Issue tracking system – Definition:
An issue-tracking software is an essential tool many organizations use to keep track of issues that arise during project work or software testing. Whether it’s a bug, glitch, or any other kind of problem, it is crucial to address these issues promptly to ensure the smooth functioning of the project or software.
The role of an issue tracker isn’t limited to just software issues. Businesses can also use it to track customer complaints, product issues, and more. In addition, many issue-tracking systems are customizable, allowing organizations to create fields that are specific to their needs.
As a result, these systems are also used for patient tracking, applicant tracking for recruitment, sales processing, and various other purposes. In summary, an issue-tracking system is is essential for staying on top of project or software issues.
By using such a system, organizations can ensure that they address issues promptly, leading to better outcomes for everyone involved.
Why use an issue tracking system?
Businesses rely heavily on software and customer service, ensuring these areas function smoothly. This is where an issue tracking system comes in handy.
An issue-tracking system streamlines the process of logging, tracking and resolving issues or complaints. In addition, it helps organizations prioritize issues and assign them to the relevant authority for prompt resolution.
Moreover, many issue-tracking systems today have advanced features that allow customers to track the entire lifecycle of the issue. This means that customers can stay updated on the status of their issue from the moment it is reported to the moment it is resolved.
An issue-tracking system can help businesses provide top-notch software and customer service. Besides, it helps identify and resolve issues quickly, resulting in improved customer satisfaction.
In conclusion, investing in an issue-tracking system is a smart move for businesses that wants to provide high-quality software and customer service. It streamlines the issue resolution process and helps maintain a satisfied customer base.
What are the common mistakes people make while using an issue tracking system?
An issue-tracking system is a must when managing a product or service. However, common mistakes in issue-tracking systems can hurt product development and customer satisfaction.
Not creating a proper workflow:
After an issue is entered into the system, a transparent process should be regulated as to what should be the next step.
If an issue remains unresolved for too long, it can negatively impact customer service. Therefore, having a proper workflow in place is crucial.
Missing out on setting up notifications:
As soon as the issue is recorded in the system the developer concerned should receive notifications about the issue. This way, they can prioritize issues per their criticality and move to the next step.
Lack of team communication:
Today, people in a single team work remotely and in different locations. So, keeping all the team members on the same page and updating them regularly about the issue’s status through the centralized database system is essential.
Without proper communication, the issue will take longer to resolve, affecting the product development stages or increasing customer dissatisfaction.
Not using a standard format to report bugs:
Different testers or customers often report issues; some may write in detail or some in short. But adding a screenshot or video to replicate the issue is also important.
Therefore, fixing a standard format in the system, like adding a few mandatory fields, a system with attachments, assigning tasks through the system, etc., will save a lot of time for developers.
Not taking customer feedback:
After fixing customer complaints or issues it is important to get their feedback on whether the resolution was satisfactory.
This will help businesses to identify areas of improvement and enhance customer satisfaction
Using the wrong tool can be a costly mistake:
It would help if you used the right tool to save the time and effort of your team members. An efficient tool should properly segment different kinds of issues, a simple way to track issues that customers can easily report, and a simple dashboard to get an overview of all the issues to get the status of issues.
We’ve compiled a list of 5 issue-tracking systems and their features. Discover the software that best suits your business needs and choose accordingly.
OfficeClip:
OfficeClip Issue tracking software efficiently handles the entire lifecycle of support tickets. In addition, it is designed with an easy-to-use interface and is completely free for unlimited users.
It can create different binders for different issues, which helps segment issues properly. Once in the system, these issues are assigned status, criticality and are assigned to the concerned person. The issues can be addressed via email, web form, or customer portal.
The customers can track the progress of tickets until resolution via the Customer portal.
Features:
- Binders/folders to track issues
- Capture issues through webforms
- Reporting
- Notifications
- Email Capture
- Issue escalation rules
- Sharing issues via email
- Custom fields
- Import/export issues
- Track time for each issue
- Task manager to assign issues to teams
- Knowledge base
- Color coding for prioritizing issues
Pricing:
- They have a Free version available for unlimited users
- Their professional edition for online version starts from $3/user/month and Enterprise edition for $12/user/month
- The Installed version (install on your computer or private cloud) professional edition starts from $24/user/month and Enterprise edition for $96/user/month.
Backlog:
Backlog is an all-in-one collaboration tool to manage projects, tasks, bugs and code. With Gantt charts you can edit the timeline of the projects and with Boards manage the tasks workflow.
With Backlog you can easily create and organize customized workflows.
Features:
- Task hierarchy
- Custom fields
- Issue templates
- Add issues via email
- Notifications
- Versions and milestones to track every release and update
Pricing:
- They have a Free plan for up to 10 users.
- Their Starter edition starts from $35/month for upto 30 users.
- For mid-sized companies they have a Standard plan of $100/month with unlimited users with 100 projects.
- Premium plan for larger companies for $175/month with unlimited users and projects.
SysAid:
SysAid is a fully featured help desk that handles tickets, resolves issues, and manages assets.
Their system sorts and prioritizes the tickets themselves through ticket automation and delivers great end-user results experience with self-service automation.
Features:
- Ticket automation
- Asset management
- Remote control
- Reporting
- Codeless configuration
- Self service automation
- Hotkey
Pricing:
- They have a Free trial available for each plan
- They have a Basic plan for help desk, pricing for which is not available.
Freshservice:
Freshservice is a modern, efficient and easy-to-use software. Users can raise tickets via email, portal, phone or in person.
Their self-service portal enables users to look up solutions from the knowledge base and lets them raise requests directly from the service desk support portal.
Features:
- Incident Management
- Reporting
- SLA management
- Task management
- Automations
- Self-service portal
- Priority matrix
Pricing:
- They have a free trial available.
- The Starter edition starts from $19/agent/month
- The Growth edition for growing business is for $49/agent/month
- The Pro edition for large organization is for $95/agent/month
- The Enterprise edition for Enterprises starts from $119/agent/month
Zendesk:
Zendesk is customer support software for all types and sizes of businesses. Their ticketing inbox gives an overview of all the customer issue details.
Their AI solution can read the tone and request from the customer and generates a response that the agent can use to expedite the process. The dashboards provide the best experience for the customers.
Features:
- Ticket routing and automatoin
- Analytics and reporting
- AI and chatbots
- Live chat and messaging
- Knowledge management
- Agent workspace
- Collaboration tools
Pricing:
- They have Free trial
- Their suite team plan starts from $49/agent/month
- The price of suite growth plan is $79/agent/month
- Suite professional plans starts from $99/agent/month
Conclusion:
To summarize, an issue-tracking system is crucial for any business looking to enhance product quality and customer service. With the right features, such a tool can help organizations foster customer loyalty and satisfaction.
However, choosing the right software can be a daunting task. That’s why we recommend carefully evaluating your business needs and using our Decision matrix template to make informed choices and prioritize accordingly.
Deepa Kapoor is an online writer for small businesses. She loves to write on the advancements of new technologies and how it affects our lives. She always explores ways to make small businesses more profitable. When not writing, she enjoys reading books and cooking exotic traditional food.