August 2023 New From PIAC (Polaris ILS Advisory Committee)
PIAC met with Innovative on Monday, August 21 to discuss several items.
Polaris Notices
Clarivate had previously shared that two new notice tools were in development for Polaris customers: An updated SMS text messaging service and a phone alert (telephony) service. PIAC asked for an update on both services, including an anticipated timeline.
Samantha Quell confirmed that both products are currently in the works. For both services, Clarivate is working with the vendor that is used for Sierra phone alerts, Cirrius Impact. Clarivate is currently recruiting beta libraries to assist with testing and hope to have beta testing underway this fall. The timeline for official rollout is still tentative at this time.
The updated text messaging (SMS) service will come shortly after the phone alert service is released. Some of the current phone alert beta libraries will also partner with Clarivate to test text messages. The release of the SMS tool is expected to come closely behind the phone alerts tool. The text message process will work through export files, similar to the existing setup for 3rd party vendors like I-tiva. They intend to use the Vega connector service in the future, but realized they could work faster at this time if they worked with the vendor to export files versus using Vega as a middleman.
Both services (phone alerts and SMS text messaging) will have an additional cost for customers. Interested libraries should talk with their account manager for pricing details closer to the launch dates. For those interested in phone alerts, your account manager may be able to give you a quote since this tool is already in place for Sierra customers.
Update on Support Staffing
In April, Jesse Jensen shared that new support resources were being added to help improve ticket/support response times. PIAC asked for an update.
Per Jesse, this is still in progress. Two new site managers have recently been added to the team, and one site manager is returning from project work. The team should be rebalanced over the next month or so to improve response times. In addition, some members of Asia Pacific teams are working with site managers on tickets to help keep skills sharp. You may receive support from someone from another team that you are not familiar with.
Jesse emphasized that if you have questions or concerns about the support your library is receiving, please reach out to Gary Bell (gary.bell@clarivate.com), Caitlin Spears (caitlin.spears@clarivate.com), or use the support escalation email (supportescalation@iii.com). If needed, Gary can set up monthly or bimonthly ticket reviews to discuss what tickets need attention.
PIAC also asked about how ticket notifications work for site managers and other support staff. Currently, support staff will only receive a notification when the status of a ticket changes. If you reply to a ticket but the ticket status stays the same, support staff will not get an email notification. If needed, you can add your site manager to the cc list to ensure a notification gets to their inbox. Again, reach out to Gary Bell if a ticket is stale.
Known Issues Log
Prior to this week, the Supportal Known Issues page had not been updated for a few months and was missing several 7.4 bugs. PIAC asked if this page could be updated on a regular basis. Jesse said that they are currently evaluating the best workflow to make sure this page remains as up-to-date as possible. In the meantime, if you notice an item is missing from the Known Issues page, please let the support team know by opening a ticket.
Thank you, Jesse!
Jesse Jensen shared that he will be leaving Clarivate for a new opportunity at a public library system. Jesse’s last day with Clarivate is September 1. PIAC thanks Jesse for the many years of support and wishes him the best of luck with his new adventure!
If you have questions, concerns, frustrations, praise, suggestions, the PIAC is here to represent you to Clarivate. Please feel free to reach out to Debra (dwischmeyer@ccslib.org) or any PIAC member.
Did anyone else’s jaw drop to the floor when they saw this? How those folks manage to keep ahead of anything is amazing to me.