Service Desk Customer Notifications

Overview

The Out of Office Assistant integrates seamlessly with Jira Service Management to ensure customer-facing teams can maintain professional communication even when agents are away. This feature controls whether external customers receive out-of-office notifications when interacting with absent support agents.

Understanding Service Desk Customer Notifications

What are Service Desk Customer Notifications?

Service Desk Customer Notifications are automated out-of-office messages that can be sent to external customers when they interact with absent support agents in Jira Service Management projects. This feature ensures:

• Professional Communication: Customers are informed when their assigned agent is unavailable

• Expectation Management: Clear communication about response delays

• Continuity of Service: Customers know their request has been received despite agent absence

• Flexible Control: Administrators can choose whether to send notifications per project

How it Works

When a customer interacts with a Service Desk issue (through the customer portal or email), the Out of Office Assistant checks if the assigned agent has an active out-of-office rule. Based on the notification settings, the system can automatically send a customized message to inform the customer about the agent's absence.

Configuring Customer Notifications

Enabling Notifications for Service Desk Projects

Step 1: Access Your Out of Office Rule

1. Navigate to Apps → Out-Of-Office Assistant

2. Click Create New Rule or edit an existing rule

3. Select a Service Desk project from the project dropdown

Step 2: Configure Customer Notification Settings

When you select a Service Desk project and start typing your out-of-office message, a checkbox will appear below the message field:

• ☑ Send notifications to Service Desk customers (default in current versions)

• ☐ Do NOT send notifications to Service Desk customers (uncheck to disable)

Step 3: Customize Your Message

Create a professional message that will be sent to customers:

Using JQL Rules with Service Desk

The customer notification checkbox also appears when using JQL rules, allowing for more sophisticated targeting:

This enables notifications for specific issue types or workflows within your Service Desk projects.

Best Practices

Message Content Guidelines

✅ DO Include:

• Clear return date

• Alternative contact information

• Acknowledgment of receipt

• Professional tone

• Expected response timeframe

❌ DON'T Include:

• Personal details about absence

• Internal team information

• Technical jargon

• Overly casual language

Configuration Strategies

1. Project-Specific Settings

Different Service Desk projects may have different customer communication needs:

2. Message Templates

Create standardized templates for common scenarios:

3. Integration with Coverers

When using assignee coverers with Service Desk projects:

1. Ensure the coverer is familiar with customer communication standards

2. Update the out-of-office message to mention the covering agent

3. Consider adding the coverer as a request participant

Advanced Features

Combining with JSM Approvals

For Service Management projects with approval workflows:

• Out-of-office rules can delegate approver responsibilities

• Customer notifications can include information about approval delays

• Approver coverers maintain workflow continuity

Multi-Channel Support

The notification feature works across all JSM communication channels:

• Customer Portal: Messages appear in ticket comments

• Email: Notifications sent to customer email addresses

• API Integration: Third-party systems receive appropriate responses

Conditional Notifications

Use JQL to create sophisticated notification rules:

Service Desk Notification Status: ✅ COMPLETE
Next Step: https://resolution.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/OoO/pages/4870537222