The term "request management" refers to the structured process of capturing, handling, and tracking inquiries – for example, from customers, prospects, partners, or internal departments. The main goal of request management is to process incoming requests efficiently, reduce response times, and improve service quality. It is a key module in many CRM, helpdesk, or service management systems.
Request Capture: Automated or manual recording of incoming requests through various channels (e.g., email, web form, phone).
Categorization and Prioritization: Assigning requests to relevant topics, products, or urgency levels.
Assignment and Escalation: Automatic or manual routing of requests to responsible staff or teams and escalation in case of deadline violations.
Status Tracking: Clear processing status with timestamps and progress indicators.
Communication and Response Templates: Centralized communication with requesters including access to standardized response templates.
Knowledge Base Integration: Suggested solutions from the internal knowledge base for faster request handling.
Reporting and Analysis: Evaluation of request volume, processing times, customer satisfaction, and other KPIs.
Archiving and Documentation: Legally compliant storage and documentation of all requests and processing steps.
A customer request about a software product is captured via a contact form and automatically forwarded to the responsible sales representative.
A helpdesk employee processes a support request received by email and uses a response template for a quick reply.
An internal IT request for VPN access setup is logged in the system and handled within a defined SLA time frame.
A company analyzes the most frequent request topics to optimize its self-service portal.
A critical request is automatically escalated by the system due to reaching the highest priority level.