Chatwoot integration
Problem/Opportunity Statement
User support options now are:
- Asynchronous (GitLab issues via email, ACCESS-CI tickets), which can make it more difficult and time-consuming to troubleshoot user issues
- Synchronous but user needs an account on another platform (Matrix) or are invite-only (Jetstream Slack), so folks don't use these options
The current solutions are also unnecessarily burdensome on support staff, because they don't allow users to answer their own questions, and they also don't enable support staff to answer common questions with canned responses. 1
What would success / a fix look like?
- Users experience the support mechanisms as low-frustration, low-friction, responsive, timely, and useful
- Support staff experience the support mechanisms as low-friction, easy to use, non-repetitive, and helping them perform their support duties as effectively as possible
Features of potential support mechanisms which could enable the above:
- Instant, chat-like interface
- Integrated knowledge base of canned responses with solutions for common problems (It should be easy to curate and maintain this knowledge base)
- Automatically suggested solutions based on keywords in a user's question
Possible solution
Chatwoot is an open-source and self-hostable alternative to Intercom: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26501527
It would allow us to deliver real-time (or sort-of-near-real-time) support inside the Exosphere app itself. User has problem, pushes the Get Support button, chats with one of us, doesn't have to leave the page.
Chatwoot has canned responses, agent bots, and automations which "will help you streamline your teams workflows, they will allow you to automate processes, repetitive tasks and save your time".
Jetstream has a need to report to NSF on demand/need for computation help, which means that if we use Chatwoot on their branded site, we need a process for exporting/reporting on the database.
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Jetstream2 support staff have an internal wiki with the answers for common questions. They use this to copy & paste answers for common support requests.
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