CATS Detailed Features and System Requirements

CATS Features and System Requirements

Reports

System Requirements and Technical Information

Single or multi-user configurations
CATS is available both in standalone and network versions. Start with the right size for your operation and protect your investment as your department grows.

Fully integrated environment
All functionality is easily accessible through a well-designed, intuitive interface. This ensures your CSRs will fully utilize the tools they are provided, which in turn promotes better, faster service to consumers, and accurate information capture.

Easy to use AND learn
Complies with Microsoft® Windows™ User Interface Guidelines, providing a familiar "look and feel" that users are already comfortable with. Representatives are typically up and running in less than one day!

Fast data entry
Simplified menus. Pull-down lists. Automatic data lookups.

One-file access to all consumer information
All the information for a case is stored in the Consumer Contact File. This includes all response letters, documentation, notes, reimbursement, and scanned paperwork. No more navigating between multiple records or switching to different modules, programs, or even different computers to search for and review all the data related to a consumer contact.

User-customizable environment
User-defined fields, field titles, and data entry defaults enable fine tuning of the software on a departmental or per-user basis.

Automatic response letter generation
The system automatically selects and prepares a response letter (or e-mail) that specifically addresses the issues raised by each consumer.

True word processing environment
Representatives can edit response letters in a WYSIWYG word processing environment which includes spell checker, multiple fonts, copy and paste of text and bitmaps, paragraph merge, etc.

Reimbursement coupons and checks
Print refund checks (and coupons or vouchers), obtain detail check activity, track account balances, and reconcile accounts all in a single module. Your fulfillment and record keeping are expedited in one time-saving method.

Online Reference
Retrieve information about a product or a script on how to handle a given complaint with a single keystroke. Your call agents can get the answers they need during a call session without having to wade through company catalogs or manuals. Examples of the data this reference can contain includes a glossary of terms, background information on products and services, ingredient/nutritional data, images of product packaging/ads/promotions, scripts and instructions for CSRs, policies and procedures, company addresses and phone numbers, etc.

Electronic storage of incoming consumer letters, documents, and images
Eliminate costly and cumbersome filing (and misfiling!) of consumer letters and other crucial documentation. Scan consumer letters and other documents, and even import digital images, for storage with the consumer contact file. Access for viewing and/or printing may be handled with a simple mouse click.

E-mail and FAX
Easily distribute information through e-mail and integrated FAX. Send customized notification or follow-up forms to appropriate parties. This feature can be used internally (distribute to other departments), or externally (to field offices or to consumers directly).

Remote locations and telecommuting support
CATS supports remote users and distributed database configurations through direct WAN connections, as well as web-based access.

Follow-up and open case reminders
Representatives are automatically reminded of files that are still open and require follow-up, along with actions to be taken. This includes cases for the present day, past due files, and future follow-up.

Automated alerts
CATS’ embedded TrendAgent™ monitors your database and automatically notifies you of potential problems or unusual patterns. In addition, you may also set your own thresholds for products/issues and other critical events which trigger alerts for immediate response. Receive all these alerts as they occur on your desktop, via email or pager. These management tools also allow for oversight of fulfillment material inventory.

Computer Telephony (telephone tracking) features
In conjunction with Caller ID data, this module provides screen-pops for incoming consumer calls and automatically searches the database for a previous call from the consumer. The user is able to immediately retrieve consumer information, even before answering the call. Reports based on this module enable analysis of call volumes and distribution, individually for a user or for the entire group.

Reverse Phone Append
Reverse Phone Append automatically populates the name and address based on phone number, enhancing efficiency, data entry accuracy, as well as helping to guard against fraud.

Call Recording
A consumer's message, tone, and volume convey a slew of intangible information that isn't revealed in a case file's written contents alone. Access this elusive data by capturing the consumer call, recording it, and easily delivering it to any company stakeholder. The recording becomes part of the consumer file, available for review at any time right from the entry screen.

Company web site integration
WebAutolink™ provides a link between your web site and CATS. A consumer enters his or her comments into a form on your web site, and the comments are delivered directly into CATS - no re-typing needed. Data such as name and address will automatically be populated into their respective fields, and the user can respond via e-mail instead of (or in addition to) hard-copy letters. WebChat allows your consumers to initiate a live conversation with your CSRs through a link on your web site. When concluded, the whole dialogue is automatically added to the consumer file. This feature is a wonderful addition to your web site, providing enhanced value to this crucial communication channel. WebExtensions further your ability to gather and process consumer comments from anywhere in the world. A web browser is all you need for quick and simple consumer contact processing, including follow-up tasks and case notes.

Survey
Create surveys and questionnaires for both marketing and customer satisfaction projects. Surveys may be conducted online while capturing consumer information during a phone call, and may also be triggered based on the product, issue and/or location information. Alternatively, outbound surveys may also be conducted. Reports enable analysis of survey responses in a variety of ways, including restricting to or comparing product or service categories, type of issue, and other criteria.

Product locator
This is a "Where-to-Buy" or "Store Search" component which is an enormous time saver for your agents in responding to consumer inquiries through a single menu click.

Interpretation of manufacturing codes/lot numbers
Automatically calculate production date, time, age of product, etc., which can be key for identifying problem areas as well as for statistical analyses.

Repeater checking
The system automatically informs CSRs when a consumer has had previous contacts with your company.

Management Tools
Audit trails of file handling can be reviewed as a helpful internal management aid. In addition, you can monitor CSR productivity, response times, and error rates, together speeding your managerial assessments and training efforts.

Reports

A comprehensive set of standard reports
Generate reports based on any field (i.e., piece of information) in the consumer contact file. Sort based on any field, up to 9 levels of sorting. Various output formats are available in addition to print and screen display, including PDF, Excel, Text, and HTML.

Summary and detail reports
Analyze your data by examining overall trends or detail information. Investigate specific items or categories of products/services, specific problems or categories of issues, locations, regions, etc.

Graphical reports
Integrated with the reporting package. Display your data in various graphical formats. Reports can be printed, e-mailed, or copied and pasted into other documents.

Recurring, user-defined, and ad-hoc reports
Build your own complex queries. Prepare recurring reports (daily, weekly, or monthly), save them for easy selection later, and schedule them to automatically run at any point in time. You have the option of using email functionality in combination with the scheduling feature so that your reports are both published and delivered to their intended recipients without lifting a finger. Integrated with this tool are the various report formats: PDF, Excel, Text, and HTML.

Sales comparison reports
Analyze complaint data as a ratio of sales or shipment volume a.k.a. "complaints per million".

Database marketing
Create mailing lists based on any search criteria. Use for product announcements, surveys, promotions, follow-up, test-marketing, etc.

Enterprise-wide accessibility
Add value to your data by giving other groups within your organization access to Consumer Affairs information. By preparing and saving special reports, other departments or field offices can access the information they want without requiring detailed knowledge of your system or relying on use of your resources.

Report Writer support
Virtually limitless access to data, report formats, and flexibility through support of many popular third-party, off the shelf report writer software packages.

System Requirements and Technical Information

System requirements can vary with the number of users, volume of contacts, features used, and other system/network dependent factors. Marric Software designs a Recommended Hardware/Software Configuration for each installation based on individual needs and requirements. Therefore, the information below represents a basic and/or minimum list of requirements for a CATS installation.

Workstation:
Windows 2000 or Windows XP
128MB of RAM
50MB of free hard disk space
SVGA display at 800 x 600 resolution or higher

Database:
CATS utilizes industry proven, high performance SQL databases. The software has built-in support for the most popular database engines; support for other databases is available. The specific DBMS to be used in an installation is selected based on system configuration and requirements. The databases that CATS supports out-of-the-box are Microsoft® SQL Server, Oracle®, Sybase® SQL Server, and Sybase® SQL Anywhere.

Server:
Any platform available for a supported database engine can be used as the server platform for the CATS package. This would include Intel®-based servers, as well as mid-range and larger back ends. The requirements for the database server are closely tied to the overall usage and other configuration parameters of the system, and so are difficult to generalize. The hardware platform and operating system of choice is recommended by Marric Software upon careful analysis of requirements in conjunction with customer needs.

Specifications and other information on this page are subject to change without notice.
WebAutolink and TrendAgent are trademarks of Marric Software, Inc.
All other Trademarks and Registered Trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective holders.