Post on 10-Jan-2016
description
Ask Sheffield FAQ Database
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/
Student Services Information Desk
Purpose
• Answering general enquiries about student related matters– Prospective students– Current students– Alumni
• Signpost to specialist information resource• Being signposted from specialist
information
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/
How does it fit in?
Standard Sentences
Automatic Responses
Prospective Students
Categorised Web Forms
Current Students Graduates/Alumni
Answer General Enquiries
Signpost to information resources elsewhere
on the website or
in the University
Redirect / Refer to
specialists elsewhere
in the department
or University
Closed Enquiries
Ask Sheffield
Companies using MetaFAQ
Benefits
• Answers 80%-90% of routine enquiries automatically online.
• Quicker response times by reducing overall volume of inbound emails
• Enables customers to find information faster.• Reduces frustration of users by giving them an
answer or directing them to a member of staff.• Gain invaluable customer insight.
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/
Features
• Natural language processing • Popular entries are positioned for quick access.• Recommends other content on related subjects. • Queries not answered are routed to a member of
SSiD staff• Answers linked to other web pages or contacts.• Comprehensive statistics• The knowledgebase can interface with SOAP,
WSDL and .NET APIs.
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/
Recent improvements
• Cleaner look and feel and improved navigation• Enquiries divided into categories• The ability to filter questions by category and sub
category • An improved (optimised) search engine • Individual FAQs accessible to search engines such as
Google • Increased number of FAQs • Links to the SSiD contact web page after the user has
attempted at least one search.
Who is on board?
• Admissions• Disability Support• Financial Support• Income office• International
Exchanges• International
Recruitment• International Student
Support
• Library Services• Recruitment Support• Registry Team• Student Fees Team• UK/EU Recruitment• Students’ Union
Marketing • Taught Programmes• U Sport
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/
The near future…
1. Link to Ask Sheffield from home page
2. Google search box results to highlight Ask Sheffield
3. Ask Sheffield right hand image to replace text links on existing University pages.
4. Migration of Current Students FAQs to Ask Sheffield
5. Approach academic departments to ask for their contribution
6. Contacting all web editors to ask them to add Ask Sheffield to their websites.
7. Redesign of Ask Sheffield to display three main categories (Prospective, Current and Alumni). Other categories may include: parents, employers, staff, academic departments, etc.
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/
How can you help?
• Promote Ask Sheffield – the University’s FAQ database
• Access the database and add and update your own FAQs
• Help route enquiries through Ask Sheffield to your enquiry handling systems
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/
To contribute contact:
• Simon Linskill (s.linskill@sheffield.ac.uk).
http://ask.sheffield.ac.uk/