OS Ticket

Customer service issues are starting to become more of an issue for me, so I began searching for an online ticket solution. I reviewed a number of software systems and online solutions, and finally decided that a free, open source software solution was my best option.

I heard great things about OS Ticket.  As open source software, it is completely free to download and use.  I didn’t want to learn how to install the software, so I purchased domain to use where I could install the software, created a hosting account, and found a freelancer who installed it for a very low cost.  Your hosting account server needs to have PHP and MySQL installed and ready to use. And, to provide a custom look, you should provide your installer with a header to use on your support site.

The feature that attracted me was that it supports both web-based and email based ticket systems. Your customers can either log on to your web site to submit a support ticket or they can simply send an email to support. osTicket integrates both channels into a simple web-interface which lets your customer service staff access the tickets and provide support to your customers.

Normally, I’m not a big fan of open-source software because I don’t want to have to research through hundreds of forum posts to find the solution to my problem. However, thus far I’ve found the system to be relatively trouble-free. Once it is installed, you do have to log in as the administrator and tweak the settings and set up your emails, FAQs, etc.

Here are the features the software offers:

• Web and Email Support: Tickets can be created via email, online forms or phone.
• Auto Response: Automatic reply that is sent out when a new ticket is opened or a message is received along with customizable mail templates.
• Predefined responses for frequently asked questions.
• Configurable help topics for web tickets: Route inquiries without exposing internal departments or priorities.
• Staff and clients are kept up to date with email alerts: You get role-based access with configurable and flexible settings.
• No user account or registration required for users: ticket ID/email used is required for customer log-in.
• All support requests and responses are archived.

You can download a free shareware version here.