you of what you are or are not able to do. Some of the messages that appear here advise you of the status of the code that you are working with at the time.
Record not found: This message appears when you have entered a contact type code into the contact type field that does not exist in the file.
Error Reported: This appears if you have tried to save a contact type code with out entering a type in to field and responded ok to the pop up message.
Record loaded OK: The contact type code you have entered in the contact type field or selected from the ellipsis search has been loaded successfully.
Record secured OK: This message appears if the amend or delete options have been taken.
Record released: This appears if cancel is selected.
Record saved ok: This appears on taking the save option.
Record deleted ok: This appears if you have deleted a contact type code.
Create not allowed-Record already exists: This appears if you have taken the option to create a record and the contact type code that you type in already exists in the file.
