Implement CMS into Platform Support

User Story or Problem Statement:

The CMS team needs a structured process for managing support requests coming through platform support, and product teams need clear guidance on how to request CMS support. This leads to inconsistent support delivery, unclear expectations, and potential delays in issue resolution.

Primary Epic Story - CMS Team Process

As a CMS team member, I want a clear process for handling platform support requests, So that I can effectively respond to and manage support tickets in a consistent manner.

Acceptance Criteria:

[ ] Documented support ticket handling process
[ ] Clear response time expectations
[ ] Priority classification system
[ ] Escalation paths defined

Support Request Management Story

As a CMS Support Coordinator, I want standardized procedures for managing incoming support tickets, so that we can maintain consistent service quality and response times.

Acceptance Criteria:

[ ] Ticket triage process defined
[ ] SLA guidelines established
[ ] Response templates created
[ ] Priority levels defined with examples

The CMS team needs an efficient on-call rotation system to manage platform support requests, ensuring consistent coverage,and maintaining high-quality support response.

Acceptance Criteria:

[ ] Weekly rotation schedule established
[ ] - Primary and backup responders assigned
[ ] - Handoff process documented
[ ] - Coverage hours defined
[ ] - Holiday/PTO coverage plan
[ ] - Emergency escalation path
[ ] - Workload tracking system

Product Team Communication Story As a Product Team Member, I want clear instructions on how to request CMS support, So that I can efficiently get help when needed.

Acceptance Criteria:

[ ] Platform support form location identified
[ ] Required information checklist provided
[ ] Expected response times communicated
[ ] Priority guidelines explained
[ ] Alternative contact methods defined
[ ] Emergency escalation process documented
[ ] Example support requests provided

Metrics Tracking Story As a CMS Team Lead, I want to track support request metrics, So that we can measure performance and identify improvement areas.

Acceptance Criteria:

[ ] Response time tracking
[ ] Resolution time tracking
[ ] Satisfaction surveys implemented
[ ] Common issues tracking
[ ] Team workload metrics
[ ] Escalation rate tracking
[ ] Knowledge base usage metrics

Steps for Implementation

Implementation Plan:

Phase 1: Process Development (Week 1)

Internal Process Documentation

[ ] Create support ticket workflow
[ ] Define priority levels
[ ] Establish SLAs
[ ] Document response guidelines
[ ] Create assignment process
[ ] Define escalation paths
1. Support Templates
[ ] Initial response templates
[ ] Status update templates
[ ] Resolution templates

Phase 2: Communication Planning (Week 2)

Product Team Communication

[ ] Draft announcement email
[ ] Create support request guide
[ ] Document examples
[ ] Define contact points
[ ] Create FAQ document

Phase 3: Implementation (Week 3)

Rollout

[ ] Send communication to product teams
[ ] Implement new process
[ ] Begin tracking metrics
[ ] Monitor initial requests
[ ] Gather feedback

Review and Adjust

[ ] Weekly process review
[ ] Update documentation
[ ] Refine templates
[ ] Address team feedback

Description or Additional Context

Platform support has created the structure to include CMS in their intake form's drop-down menu and then route all CMS support requests to the CMS team. Now, the CMS team needs to create a structure for expectations and process for how CMS team members will manage requests and then

Best Practices:

Ticket Management

[ ] Acknowledge receipt within 1 hour
[ ] Update ticket status regularly
[ ] Document all communications
[ ] Link related issues
[ ] Tag appropriately
[ ] Follow up after resolution

Communication

[ ] Use clear, concise language
[ ] Provide estimated timelines
[ ] Document workarounds
[ ] Include relevant resources
[ ] Confirm understanding
[ ] Set clear expectations
Create comms to send out to teams that rely on CMS support, to redirect them to platform support.
Create a structure and expectations within the CMS team on how we are going to manage CMS support tickets (pull from Platform Support Ticketing Best Practices page
(Related to above bullet) Send the structure and expectations documentation back to platform support.

Acceptance Criteria

[ ] Product teams who need CMS support have been inform of how and where to contact the CMS team to receive that support.
[ ] CMS team members understand the expectations and process for how to manage a CMS support ticket that comes from platform support.

department-of-veterans-affairs / va.gov-cms