Support Ticket Procedures

Overview

This guide covers how to handle client support tickets efficiently and professionally.

Ticket System

Client Portal: https://portal.alfieweb.com

Clients submit tickets through our WHMCS portal. Tickets are managed via WHMCS admin panel.

Response Time Guidelines

Target response times:

• Urgent/Critical: Within 1 hour during business hours
• High Priority: Within 2-4 hours
• Normal: Within 4-8 hours
• Low Priority: Within 24 hours

Business Hours:

• Mon-Fri: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM GMT
• Sat-Sun: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM GMT

After hours:

• Critical emergencies only (server down, security issue)
• Normal tickets handled next business day

Ticket Workflow

1. New Ticket Received

When ticket arrives:

1. Read ticket thoroughly
2. Check client account status (active, suspended, etc.)
3. Review service details (what services they have)
4. Check ticket history (recurring issue?)
5. Assess priority level

2. Ticket Triage

Categorize by type:

• Technical Issue - Service not working, errors, bugs
• How-To Question - Need help using a feature
• Service Request - Want something configured or changed
• Billing Question - Invoice, payment, upgrade
• Complaint/Issue - Unhappy with service or response

Set priority:

• Critical - Service completely down, data loss, security
• High - Major functionality broken, significant impact
• Normal - Minor issue, feature request, general question
• Low - Nice-to-have, non-urgent inquiry

3. Initial Response

Always respond with:

• Acknowledgment that ticket received
• Understanding of the issue
• Expected timeline for resolution
• Any information needed from client
• Next steps

Template:

Hi [Client Name],

Thank you for contacting us. I've reviewed your ticket regarding [issue].

[Understanding of issue - restate in your own words]

[Action being taken or information needed]

I'll [expected next step and timeline].

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
Alfie Web Solutions Support

4. Investigation

Gather information:

• Replicate issue if possible
• Check service logs (DirectAdmin, SmarterMail, Pterodactyl)
• Verify DNS settings
• Check server status
• Review configuration
• Test functionality

Document findings:

• What you checked
• What you found
• What worked/didn't work
• Any errors encountered

5. Resolution

Fix the issue:

• Implement solution
• Test to verify fix works
• Document what was changed

Response to client:

Hi [Client Name],

I've resolved the issue. The problem was [brief explanation].

[What was done to fix it]

Everything should now be working correctly. I've tested [what you tested] and confirmed it's functioning properly.

Please verify on your end and let me know if you continue to experience any issues.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

6. Follow-Up

Before closing:

• Confirm issue is resolved
• Ask if client needs anything else
• Wait for client confirmation
• Close ticket once confirmed

Closing message:

Hi [Client Name],

I'm glad we could resolve this for you! I'm going to close this ticket now.

If you need anything else or have additional questions, please don't hesitate to open a new ticket.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Common Ticket Scenarios

"My website is down"

Check:

1. Is server running? (ping IP, check host status)
2. Is domain resolving? (DNS propagation check)
3. Is site actually down or just for them? (check from multiple locations)
4. Any recent changes to account?
5. Suspended for non-payment?
6. DirectAdmin showing any errors?

Common causes:

• DNS not propagated
• .htaccess error
• PHP errors
• File permissions
• Resource limits exceeded
• Domain not configured

"Email not working"

Check:

1. Is it sending, receiving, or both?
2. DNS records correct? (MX, SPF, DKIM)
3. Mailbox exists and is active?
4. Mailbox over quota?
5. Correct login credentials?
6. Spam/blacklist issues?

Common causes:

• DNS not configured
• Wrong email settings
• Mailbox full
• Spam filter blocking
• Password incorrect

"How do I...?"

For how-to questions:

1. Check if documentation exists
2. Link to relevant docs
3. Provide step-by-step if no docs
4. Offer to do it for them if complex

Examples:

• "How do I create an email?" \u2192 Link to mailbox creation guide
• "How do I upload files?" \u2192 Explain FTP or File Manager
• "How do I change password?" \u2192 Guide through DirectAdmin

"I need X configured"

Service requests:

1. Confirm what they need
2. Check if included in their plan
3. Provide quote if additional fee
4. Get approval if needed
5. Complete configuration
6. Test and confirm

Examples:

• SSL certificate installation
• DNS record changes
• Database creation
• Email forwarding setup

"Why was I charged?"

Billing questions:

1. Check invoice details in WHMCS
2. Explain charge clearly
3. Provide invoice link
4. Offer refund if error
5. Adjust if needed

Be clear about:

• Billing cycle (monthly, annual, etc.)
• Auto-renewal policy
• What the charge covers
• When next payment due

Escalation

When to Escalate

Escalate to Tom/Alfie if:

• Server infrastructure issues
• Security concerns
• Policy decisions needed
• Refund requests over [amount]
• Abusive client behavior
• Complex technical issues beyond your expertise
• Legal concerns

How to Escalate

1. Document thoroughly:

   • Summarize issue
   • What you've tried
   • Client communication history
   • Why escalation needed

2. Notify via:

   • Internal communication channel
   • Tag Tom/Alfie in WHMCS
   • Direct message if urgent

3. Client communication:

   Hi [Client Name],
   
   I've reviewed your issue and I'm escalating this to our senior team for further assistance. 
   [Tom/Alfie] will be in touch with you shortly.
   
   Thank you for your patience.

Difficult Situations

Angry Client

Do:

• Stay calm and professional
• Acknowledge their frustration
• Apologize for inconvenience
• Focus on solving the problem
• Offer compensation if warranted

Don't:

• Take it personally
• Get defensive
• Argue
• Make promises you can't keep
• Respond emotionally

Template:

Hi [Client Name],

I understand your frustration and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.

[Acknowledge their specific concern]

Here's what I'm going to do to make this right:
[Specific action steps]

[Compensation if appropriate: "I'd like to offer [credit/extra service] as an apology for this disruption."]

Thank you for your patience while we resolve this.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Service Outage

Immediate action:

1. Verify outage scope (one client or multiple?)
2. Identify cause
3. Start working on fix
4. Communicate proactively

Outage communication:

Subject: Service Disruption - [Service Name]

Hi [Client Name],

We're aware of an issue affecting [service] and are actively working to resolve it.

Issue: [Brief description]
Impact: [What's affected]
Status: [Being investigated/Fix in progress]
ETA: [Expected resolution time if known]

We'll update you as soon as the issue is resolved. We apologize for the disruption.

Best regards,
Alfie Web Solutions Team

Post-resolution:

Subject: [Resolved] Service Restored

Hi [Client Name],

The issue affecting [service] has been resolved. All services should now be functioning normally.

Cause: [What happened]
Resolution: [What was done]
Prevention: [Steps to prevent recurrence, if any]

[Offer compensation if significant outage]

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Best regards,
Alfie Web Solutions Team

"This should be free"

When client expects free service:

1. Check what's included in their plan
2. Explain clearly what's covered vs. what's not
3. Offer to do it if it's reasonable
4. Provide quote for additional work

Response:

Hi [Client Name],

I'd be happy to help with [request].

This [is/isn't] typically included in your [plan name] plan. [If not included: "However, I can provide this service for £X."]

[If small task: "Since this is a quick task, I'll go ahead and take care of it for you this time."]

Would you like me to proceed?

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Best Practices

Communication

1. Be clear - Use simple language, avoid jargon
2. Be prompt - Respond within target times
3. Be professional - Friendly but professional tone
4. Be helpful - Go above and beyond when possible
5. Be honest - If you don't know, say so (and find out)

Writing Style

• Use proper grammar and spelling
• Keep it concise - Don't write novels
• Format for readability - Use line breaks, bullet points
• Be specific - Vague answers frustrate clients
• Proofread - Check before sending

Technical Support

• Test before responding - Make sure your solution works
• Explain the why - Help clients understand, not just fix
• Prevent future issues - Suggest best practices
• Document solutions - Add to KB for future reference

Client Relations

• Build rapport - Be friendly and personable
• Show empathy - Understand their perspective
• Be patient - Not everyone is technical
• Follow through - Do what you say you'll do
• Exceed expectations - Surprise with great service

Ticket Templates

Acknowledge & Working On It

Hi [Client Name],

Thank you for reaching out. I'm looking into this now and will have an update for you within [timeframe].

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Need More Information

Hi [Client Name],

To help resolve this, I need a bit more information:

[List specific questions]

Once I have these details, I'll be able to assist further.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Issue Resolved

Hi [Client Name],

Good news! I've resolved the issue. [Brief explanation of what was wrong and what you did].

Please test on your end and confirm everything is working as expected.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Can't Replicate

Hi [Client Name],

I've attempted to replicate the issue you described but wasn't able to reproduce it on my end. 

Could you please provide:
- Exact steps you're taking
- Screenshots if possible
- Any error messages
- Device/browser you're using

This will help me identify and resolve the issue.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Referred to Documentation

Hi [Client Name],

Great question! We have a guide that covers this:

[Link to documentation]

This should walk you through the process step by step. If you run into any issues following the guide, please let me know and I'll be happy to help further.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Metrics to Track

Monitor for quality:

• Average response time
• Average resolution time
• Client satisfaction (ask for feedback)
• Ticket reopen rate (issue not actually fixed)
• Escalation rate

Weekly review:

• Common issues (can we prevent them?)
• Documentation gaps (what guides are needed?)
• Process improvements (how can we be more efficient?)

Resources

• Documentation: Link to all service guides
• WHMCS Admin: Access client accounts
• DirectAdmin: Web hosting management
• SmarterMail: Email service management
• Pterodactyl: Bot hosting management
• Password Manager: Retrieve credentials
• Internal Comm: [Discord/Slack] for team questions

Quick Reference

Ticket Type	Typical Response Time	Resources Needed
Website down	1 hour	DirectAdmin, DNS tools
Email issues	2-4 hours	SmarterMail, DNS tools
How-to question	4 hours	Documentation
Billing	4-8 hours	WHMCS
Feature request	24 hours	Management approval
General inquiry	8-24 hours	Various