Most of our agents confuse "note" and "reply"

Infos:

• Used Zammad version: 1.5.0-1495017264.48b4945.jessie
• Used Zammad installation source: deb
• Operating system: Debian 8
• Browser + version: Firefox on Debian 8

Expected behavior:

• Agent replies (click on "reply" or "reply to all") to user, customer gets reply by email, everyone is happy

Actual behavior:

• Agent accidently adds a note (text bubble) instead of clicking reply, customer does not get reply by email, both get frustrated by lack of answer

Why does it happen?

Confucius said:

If the same error happens again and again, it is the fault of the UI, not the users!

The "note" (next text bubble) field is large and "invites" the agent to type text. The "reply" buttons are small and sheepish. Agents are fooled into doing the wrong thing.

How to solve it?

Easy! Why not just remove the default "note" field and add another button similar to "reply", e.g. "add note". That way agents have explicitely to decide whether to reply or add a note and will hopefully do the right thing.

[jarne]

I would also prefer to create two buttons, one to create an internal note and one to send an answer. This would force the agent to choose which type of answer he wants to send.

Many agents who are new to this software are asking me why no reply is sent to the user.

[SimonWerner]

What about two columns? One column for the conversation with the customer over various channels and the other one for internal notes.

[pocketfulofrage]

I think I'd prefer to be able to set a default, but I also like the idea of having to click a button either way.

[martini]

For me there is also a difference between not (which is usually just added at the end) and an reply (where a certain article/email is picked - with certain recipient list).

So for me (and I have seen it also on other instances) the following could be an solution?

1. Create an trigger where notes which are not marked as internal are sent to the customer automatically
2. Change the default note internal to note external if you open the ticket zoom screen (this can be done in current develop/master - you have some other ticket screen settings now too).

What will change:

1. A agent open a ticket and just enter some feedback, this feedback is sent to customer automatically.
2. A agent open a ticket and just enter some internal feedback, need to change it to note internal and can update the ticket (no email is sent to customer).

Any feedback about this trigger/note (internal/external) solution?

Martini, what is the difference between sending a note compared to "reply" and "reply to all"? We do never want "unpersonal" notes to our customers, but always "personal" emails. "Dear xxx, ...blah, blah... ::br, -- long signature" etc. At the moment they only get an unpersonal message when a ticket is newly created, but then never again.

Also, I fear, that some agents might too easy forget "setting to internal" and customer would get a message not suitable for them. Currently, agents at least can differentiate email and note by the presence or absence of signature.

[pocketfulofrage]

I think the idea of a note can be confusing to anyone who doesn't ordinarily work in a CRM or ticketing system. For those who are more accustomed to email, they expect to be replying to the ticket when they start typing.

My preference would be an option to set what you want the default SetArticleType to be when you first open - note, email, etc. - and allow the admins to determine what an agent sees when they open the ticket zoom screen.

But @martini 's solution does solve the issue of customers not getting replies because agents are creating an internal note and thinking they are replying to a ticket, which is (I think) the original request. :)

[chrisovad]

No resolution on this? It's pretty confusing. Why doesn't the UI clearly indicate that it's a note? The icons don't mean anything to people trying to learn the system. We've been trained for decades that the text box at the bottom conversation sends a message, and here, it generates a local note.

For context: I'm trying to move away from Zendesk because of file size limits. They use opposite logic there. The response is sent to the customer and you have to press an additional button to make it a note.

[sts]

Same here, the UI is quite confusing!