Software Products > Flowan Help Desk > Purchasing options
SaaS (hosted) or Traditional installation, your choice
With the Flowan Help Desk software you have the flexibility to choose where you want the software installed. Your installation options are either utilizing the Flowan hosted SaaS (Software as a Service) environment or choosing the traditional (local) installation option.
The Flowan SaaS (hosted) installation option offers you the advantage of utilizing the Flowan Help Desk software without having to worry about the initial installation of the software nor upgrading the software when new releases are available. This option also frees you from dealing operating system upgrades or database technology upgrades related to the Flowan Help Desk software. Another advantage in utilizing the Flowan SaaS option is that Flowan takes on the responsibility of ensuring that your data is backed up and that the software is available on a 24x7 schedule.
If you select the traditional (local) installation option, Flowan will assist you with the initial installation and set up of the Flowan Help Desk software. Once installed, your IT department takes the responsibility for upgrading the Flowan Help Desk software and backing up your data.
With the traditional installation option, Flowan offers a unique service where a qualified Flowan technician performs the Flowan Help Desk software upgrades remotely on your servers. This service is very cost-effective and, by leveraging the expertise of the Flowan technician, ensures that your upgrade is completed with minimal downtime. Please speak to your Flowan Sales Representative to get more information about this unique offering.
Enterprise Edition vs. Small Business Edition
Customer service is a vital function for every business (regardless of size) and is the key for establishing a lasting relationship with your customers. The way you interact with your customers says a lot about your business and how much you value customer service. To provide a cost-effective customer solution for both large and small organizations, Flowan Help Desk is offered in two editions; an Enterprise Edition and a Small Business Edition. The two editions are fundamentally the same but the licensing, installation options, and system administration differ.
Small Business Edition
- Unlimited number of users with the license cost being based on transaction/request volume (click here for pricing)
- Flowan provided software system administration (adding request types, adding users, setting up coverage, etc.)
- 3 support calls per year. Additional support calls charged by each call
- A one-time fee for the initial software configuration and data set up
- Includes training for customer service representatives (analysts)
Enterprise Edition
- Unlimited transaction/request volume. Licenses are required for analysts (contact Flowan for pricing information)
- Unlimited number of “requester” users (no license required for users to submit requests)
- Includes 8 hours of system configuration consulting (no initial set up fees)
- Includes training for customer service representatives and software system administrators
- Multi-lingual versions available (additional cost per language pack)
| Feature |
Small Business Edition |
Enterprise Edition |
| Customers able to submit, view, and interact with their cases |
Yes |
Yes |
| Flowan Web request entry form with custom logo and branding option |
Yes |
Yes |
| Knowledge Base |
Yes |
Yes |
| Flowan Web Chat |
Yes |
Yes |
| File Attachments |
Yes |
Yes |
| Spell Checker |
Yes |
Yes |
| Multi-lingual |
Yes |
Yes |
| Standard Built-in reports |
Yes |
Yes |
| Cases created from email massages |
Yes |
Yes |
| Custom request entry fields |
Yes
(technical support call) |
Yes |
| User profile maintenance |
(Via an Excel file) |
Yes |
| Maximum number of Customers who can submit cases |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
| Maximum number of cases per month |
Unlimited
(subscription based) |
Unlimited |
| Case history retention period |
2 years |
Unlimited |
| Maximum number of "virtual help desks" |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
| Maximum number of analysts (users who process and solve cases) |
Unlimited |
Purchase Licenses |
| System configuration and administration |
Performed by Flowan Software, Inc |
Yes |
| Number of technical support calls per year |
3
(charge for additional support calls) |
Unlimited |
| Software upgrades and bug fixes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Software installation option (Flowan SaaS platform or traditional local installation) |
SaaS only |
|
| Dedicated Flowan Help Desk environment on the Flowan SaaS platform |
No |
Yes |