Stayntouch PMS Client Care Support Guide
WELCOME!
It is our pleasure to welcome you to Stayntouch Support, where providing effective and comprehensive client support is our primary objective. As your property prepares to join the Stayntouch network, we would like to take a moment to introduce you to our Client Care Support Guide. This Support Guide will help you become familiar with our support services and procedures.
OUR SUPPORT PHILOSOPHY
At Stayntouch, we understand the challenges and concerns met by the hospitality industry. We also know that your property’s success depends on our ability to deliver exceptional products and support services. Keeping you informed, being responsive, and adding a consultative approach to the mix are all contributing factors to our support philosophy. Our commitment begins with a desire to develop great property management software—and carries over to each opportunity we have to share best practices and processes with your hotel.
CLIENT SUPPORT NETWORK
Stayntouch Support is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland (US Eastern Time Zone), with support members around the globe. There are two processes in place for submitting support requests: (1) Through our online support portal in Helpdesk/Freshdesk and (2) via telephone. Please note, for ticket updates, you will receive an email from Stayntouch Support via the support portal. You can reply directly to these emails, which will automatically add your response to your ticket.
Service Legal Agreement (SLA)
Stayntouch is committed to providing an accessible and secure network to support our clients’ properties. Refer to the section below to learn more about our Service Legal Agreement, or click here to access the SLA online.
The processes and steps outlined in this Support Guide are supplementary to Stayntouch’s SLA. Always defer to the SLA when looking for the most up-to-date information regarding Stayntouch’s support standards.
- Support Resolution Standards
- Please submit all support cases to Stayntouch’s Helpdesk Portal.
- 24/7 coverage for P1 issues.
- Under this SLA, support is available 7 days a week from 8AM to 8PM (customer's site’s local time) for P1, P2, and P3 issues.
- Between 8PM and 8AM (customer’s site’s local time), support is available for P1 issues only via Helpdesk and via telephone at +1 301-563-9473 and +1 301-857-1868.
- Company Problem Classification
- Each case will be assigned a priority from 1 to 3, which is based on the following definitions:
CLASSIFICATION | CRITERIA (SAMPLE) |
Priority 1 – Critical |
|
Priority 2 – High |
|
Priority 3 – Low |
|
*The platform is considered down, when you can no longer access https://pms.stayntouch.com, https://pms.eu.stayntouch.com, and https://pms.us.stayntouch.com, but are still able to access other websites such as www.google.com. If you cannot access any web URL, the downtime is related to your network.
- Company Response Time by Priority Classification
- Company will meet the case response requirements of this SLA if 90% of the cases opened in any given calendar quarter are responded to within the time frames for each priority:
- Priority 1: 1 hour
- Priority 2: 4 hours
- Priority 3: 24 hours
- All such hourly periods are measured as “business hours” rather than clock hours. Please note, every effort will be made to resolve issues in a timely manner when based on priority as a factor of urgency and impact. Actual resolution time of all 3 priorities may be affected by delays as a result of the need to implement a corrective hot fix or researching the issue reported, which may extend resolution times.
- Company will meet the case response requirements of this SLA if 90% of the cases opened in any given calendar quarter are responded to within the time frames for each priority:
Helpdesk Portal
The Helpdesk portal is a centralized location for you to open, track, and respond to support requests—or tickets. Each ticket is assigned its own unique case number that allows you to track the ticket’s progress and view closed issues. A member of the Stayntouch team will create and share your login information with you so you can begin accessing our Helpdesk portal. You can also create a Helpdesk account yourself following the steps below:
- Navigate to https://stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/home.
- Select the Sign Up button in the upper right corner of the page.
- (Note: If you attempt to create a new ticket without logging in first, Helpdesk will prompt you to log in/sign up.)
- Begin by entering your name and email address.
- Next, enter the captcha code exactly as it appears.
- Click Register.
- Now, log into your email account.
- Locate the email from Helpdesk.
- Click on the URL provided in the body of the email.
- A new window will open, prompting you to create a password for your account.
- Your Helpdesk account has been activated once you assign a password to your account.
- Save your username and password somewhere secure, and you're done!
Please view this video for assistance in getting started with Helpdesk.
In most cases, submitting a support ticket in Helpdesk will be the main channel used by you and your team to ask questions, problems, or issues. This method renders the fastest responses from our Support Team.
How to Submit a Support Ticket?
To open a ticket via our web portal, simply select the following link: https://stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/home, select create a new ticket, and follow the steps outlined below:
- Registered Email Address Only: This field will pre-populate with your login email address. Please do not change.
- Add CC: Click the Add CC link to include additional email addresses if desired.
- Your First and Last Name: Enter your first and last name in this field.
- Hotel Name: Enter the name of the hotel experiencing the issue.
- Subject: Include a brief but descriptive title for the ticket.
- What Section Do You Need Support: Indicate the section for which you need support. Select from one of the following:
- Front Desk
- Groups
- Revenue Management
- Housekeeping
- Financials
- Actions Managers
- Reports
- Settings and Configuration
- Integrations
- Priority: Select the urgency of your issue/request. Please choose the most appropriate option to receive the most efficient response.
- *Priority 1: Critical
- The platform is down, cannot access the system*.
- Customer cannot check a guest in or out or book a reservation.
- Customer cannot access the system.
- Priority 2: High
- Guests cannot check in or out from Stayntouch Guest Mobility.
- Certain actions and data fields in Stayntouch PMS are not functional.
- Priority 3: Low
- Informational cases
- Reporting
- Feature Request/Customization
- Enhancement requests
- Requests for new features or customizations.
- *Priority 1: Critical
- Description: In the description space of your ticket, please be as detailed as possible. The more information you provide, the better we can respond to and resolve your tickets. Helpdesk’s simple ticket support system allows you to include links and images right in the body of the ticket. Examples of helpful information include the following:
- Confirmation number of an individual or group reservation
- Extract of a report/export
- Screenshot of an error message
- Screenshot of transaction/activity logs
- Exact nature of the issue, including any troubleshooting steps carried out so far
- Contact number (if one exists)
- Best Telephone Number to Reach You About This Issue: Enter a phone number for us to contact you if necessary.
Don’t Forget to Follow-Up
After you’ve submitted a support request in Helpdesk, it is not uncommon for a Stayntouch team member to follow-up with additional questions regarding your support request (i.e., what time the issue was noted, verification of intended functionality, the reservation’s confirmation number, etc.). Your timely response will enable us to provide more efficient support.
Knowledge Base
For us to provide you with the most up-to-date and accessible support, we are pleased to introduce you to our Knowledge Base (located in Helpdesk). This resource allows you to view and search a repository of knowledge about all things Stayntouch PMS and Stayntouch Guest Mobility/Kiosk, including tips, how-to guides, helpful videos, webinars, solutions, and release notes. Please check this site for the latest and most current information regarding your product-related questions.
Support Team
Support calls are directed to our Support Engineers located around the globe. Our highly-trained, knowledgeable Support Engineers will respond to your request as quickly as possible.
Unless you are experiencing a *Priority 1 (P1) issue (which should be called-in immediately to our support line), we recommend submitting a Helpdesk support request before calling one of the support numbers below. This will help our team with documenting issues and will allow for a more comprehensive follow-up.
Stayntouch Support Reception: +1 301-563-9473 and +1 301-857-1868
- Note: In the absence of a response via phone, we ask that you please leave a voicemail, as this will automatically create a ticket, and our agents will follow up via that ticket.
Helpdesk Support: https://stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/home
Note: It’s our top priority to respond to support requests as quickly as possible. We will do our best to assist you during your initial outreach; however, some issues may require supplemental research or additional team members’ assistance (i.e., Product Experts, Implementations Specialists, Development Team, etc.).
Before You Call
- Determine if the problem is a Priority 1 (P1) issue. A P1 issue is a rare situation where Stayntouch is experiencing an unplanned system outage OR when check-ins/check-outs are disabled in Stayntouch PMS. While both P1 and P2 issues are treated as issues requiring “urgent action”, please report P1 level issues immediately to Stayntouch’s Support Team at https://stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/home and +1 301-563-9473 / +1 301-857-1868.
Before You Submit a Ticket
- Verify that the problem is actually related to Stayntouch’s software. Problems can arise as the result of third party vendors, interfaces, or network/connectivity issues. Begin by verifying that the problem is not the result of issues associated with another vendor. Stayntouch Support does not provide support for non-Stayntouch products, but we will do our best to work with you and the third party to quickly resolve these issues.
- Check if an update is required. If you are working from an older version of our app, you may need to upgrade the version of the software you are using. Learn more here.
- Attempt to reproduce the problem. Take a moment to recreate the issue. Reproducing the issue allows you to confirm that the problem can be recreated and is also an opportunity for you to take screenshots of the potential issue. Please share the screenshots you gather when submitting your support ticket, so our team can use them as a point of reference when investigating the issue.
- Collect as much information as possible. Details, details, details. The more information you can share with us, the better. If you can determine when the issue first began, share the reservation’s confirmation number (when applicable), and/or tell us what you believe to be the scenario’s expected behavior, and we will be much better equipped to respond to the problem.
- Review all relevant documentation. Lastly, do take a moment to check for a solution or answer in our Knowledge Base. We have helpful solutions, guides, and videos that may assist you in a pinch.
Resolution
You will be notified via Helpdesk when your ticket is resolved. All resolved tickets will be updated with a closed or resolved status. Closing a ticket does not remove your support request from our portal; you can always return to the portal and search for your ticket by the assigned case number. The details of your ticket—and all accompanying communication occurring there—are saved for future reference in the Helpdesk and cases may be reopened if necessary.
The following list constitutes the various examples in which Stayntouch Support will close a ticket:
- Stayntouch Support provides you with the necessary steps to resolve the reported issue.
- Your support request identified a product defect or “bug.” A release date regarding the resolution of this bug is identified and shared with you.
- Stayntouch Support provides you with an adequate workaround that achieves a similar behavior as the one proposed in your support request—until such a time that the product enhancement can be added to Stayntouch’s feature request timeline.
- If a ticket is a product enhancement/feature request, the ticket will be closed and placed in queue for future review.
- It is confirmed with you/your team that the support request is associated with a third party vendor’s software or hardware. While Stayntouch Support will provide any additional details requested by the third party to further expedite resolution of the issue, the issue will need to be addressed by the third party vendor.
- If after consecutive attempts by Stayntouch Support to contact you/your team, and we do not receive a response, the ticket will be closed by a member of our team.
SUPPORT FAQS
1. What does my ticket status mean?
- New: Your support request has been created and assigned to an agent for further review and action.
- Investigating: Your support request has been received, and the Support Team is actively researching and reviewing how to resolve the reported issue.
- Awaiting Your Reply: A member of Stayntouch Support has requested additional information regarding your support request. We are waiting for you to respond in order to proceed. You have five days to respond or close the support request yourself before the status automatically switches to closed.
- Solution Suggested: Stayntouch Support responded to your support request, and a solution or workaround was provided. If a solution is suggested, your support request will display a Solution Suggested – Please Confirm status for three days. You have three days to respond or close the support request yourself before the status automatically switches to closed.
- Resolved/Closed: Your support request has been responded to and it is determined that no further action is required at this time. Please note, enhancements or feature requests will also be closed as they are directed to Stayntouch’s Development Team for review. A closed support request can be reopened if necessary.
- Escalated to Development: It is determined that a code fix is required, and the issue or feature has been escalated to the Development Team. We will communicate the date the fix or feature will be available, once that information has been determined.
- Vendor Support: Stayntouch is waiting for the third party/vendor to either address the issue or provide additional details to troubleshoot the problem.
2. How are product enhancements handled?
- Any suggestions to build upon or add new functionality to the product’s existing design are recognized as product enhancements or development requests. These requests should be logged on the feature request portal and will be escalated to Stayntouch’s Product Team for further review. The Product Team will then take into consideration how much work is needed to create this newly identified enhancement and how the request fits into Stayntouch’s overall vision for the product. For more information about the feature request portal, see this article.
- Feature requests differ from support requests (i.e., tickets) because they focus on design changes or product enhancements. Support requests should be created when you believe you are experiencing an issue with the system.
- Once the Product Team has reviewed and determined the possibility of including the feature enhancement, it will be announced in a set of release notes and will be grouped into our “You Ask… We Listen” forum.
3. Do you have a troubleshooting guide for Stayntouch Guest Kiosk?
- We have an entire section dedicated to Stayntouch Guest Kiosk workstation configuration, user guides, troubleshooting, how-to videos, and more on our customer Knowledge Base.
4. What are some examples of how Stayntouch assigns priority levels to different support cases?
- Priority 1 – Critical
- Stayntouch PMS is inaccessible.
- Multiple Stayntouch PMS users cannot access the system.
- Check-ins/check-outs are disabled for customers.
- Essential features, such as reservation creation, are inaccessible to multiple users.
- Priority 2 – High
- Guests cannot complete check-ins or check-outs via Stayntouch Guest Mobility.
- Error message(s) appear during auto check-in with Stayntouch Guest Mobility.
- Stayntouch Guest Kiosk returns error messages during check-in/check-out attempts.
- Certain actions or fields in Stayntouch PMS are not responding or loading.
- One or more screens in Stayntouch PMS are inaccessible.
- Priority 3 – Low
- Report discrepancies.
- Informational cases (i.e., asking for guidance or looking for clarification).
- No Priority Level
- To ensure the best customer service experience for our clients, a Priority 3 Issue (outlined above) may be prioritized before addressing a product enhancement/feature request (see below).
- Enhancements or development requests.
- Customization/recommended areas for improvement to existing product.
5. What’s the best way to follow-up on a support ticket?
- You can expect to receive email notifications in your inbox once we’ve received your support request, and you will continue to receive email responses every time an agent responds to or updates your ticket. You can either add follow-up messages via our Helpdesk, or, as mentioned before, you can reply directly to these emails, which will automatically add your response to your ticket. Just be sure not to delete or change the email subject line.
6. What’s the best way to quickly access the Helpdesk from my desktop or iPad?
- We recommend that you create a bookmark for Helpdesk. Learn how to bookmark this page here.
STAYNTOUCH STATUS UPDATES
To receive email updates about Stayntouch PMS system status, you can subscribe to updates here. We also recommend following announcements and status updates on the support portal here.
To download this guide in PDF format, see the attached file below.