Top Tips for using AskQM

Students will get the most from AskQM by logging in to the platform to raise an enquiry rather than using the public contact form or emailing a harvested address.

You can support them (and also make sure enquiries are directly routed to the correct team) by providing them with some guidance on which category to select, e.g. 'Please log in to AskQM and raise an enquiry under the category xxx'

Please note that when a student is logged in to AskQM and enter a title for their enquiry, predictive matching will suggest the most relevant categories. These are presented to students simple as 'categories', they correspond to what we know as subcategories. 

Those using the public contact form will need to choose a category and subcategory.

AskQM User Guide: 2.3 (Student Portal), 2.4 (Categories and Subcategories)

Always tag the student or colleague in posts so they receive a notification via the bell icon in the top right. Before posting, select ‘All with access’ for your message to be visible to students and ‘QMUL only’ for internal posts.

Particularly important when speaking to colleagues, if you don't tag them they will not be notified you are trying to communicate with them and may not see your message.

If you can’t tag a student it means they haven't activated their account (logged in) and won't see your post in the student portal, so use the email function instead.

AskQM User Guide: 7.1.1 (Posts), 6.3.4 (Active Portal Users)

If you’re unsure which category to select, refer to the Enquiry Category Routing webpage or the Enquiry Categories & Routes spreadsheet. If you’re unsure which team to assign to, check the AskQM Team Queues for Handing On spreadsheet.

Please see the AskQM User Guide for the latest links to these spreadsheets.

AskQM User Guide: 2.5-2.5.1 (Queues & Routing)

A list view is the list of enquiries in a certain team or individual queue, found within the Cases tab.

Create custom list views with the filters and columns you need to organise and prioritise your cases. Default columns include Subject, Programme Name and Developmental Year, but you can add other fields or add filters so you only see the enquiries requiring review. Once you have created your custom list view, the settings will remain in place until you edit them.

You can also use custom list views to monitor team workload. This helps you track open enquiries, cover for colleagues on leave and ensure cases are allocated and followed up.

AskQM User Guide: 4.2-4.3 (Cases Page & List Views), 5.2 (Custom List Views), 5.3 (Custom Views for Teams)

Current students can only see cases in AskQM under ‘My Enquiries’ if they’ve activated their account by logging in. If opening an enquiry on their behalf, if they’ve never logged in before ask them to do so before raising the case so that they will be able to view and track it.

You can post to students who have activated their accounts and tag them. If they haven't activated their account, you will need to use the email function instead.

AskQM User Guide: 6.3.4 (Active Portal Users)

If a student has raised an enquiry via means other than the student portal, or a staff member has forwarded an email to a harvested mailbox, the Student Details may be incorrect.

Check that Student Details match Web Enquiry Details (webform and email enquiries can be mismatched). If the enquiry was forwarded by a staff email, it may link to the staff account instead of the student - update student details if needed.

AskQM User Guide: 6.3.2 (Checking and Correcting Student Details)

Be mindful that an enquirer can re-open a case a maximum of three times.

A closed enquiry may be re-opened by a student via the Student Portal using the 'Re-Open Enquiry' button. Or, an email replying to a closed enquiry will re-open it.

Once the limit has been reached the case cannot be re-opened by the enquirer. Guidance is given to the enquirer directing them to raise a new enquiry if they still require support.

AskQM User Guide: 8.1 (When Cases Re-Open)

When logging enquiries through the Outlook Plugin, cases that would normally go to School or Institute queues will default to the Frontline Enquiry Response Team, as you cannot select a School or Institute in the plugin. You can manually reassign these cases / change owner to the correct team whilst still in the Plugin, or within AskQM.

AskQM User Guide: 14,14.3 (Outlook Plugin)

Use the bell icon (top right) in AskQM to track mentions, tasks and updates. To reduce inbox clutter, set up Outlook rules to filter emails from noreply@ask.qmul.ac.uk into a folder, keeping only key notifications (e.g. assigned cases) in your inbox.

AskQM User Guide: 17 (Notifications), 19 (Email Notifications in Outlook)

Review emails before sending, as AskQM may include previous messages automatically. Remove internal or irrelevant content and reply in the correct thread in the feed to avoid sharing unnecessary information.

AskQM User Guide: 7.1.3 (Managing Email Threads)

Use the ‘expand all visible posts’ button in the feed to expand all messages in the feed, helping you to avoid missing updates or replies hidden in collapsed threads.

AskQM User Guide: 9.2 (Activity Feed)

The progress bar is a visual representation of the enquiry status. Once you have responded to the enquirer and resolved the issue, remember to close the enquiry. Cases left as anything other than 'Closed' or 'Merged & Closed' are open and will be impacting your closure statistics. 

If you've handed on an enquiry to another team, the status will automatically change to Hand On. If you only change the enquiry status to Hand On using the progress bar then the status will change but the case will remain with you. 

Please note that changing the status will send automated emails to the enquirer to keep them updated, so please ensure you are only changing the status when necessary.

AskQM User Guide: 7.5 (Updating Case Status), 7.2 (Assigning Cases (Change Owner vs Hand On))