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Agent Availability Display in JSM Customer Portal

Overview

The Agent Availability Display feature enhances customer experience in Jira Service Management (JSM) portals by providing real-time visibility into support agent availability. This transparency helps manage customer expectations by showing whether their assigned agent is available, leaving soon, or currently out of office - directly within the customer portal ticket view.

Understanding Agent Availability in Customer Portals

What is Agent Availability Display?

Agent Availability Display is a customer-facing feature that:

  • Shows real-time agent status in the JSM customer portal

  • Manages customer expectations about response times

  • Displays absence information when agents are unavailable

  • Indicates unassigned tickets clearly to customers

  • Provides professional transparency in customer communications

How it Works

The feature creates a dedicated panel in the customer portal that mirrors the internal Out of Office issue context information. When customers view their tickets, they immediately see:

  1. Agent Availability Panel
  2. ├── Agent Avatar
  3. ├── Agent Name
  4. ├── Current Status
  5. │ ├── ✅ Available
  6. │ ├── 🟡 Leaving Soon
  7. │ ├── 🔴 Out of Office
  8. │ └── ⚪ Unassigned
  9. └── Absence Dates (if applicable)

Customer Experience Impact

For Available Agents:

  • Customers see green "Available" status

  • Sets expectation for normal response times

  • Builds confidence in timely support

For Agents Leaving Soon:

  • Yellow warning indicator appears

  • Helps customers understand potential delays

  • Encourages early communication if needed

For Out of Office Agents:

  • Red status with absence dates

  • Clear communication about unavailability

  • Manages expectations appropriately

For Unassigned Tickets:

  • Shows "Unassigned" label

  • Indicates ticket awaits assignment

  • Prevents confusion about response delays

Enabling Agent Availability Display

Prerequisites

Before enabling this feature, ensure:

  • Jira Administrator access is available

  • Out of Office Assistant is properly installed

  • JSM projects are configured and active

  • Agents have created their Out of Office rules

Configuration Steps

Step 1: Access Out of Office Assistant

  1. Navigate to the app:

    • From Jira top menu: AppsOut of Office Assistant

    • Ensure you're logged in as a Jira Administrator

Step 2: Open User Administration

  1. Click User Administration in the left sidebar

    • This opens the administrative interface

    • Shows global configuration options

Step 3: Access Global Settings

  1. Click Global Settings button in the top right

    • Opens system-wide configuration panel

    • Contains all administrative options

Step 4: Configure JSM Projects

  1. Locate the setting: "Display agent OoO status in the Customer Portal"

  2. Select JSM projects where you want to enable the feature:

    • Click the project selector dropdown

    • Choose one or multiple JSM projects

    • Selected projects will show agent availability

issue_context_customer_portal_admin.webp

  1. Verify your selections:

    • Review selected projects

    • Ensure all customer-facing projects are included

    • Consider pilot testing with specific projects first

Step 5: Save Configuration

  1. Click Save changes button

    • ⚠️ Important: Changes are not applied until saved

    • System will confirm successful save

    • Changes take effect immediately

Customer Portal Display

Panel Location and Appearance

The agent availability panel appears:

  • Position: Right sidebar of the ticket view

  • Visibility: Always visible when viewing a ticket

  • Updates: Real-time status changes

  • Mobile: Responsive design for all devices

issue_context_customer_portal.webp

Information Displayed

Standard Display Elements

Element

Description

Customer View

Avatar

Agent's profile picture

Visual identification

Name

Agent's display name

Personal connection

Status

Current availability

Clear indicator

Dates

Absence period (if OoO)

Timeline clarity

Customer Experience Examples

Example 1: Available Agent

  1. ┌─────────────────────────┐
  2. │ 👤 Sarah Johnson │
  3. │ ✅ Available │
  4. └─────────────────────────┘

Example 2: Agent on Vacation

  1. ┌─────────────────────────┐
  2. │ 👤 Mike Chen │
  3. │ 🔴 Out of Office │
  4. │ June 15 - June 30 │
  5. └─────────────────────────┘

Example 3: Unassigned Ticket

  1. ┌─────────────────────────┐
  2. │ ⚪ Unassigned │
  3. │ Awaiting assignment │
  4. └─────────────────────────┘

Best Practices

Communication Strategy

Set Clear Expectations:

  • Include availability info in auto-responses

  • Update knowledge base with support hours

  • Communicate coverage arrangements to customers

Proactive Messaging:

  • Notify customers before planned absences

  • Use "Leaving Soon" status effectively

  • Provide alternative contact methods

Administrative Management

Regular Reviews:

  • Monitor which projects have the feature enabled

  • Review customer feedback on transparency

  • Adjust settings based on team needs

Training Requirements:

  • Ensure agents understand visibility to customers

  • Train on proper OoO rule creation

  • Emphasize importance of accurate dates

Customer Service Excellence

Coverage Planning:

  • Always assign coverers for customer-facing roles

  • Ensure coverage chains are clear

  • Test handoffs before absences

Professional Standards:

  • Keep absence messages professional

  • Avoid excessive personal details

  • Focus on alternative support options

Integration Considerations

With Other JSM Features

Service Level Agreements (SLAs):

  • Availability display helps explain SLA pauses

  • Customers understand delay reasons

  • Reduces escalation tickets

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT):

  • Transparency often improves scores

  • Sets realistic expectations

  • Shows professional communication

With Support Workflows

Tier 1 Support Teams:

  1. Best Practice Workflow:
  2. 1. Enable for all Tier 1 projects
  3. 2. Train agents on visibility
  4. 3. Create standard OoO templates
  5. 4. Monitor customer feedback

Specialized Support Teams:

  • Consider selective enablement

  • May not suit all team types

  • Evaluate based on customer needs


Agent Availability Display Status: ✅ COMPLETE
Next Step: Approval Delegation for Jira Service Management