Your company has decided to implement the salesforce.com Service Cloud platform, but you’re still trying to determine which functionalities should be prioritized during the configuration process. It may be helpful to familiarize yourself with the Service Cloud implementation guide, which walks through all the functionality included in the Service Cloud platform. As the platform continues to grow, enhancements are incorporated each release cycle from end user ideas to make usability easier and more efficient.

When implementing the Service Cloud console, here are some key points of consideration for contact center support agents. These six Service Cloud features will enhance agent productivity, efficiency and, ultimately, increase customers’ experience with your brand.

1. Page Real Estate
   
   Information is powerful. The simplest way to increase an agent’s efficiency is to simplify the look and feel of the User Interface, thus allowing them to locate the right information easily. The Service Cloud Console offers many options to present or hide information. Some particularly advantageous features are custom console components, which allow you to drop almost anything onto a Visualforce page. The custom console components can include links to other web based applications, custom buttons to apex automation, or even dashboard components.

2. Reports and Dashboards
   
   These are tricky in the Service Cloud Console, as the biggest consideration is that a rep needs to be as efficient as possible. To do that, create dashboards that help to manage the workload of that agent. Custom console components are the best for these use cases, because they are collapsible and can pop up on-demand. Drop a dashboard into a custom component to help agents manage work and channels they support.

3. Global Search
   
   Agents need the ability to find information at their fingertips; the global search is something they need to be able to navigate and use regularly. This can be used to find customers that are not available via computer telephony integration (CTI), Live Chat, or other channels with which inquiries can originate. Outside of the obligatory customer information, a key point to consider for the agents is whether the information that helps to identify the correct customer is available in the search results, or filter options on the search results. This way, they don’t always need to open the record to determine if they are looking at the correct record.
   
   
   
   In addition to using the global search as a method of finding customer data, it can be utilized to locate knowledge articles, solutions, and any content to help with the resolution process. 

4. Keyboard Shortcuts
   
   Hot keys are an agent’s best friend, as they allow agents to navigate and perform actions within the Service Cloud Console without having take their hands off of the keyboard to use a mouse. These can be a little daunting for an agent to learn while trying to learn how Service Cloud works, but will add a lot of value and save time with inquiry handling. Additionally, keyboard shortcuts can be used to trigger custom code and further assist with creating an efficient experience for the agents.

5. Live Agent (Service Cloud add-on feature)
   
   Live Agent is salesforce.com’s support chat channel. It integrates into the Service Cloud Console seamlessly for agents who support multiple channels. Setting up a Pre-Chat Form allows your customers to initiate a chat with an agent, making it one of the most important considerations for configuring Live Agent. This is where a customer enters information about their inquiry prior to using the “Click to Chat” button. Arming the chat agent with enough information from the start of the chat is important, while simultaneously being mindful not to discourage the customer from using chat option if the Pre-Chat Form is not sufficient. 
   
   
   
   The “agent configuration” functionality is important to make sure agents are able to handle the correct amount of chats while still providing level of support that resolves customer issues as effectively and efficiently as possible. Some cool features of agent configurations include: Sneak Peak, Agent Notifications, and Alert Notifications for Outstanding conversations. 

6. CTI  (Service Cloud add-on feature)
   
   Supporting phone inquiries is one channel to which the Service Cloud adds a lot of value. Having a softphone in salesforce.com provides caller information, call duration, and disposition of a call, which can then be reported on in tandem with case information. The ability to “popup” a screen or more depending on information needed assists with the efficiency of the agent. One of the main considerations here is choosing between a vendor to integrate your current telephony system or using a cloud based phone system. Either path works well in the console; the focus is setting up the popup, layout, and actions when a phone call is received.

As your organization transitions their service center to the cloud, consider the key features that are important to your Service Cloud implementation. Align agents and executive goals to the keys and functionalities that Service Cloud can offer to ensure a successful adoption of the tool.

For additional insight into how customer service agents and executives alike can help deliver customer engagement, download the guide to customer service and support, Empower Your Agents to Engage Your Customers.