Question

When a client needs to confirm A or B... what's your work around??

  • 19 April 2022
  • 4 replies
  • 53 views

Userlevel 1
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Hi there, 

We need to send a client mailing asking them to confirm if there are any P11D benefits that need filing. So our client tasks are something like: 

  1. Yes there are P11D benefits - here are the details. 
  2. There are no P11D benefits

So our clients will only complete one or the other task - never both. 

The problem is that the client ‘section’ isn’t completed - so the Automator on the next task won’t kick in.

The only work around I can think of is to have the next task being something like: ‘complete the remaining client task above and add an internal not showing “N/A” ‘ and once we have completed the client task the Automator for the next section will be put to ‘ready to start’ and we can continue with the work.

Anyone have any better ideas?? 


4 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +9

I like the option for a yes/no button feature for clients. If that’s all you need, then that would be ideal.

Or to upgrade on that, a multiple choice option. (integrate with typeform???)

 

We have similar issues in clients just not taking the time to check off a task. Instead will ignore or send an email. That’s inherent when working with clients, particularly those not adjusting to new technology or processes. 

As a current work around, I would suggest:

  • The comment suggestion above with one task would work.
  • An automator on the section below might help to see where it is (sent to client, ready to start, etc). You could include a second automator that states when its completed, it’s time to go to the next step. That way, if the work is stuck in “sent to client” the section can be reviewed. (see below)
  • Have one task and state in the contents of the email “If the answer is yes, please check off the task.”
  • Cheat the tasks all together. Works great for those auto emails that need to go out but they don’t work well for situations such as this. Have a task, insert what you want to know in the task AND the email. Then have the automator complete the section after the email sends to the client. 

    Something like this:

“Hi client, We are working on your benefits. Please answer A or B by replying to this email.”

 

We did this recently for a process that was just an FYI scheduled out as a reminder with the amount of taxes that would be auto drafted every quarter. No action on the client part but we had information in the task in the event the client got curious and clicked on the “view more” button and saw the tasks. They can see the information on the client tasks until the work item is marked completed.

 

Hopefully this helps give options.

 

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +19

I agree, and I like the idea. If you add it as a feature idea, post the link here and I’ll vote for it.

As to if clients can be trusted to comment accurately, one way to test that is to try it out with a small group and see how it goes. You may be surprised, or you may validate your assumptions, but either way, you’ll know for sure. 😀

Userlevel 1
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Hi @max  yes, i guess a comment could work - but can we rely on clients to do that?! 🤣

Ideally, if we could have intelligent sub tasks, so that we would ask a question and pose multiple answers and as long as one is ticked, the task completed… 

Actually, the ability to do that would be amazingly helpful for various templates… 

Userlevel 7
Badge +19

Hi @Laura Davies!

I’m curious how others handle this. We don’t have a good way to do it right now. We have opted to manually handle these situations, which is not ideal.

You could add one client task where you ask the client to comment one way or the other and then an automation to review the answer and proceed as necessary.

Does that help at all?

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