A channel of communication is a defined as a category of communication, for example, electronic. A channel can contain several methods of communication, for example, the channel electronic containing the methods SMS and e-mail.
This form is displayed when you click Manufacturer Specific > X4. Generic - CRM > Generic CRM parameters and you browse to + CRM parameters > + Data Protection Parameters > [no. Company name] on the Project parameters browser to display the Data Protection Parameters form and you select the Channels tab, right-click the Channels Grid shortcut menu and click Create or Amend. It maintains the communication channel.
| Menu bar | Toolbar | Action |
|---|---|---|
| File > Save |  |
Stores the new or changed record. |
| File > Exit |  |
Returns you to the Data Protection Parameters form. |
| Help > Help |  |
Displays this help topic in a web browser. |
| Help > About | — | Displays version and copyright information. |
Fields:
Channel description: Enter the description of the channel.
Note: A message is displayed when the entered channel description is already existing. The user can overwrite the existing channel or enter a new description.
Query name: Enter up to eight characters, the query name of a channel. You can use the query name in a standard query routine to check the channel status:
There are reports and data extracts on dealer systems that use the existing customer and company privacy settings to determine whether or not communication is permitted.
When the Data Protection Agreement (DPA) function is made available, a difference needs to be made between day-to-day business communication (standard care and duty) and marketing activity based communication:
For the day-to-day business communication the existing customer and company privacy settings are sufficient to determine whether communication is permitted or not.
For any marketing related communication, the data protection agreements (DPAs) of the customer or company are used to determine whether or not communication is permitted.
With the 'MS_X4DPA_Is_Channel_Status() routine you can check the data protection agreement (DPA) settings via reports and data extracts to determine whether communication is permitted. The routine contains the following parameters:
'MS_X4DPA_Get_Channel_Status$(Statement$LEN(.ms_X4_dpsta_qryname$), Channel$LEN(.ms_X4_dpchl_qryname$), CT$1, pMKRecord, Locn$LEN(.ms_X4_dpagr_locn$) = " ")
Statement$ [in] Query name of a statement, to identify the communication channel and check the status accordingly. Channel$ [in] Query name of a channel, to identify the communication channel and check the status accordingly. CT$ [in] C for company or T for target pMKRecord [in] mk_compy$ / mk_targt$ Locn$ [in] Location is optional Return [out] Possible values: "Agreed", "Denied", "Unknown" or "No agreement" For specific functions like importing data from other systems the dealer may use routine 'MS_X4DPA_Update_Channel_Status(). With this routine the dealer can change the status of the channel which is identified by the statement and channel query name.
If an agreement derived from the statement, indicated by the statement query name in routine 'MS_X4DPA_Update_Channel_Status(), does not exist for the current customer or company, then an agreement is created and the channel used in the same routine call will gain the value of the parameter ChlValue.
'MS_X4DPA_Update_Channel_Status(Statement$LEN(.ms_X4_dpsta_qryname$), Channel$LEN(.ms_X4_dpchl_qryname$), CT$1, pMKRecord, ChlValue$LEN(.ms_X4_dpags_desc$), Locn$LEN(.ms_X4_dpagr_locn$) = " ")
Statement$ [in] Query name of a statement, to identify the communication channel and check the status accordingly. Channel$ [in] Query name of a channel, to identify the communication channel and check the status accordingly. CT$ [in] C for company or T for target pMKRecord [in] mk_compy$ / mk_targt$ ChlValue$ [in] New channel status value: A for Agreed, D for Denied or U Unknown Locn$ [in] Location is optional Return [out] TRUE / FALSE Link to campaign type: Select the campaign type for this channel:
N - None: The current channel is not used in campaigns.
L - Letter: The status of the current channel is checked for campaigns with this selected campaign type Letter.
E - E-mail: The status of the current channel is checked for campaigns with this selected campaign type E-mail.
S - SMS: The status of the current channel is checked for campaigns with this selected campaign type SMS.
C - E-mail and SMS: The status of the current channel is checked for campaigns with the selected campaign type E-mail or SMS.
B - BDC Outbound telephony: The status of the current channel is checked for campaigns with the selected campaign type BDC Outbound telephony.
Link to letter code: When using the Letter Writer function a message is displayed querying if this a Marketing activity or not. Click Yes, if applicable, select the Data protection agreement (DPA) required, to check if the customer agrees to receive the letter. You can use only one DPA for writing a letter. Click No, to check the standard privacy settings to determine whether or not communication is permitted in the Letter Writer. Select the letter code for this channel:
N - None: The current channel is not used in letters.
2 - Letters to home address: The status of the current channel is checked when the Contact method on the Customer Department Details form is set to letters to the home address.
3 - Letters to businesses address: The status of the current channel is checked when the Contact method on the Customer Department Details form is set to letters to the businesses address.
A - Letters to both addresses: In some markets it is common practice not to make a difference between letters to the home or to the businesses address in relation to marketing letters. The status of the current channel is checked when the Contact method on the Customer Department Details form is set to letters to the home and businesses address.
4 - Telephone: The status of the current channel is checked when the Contact method on the Customer Department Details form is set to Telephone.
5 - E-mail: The status of the current channel is checked when the Contact method on the Customer Department Details form is set to E-mail to distribute marketing news electronically.
6 - SMS: The status of the current channel is checked when the Contact method on the Customer Department Details form is set to SMS to distribute marketing news electronically.
C - E-mail and SMS: E-mail and SMS are methods to distribute marketing news electronically, after customers consent to receive marketing news electronically the dealer can decide which methods is preferable E-mail or SMS. The status of the current channel is checked when the Contact method on the Customer Department Details form is set to E-mail and/or SMS.
Link to a marketing activity: In CRM you can contact the customer for day-to-day businesses and marketing activities via the Summery tab of the Customer record form, the Company tab of the Company record form and the Customer details tab of the Contact form. After clicking the Telephone, Fax, E-mail or SMS icon a message is displayed querying if this a Marketing activity or not. Click Yes, if applicable, select the Data protection agreement (DPA) required, to check if the customer agrees to this action. You can use only one DPA for checking the marketing activity. Click No, to check the standard privacy settings to determine wheth er or not communication is permitted. Select the marketing activity for this channel:
N - None: The current channel is not used in marketing activities in CRM.
T - Telephone: The status of the channel is carried out, if the marketing activity code of the current activity is equal to Telephony.
E - E-mail: The status of the channel is carried out, if the marketing activity code of the current activity is equal to E-mail.
S - SMS: The status of the channel is carried out, if the marketing activity code of the current activity is equal to SMS.
C - E-mail and SMS: E-mail and SMS are methods to distribute marketing news electronically, after customers consent to receive marketing news electronically the dealer can decide which methods is preferable E-mail or SMS. The status of the channel is carried out, if the marketing activity code of the current activity is equal to E-mail or SMS.
F - Fax: The status of the channel is carried out, if the marketing activity code of the current activity is equal to Fax.
Add A Method To The Current Channel Grid:
Method description: Displays the description of the method, this is defined by the user.
Fields: Displays the first field which is selected in the Method details form. Select this field and click the arrow to open the list with all relation fields linked to this method.
Add?: Right-click to select or clear a method linking to the channel concerned.