Case Management Examples: An In-Depth Guide

A lot of work today is collaborative, unstructured, and unpredictable. And while efficiency-driven solutions and process automation are great for repetitive and predictable tasks, they are often causing more problems than they solve with more flexible workflows.

Businesses and organizations now need software tools that support caseworkers and information-centric work to create better experiences for their customers.

If you’ve been wondering whether case management can offer you the right mix of structure and flexibility you need, the answer is yes.

Case management is an approach that can be applied to any non-routine process. It helps case managers to handle cases competently in order to achieve specific objectives.

When it comes to case management, may people struggle to understand how to apply it? The best way is to look at some clear business examples. A case can be a transaction, a service, a response, a claim, a problem, an incident, a proposal, or any other complex activity.

Here are five case management examples that will give you a clear idea of how you can apply the principles and technology in your organization.

Incident report

An incident is an out-of-the-norm event that occurs on company premises and requires documentation and follow-up. Incidents might also occur in the digital space such as a drop-in service to a customer.

Common workflow steps:​

• Initial diagnosis of an incident
• Incident escalation to second-level caseworkers
• Investigation and diagnosis
• Incident resolution and recovery
• Incident closure

Who participates:​ 

• Incident witnesses
• Service desk personnel
• Facility managers
• IT support technicians
• Incident managers

Possible resolutions:​ 

• Addressing a facility issue
• Fixing a bug in an application
• Restoring service to normal after disruption
• Correcting a network issue

Challenges:​ 

• Detecting incidents as soon as they happen
• Getting users and technicians to register all incidents
• Implementing self-service mechanisms
• Recording all information about known problems and errors
• Relating incident management to configuration elements

Key metrics: 

• Average resolution time
• Average initial response time
• First, call resolution rate
• The service-level Agreement compliance rate
• Reopen rates
• Number of repeat incidents
• Incident backlog
• End-user satisfaction rates

Bug tracking

Bug tracking occurs when an error is identified in how an application functions. The error must be logged, investigated, and resolved.

Common workflow steps:​ 

• Log bugs and assign them to caseworkers
• Validate bugs
• Design solutions for the bugs
• Get a tester to verify that the issues are fixed
• Launch the product
• Gather user feedback

Who participates:​ 

• Developers
• Testers
• Quality assurance officers
• End users

Possible resolutions:​

• Correcting of a syntax error
• Rectification of missing command error
• Control flow and error handling
• Solving of error condition

Challenges:​

• Lack of a standard bug-tracking template
• Lack of a process for logging bugs
• Unclear communication to testers on the required fields
• Inability to maintain proper statuses for defects
• Testers not having control over test environments and not knowing when the fixes are deployed

Key metrics:

• The total number of bugs logged
• The number of bugs fixed
• The number of bugs logged every week
• The number of bugs fixed every week

Ticketing

Ticketing happens when a user registers a complaint or requests help to use your product.

Common workflow steps:​ 

• A ticket is submitted and acknowledged
• The ticket is assigned to the responsible person
• It is assigned to additional interested parties
• Changes to the ticket are tracked and interested parties are notified
• A resolution is launched based on the status of the ticket and its priority
• The issue is solved and the ticket is closed

Who participates:​

• Administrators
• IT support technicians
• Help desk staff

Possible resolutions:​

• Protecting virtual assets against vulnerabilities
• Investigating new users that appear on private networks and dealing with them as appropriate
• Locating users operating unapproved software and updating the software or removing them

Challenges:​

• Difficulty in handling growing ticket volume
• Lack of accurate reporting and metrics that measure help desk performance
• Difficulty managing the ticketing process, causing users to email help desk staff directly
• Long ticket resolution times and lost issues
• Difficulty keeping track of users’ assets

Key metrics:

• The volume of new tickets
• Tickets logged through different support channels
• Support tickets solved
• Ticket response time and wait time
• Ticket resolution time
• The backlog of new tickets
• The predicted backlog of tickets distribution
• Customer satisfaction ratings
• Individual performance of customer support agents

Service request

Service requests happen when a formal request is made to work on either a facility, asset, hardware, or some other object within the company.

Common workflow steps:​ 

• A customer requests for service from a service portal
• The IT team assesses the request against approval and qualification processes
• If necessary, the request is sent for business or financial approval
• A service desk agent fulfills the service request or forwards it to someone who can
• Once the request is resolved, the agent closes the ticket and checks with the customer to ensure they are satisfied

Who participates:​

• Customers
• IT service team
• Service desk agents

Possible resolutions:​

• Upgrade to a higher version of a software
• Request for a password reset accepted
• Configuring color printing permission
• Submitting feedback on new software
• Issuing a mobile device
• Creating a SaaS account

Challenges:​

• Handling numerous requests simultaneously
• Lack of helpful self-service tools
• Wasting a lot of time on recurring issues
• Training and retaining service desk agents

Key metrics:

• Total number of requests
• Number of requests closed within Service Level Target time
• Number of rejected requests
• Backlog of requests

Claim processing

Claims are most commonly seen in the insurance industry but can be applied anywhere where a customer seeks the services of a company to address a claim.

Common workflow steps:​ 

• The customer files a claim
• The claim investigation begins
• The policy is reviewed
• Damage evaluation is carried out
• Payment is arranged

Who participates:​

• Insured party
• Insurance broker
• Adjuster
• Appraiser
• Engineer
• Contractor

Possible resolutions:​

• Replacement cost settlement on personal property
• Actual cash value settlement endorsement
• Car accident insurance claim denied

Challenges:​

• The high number of fraudulent claims
• Poor integration
• Inconsistent service delivery
• Government and financial compliance
• Increasing customer demand
• Bureaucratic, jurisdictional, and other issues that create delays and slow down processes
• Complex fact patterns such as legal issues, familial effects, and employment statuses that present hurdles to closure
• High operational costs
• Inconsistent service delivery

Key metrics:

• The average cost per claim
• The average time it takes to settle a claim
• Claims processed by each agent
• Claim error rate
• New policies per agent
• Policies in-force for every insurance agent
• Average policy size
• Insurance underwriting cycle time

Streamline your workflow with Kissflow

Kissflow case management is designed for the digital workplace and ensures minimal disruption of work. It helps you to improve the efficiency of day-to-day operations and the overall revenue of your business.

Case management software understands how modern organizations operate, so you can use it to structure workflows the way you want. It is packed with features that simplify business processes from initiating process requests to offering payment-process approvals.